Grumman Tigercat

And here it is in action. Great Warbirds, West Malling.

I knew I had a photo of the Plane Saling Tiger’s cockpit…

For a source of the roar how about taking a look at those big round things on the wings:) or those intakes inboard and outboard of the engines? I don’t know a lot abot the engineering of the F7F but at a guess I’d say those intakes feed the oil coolers and superchargers

F7F

Well… nice cockpit pictures! That is ME in the cockpit of Big Bossman! I set up a page of my pictures of Big Bossman.

http://www.geocities.com/vintageaeroplane/tigercat.html

Anyway… was funny to see my pictures posted.

These were taken in Breckenridge, Texas and during that weekend the Tigercat beat up the field good. Something on the airframe really makes the wind roar when it is going fast!

Love the head on shot. Shows just how skinny it is. I think the theory was to build the slimmest fuselage everything would fit fitted with the smallest wings capable of lifting the weight and the most powerfull engines they could get their hands on.

“Big Bossman” Reno air races Tigercat. The panel is compleatley reworked, but the original should have looked like a F8F Bearcat with dials for a second engine.

I’m wondering if it was sold in early 1992……and was in the UK in 92…..why did it take so long to get to Chino…..where it first was seen in Sept 1993?

John

This F7F Tigercat was sold to Richard Bertea in California in Feb 1992,it was flown for some years and is now up for sale.

It was flown back to the states via the northern route by Mike Wright ,who some years later flew TFCs Tigercat back the other way.

Lea Aviation who operated the Tigercat in the UK,had the aircraft overhauled before Paul Warren Wilson flew it via the southern route to Manston then in fading daylight,into Duxford.

It had previously been a Fire bomber with SIS_Q flying service in santa rosa coded E 43

The ‘JW’ on the tail was a tribute to the late Flt/Lt John Watts, from Plane Sailing, who died along with three other aircrew in a mid-air collision between a TTTE Tornado & one from 617 sqn, on the 9th August 1988.

Geoff.

No she was with Plane Sailing at Duxford

Thanks for the pics Geoff,I remember seeing this one display at Biggin in ’92,which I believe was it’s last year here in the UK.Who owned her and what has become of her?Was she one of Doug Arnold’s collection?

Lovely Photos!!!

I remember that Tigercat it put on a heck of a display that Year,Tigercat is such a beautiful A/C i am glad one still in the UK.

and again

again

F7F-3 N6178C/483-JW at Big Gin Hill, 18-6-89.

From Courtesy Aircraft site where this ones for sale.

Macky… Great stuff..

Ive searched on google day in day out…

Thanks!

www.us-aircraft.com/walk/grumman_f7f.htm

although it has a modern instrument fit. Found this with an image search on Google.