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F7F Tigercat SOH Project

Milton Shupe said:
Okay, while gman5250 and Mike Kelly are working on the F7F-1, I have now converted the F7F-3S (single seat), the F7F-3N night fighter, and starting on the -3P 2-seater. Should have all done by the week's end.

The good thing about the variants is only the fuselage textures change; all other bmps are the same.
Click to expand...

:jump:I guess you can say I'm just a bit happy about this.:jump:
:biggrin-new:

THANK YOU!
 
Mick said:
Now that's something you don't see every day!

The 2-seat photo bird was the rarest sub-variant of the rarest variant. I never heard of such a thing until just now, when your comment prompted me to look it up. Now I'm curious about what the second crew member did, since it appears that the cameras were operated by the pilot in all -3Ps (but maybe not...???).

Will there also be a more prosaic single-seat -3P?
Click to expand...

LOL Well, I'm not certain what it is Mick. It's like a -3N with a regular nose as seen in the screenshot. Whatever that is, that's what this is. :)

It has has the "N" seating arrangement with the -3 tail and nose, so it could be a -3N without the nose, or a -2N with a modified tail. :)

So, I am going to call it a 2-seater F7F-3 and you all can sort it out, or call it the "Big Bossman". :)
 
Milton Shupe said:
LOL Well, I'm not certain what it is Mick. It's like a -3N with a regular nose as seen in the screenshot. Whatever that is, that's what this is. :)

It has has the "N" seating arrangement with the -3 tail and nose, so it could be a -3N without the nose, or a -2N with a modified tail. :)

So, I am going to call it a 2-seater F7F-3 and you all can sort it out, or call it the "Big Bossman". :)
Click to expand...

Well, this is how I figured it.

I'd never heard of a two-seat -3P, so when I saw your post I got interested. I didn't think you were making it up!

First I asked Mr. Google, and he showed me that very photo that you posted, plus several others of the same plane, but no others that purported to be of -3Ps. My first thought that it was a warbird mash-up of a -3N night fighter with a straight -3 nose stuck on it to give it that beautiful fighter profile. But I still wondered...

I looked up the Tigercat in Lloyd Jones' U.S. Naval Fighters. He tells us that the -3Ps were converted from -3s, and that the camera controls were installed in the pilot's position. But he says that "most" -3Ps were single-seaters. So there apparently were two-seat -3Ps. Jones is a pretty reliable reference, so I believe it.

The -3P was the rarest version; only 61 were converted. So if "most" of them were single-seaters, then the 2-seat -3P is the rarest of the rare.

I love how modeling, be it in wood, plastic or bits, leads us to learn more about the real airplanes!
 
Mick,

It's been 4 years since I did all the research so I am a bit dated on what it was I did and for what reason back then. I know there was a 2-seater that looked like this aside from the Big Bossman version but I do not see it now.

Whatever it is, it is beautiful and worth modeling and sharing. :)
 
ViperPilot2 said:
Oh yes, we mustn't forget the Tanker! :biggrin-new:
Click to expand...

Yes! The tanker-cat would be sweet to have!

One thing I would like to ask(I know Milton you have a lot on your plate right now),do you think a low poly-AI Tigercat would be possible? Not a big deal,just thought I would ask.:encouragement:

Joel
 
I suspect the -3P photo recce conversion was done to whatever -3 or -3N aircraft the Marines made available to Grumman. Air Wing Maintenance Officer tells the Gunny to get 2-3 aircraft to send to Grumman for cameras, and off they go. For a sexy aircraft like the F7F there's not exactly a treasure trove of info available on the intimate details of this model and that model, like say the F4U or the P-51. I just now did a search for walk-around pics so I could maybe see where the camera bay is/was on the -3P but I didn't find a shot of it. Maybe it's been skinned over on Big Bossman.
 
HorusJ said:
Yes! The tanker-cat would be sweet to have!

One thing I would like to ask(I know Milton you have a lot on your plate right now),do you think a low poly-AI Tigercat would be possible? Not a big deal,just thought I would ask.:encouragement:

Joel
Click to expand...


The old Alpha F7F-3 from Virtavia freeware works fine as a lower poly AI. Just discard the panel and sound files.
 
Terry said:
The old Alpha F7F-3 from Virtavia freeware works fine as a lower poly AI. Just discard the panel and sound files.
Click to expand...

Thanks Terrry. I did some searching and also found warbird textures to go with it,including Bad Kitty!:wavey:
 
This One?

Quote:'Date : 12/8/2014: Aircraft : Grumman F7F-300 with complete "Virtual Cockpit" - with FSX Working Gauges !!! SIM : FSX. Uploaded by : Jetranger. Original Aircraft Designer : Milton Shupe!'

Has 'issues' with rudder (effect on roll) and low speed taxi turns, but it flys good in FSX Accel. Here are pics of it.
Chuck B
Napamule
 

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Milton Shupe said:
... Whatever it is, it is beautiful and worth modeling and sharing. :)
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

Now I'll have to see if I can find a photo of a 2-seat -3P in service markings. I believe the one in the above photo is a warbird. I like warbirds OK, but a service livery would be nice too. I'll look for one.

 
TARPSBird said:
... I just now did a search for walk-around pics so I could maybe see where the camera bay is/was on the -3P but I didn't find a shot of it. Maybe it's been skinned over on Big Bossman.
Click to expand...

If I recall correctly, the camera ports were on the bottom of the nose, three in a row in a line from front to rear, and not very big. So they wouldn't show up in most photos.
 
Well, I wasn't gonna say anything, but since others are suggesting different versions, I've been imagining how great an F7F-2D drone controller would look, with the F8F Bearcat canopy over the rear pit for the drone pilot, wearing the Nifty Fifties drone controller livery of Glossy Dark Sea Blue fuselage with yellow wings and tail and red wing bands and rudder.

And the drone pylons under the outer wing.

And maybe a couple Firebees hung on the drone pylons...

I built one in plastic, converted from the old Monogram kit. It's still one of the nicest models on my shelves. But I couldn't come up with the Firebees to hang on it. :(

I would paint it if one was made...

 
I thought it would be interesting to take the XF7F-1 variant for a check ride in FSX Steam. This is the model as it exists now, not FSX native yet.

I've worked with the alpha channels and base texturing to render a convincing airframe. This is the airframe with reflective skins active.



 
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