HIGH COUNTRY CAT

Air Classics, Mar 2005 by O'Leary, Michael

WE GO AIRBORNE WITH ONE OF WORLD WAR TWO'S MOST ELEGANT COMBAT AIRCRAFT

Grumman and the military had benefited greatly from lessons learned in the construction and operation of the prototype XP-50 and XF5F-1 and, in the early part of 1941, the Navy issued a directive for the development of the XF7F-1. The Bureau of Aeronautics requirement called for a fighter powered with two Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp radiais and capable of carrying an armament of four 20mm cannon, four .50-cal machine guns, and provision for a torpedo under the fuselage or two 1000-lb bombs beneath the wings. The aircraft was to be operated from the proposed 45,000-ton Midway class carriers but combat F7Fs would never operate from carriers.

Grumman was authorized to proceed with its G-51 design and the two XF7F-1 prototypes were ordered on 30 June 1941. It is interesting to note that the Army heat the Navy to the initial order when, on 20 May, it ordered a modification of the G-51 design to be designated XP-65. These two prototypes were to he fitted with two-stage Wright R-1820-67/69 radiais. Turhosuperchargers were later added to the specification and the performance was expected to pass that of the XF7F-1. However, Army and Navy specifications clashed and it was thought that the hi-service fighter would he overweight with the different modifications required by both services hence the Army bowed out and let Grumman continue its tradition as a Naval aircraft supplier.

The prototype XF7F-1 lifted off from Grumman's Bethpage, Long Island, facility on 2 December 1943 with test pilot Robert Hall. BuNo 03549 led a short life when it was destroyed in a non-fatal crash hut, by then, the second prototype was flying and carrying on flight testing. Soon after the first flight of this aircraft, the Navy placed an initial order for 500 of the new fighter.

As the first examples of the F7F-1s, now named Tigercat to keep with the tradition of Grumman's airborne felines, began to leave the production line, a radical change in Navy planning took place. During April 1944, the Navy decided the Tigercat should be operated by land-based squadrons so the bulk of production, would be transferred to the Marine Corps. It was reasoned that this would eliminate lengthy carrier qualification trials as well as providing the Marines with a hard-hitting fighter-bomber that would be well suited to their operational doctrine.

Accordingly, plans were set in motion to equip twelve USMC squadrons with the F7F while the Marines would give up an equal numher of Corsair squadrons to the Navy for carrier operations in the Pacific.

A number of nagging technical problems and a rapidly changing situation on the Pacific hattlcfront brought production of the F7F-1 to a rapid halt on 31 December 1944 after only 35 had been completed.

As Navy and Marine air arms began to venture over the Home Islands, the Tigercat's mission drastically changed. The third F7F-1 (BuNo 80261) became the prototype XF7F-2N night fighter. Most obvious modifications included a second seat for the radar operator located over the middle of the wing and AN/APS-6 radar in the nose. Also, the four .50-cal machine guns were deleted. Further modifications included the addition of rocket launching stubs under the wing and provision for the huge Tiny Tim 11.75-in rocket under the fuselage. The rocket had to be dropped from the Tigercat before ignition could take place so that the blast would not damage the skin. A short umbilical cable rolled out with the rocket which was fired by electrical impulse, breaking the cord. The modifications reduced the fuel capacity by 46-gal, down to 380-gal.

This variant was also a limited production craft and 65 2Ns were produced between November 1944 and August 1945. These aircraft were fitted with the more powerful R-2800-34 and remaining F7F-1s were re-engined with this motor.

The Navy obtained a few examples of the F7F-2N and tested them aboard the USS Afioetmn in a series of 30 night landings during April 1945. Six pilots flew the planes and found them satisfactory for the carrier mission but the Navy decided to shelve its plans for twin-engine carrier night fighters in favor of suitably modified Corsairs and Hellcats.

The honor of being the first Thereat-equipped squadron went to VMF(N)-533 which arrived in the war zone on 14 August 1945, the day before the end of the war! The Tigercats made a few patrols but saw no operational engagements in the war for which it was designed. The squadron was transferred to China where it saw service for several years with different models of the F7F.

The only Tigercats to go to a foreign air force were two -2Ns that were transferred to the Royal Navy for testing. The Tigercat, compared with the clunky underperforming aircraft operated by the Royal Navy, must have seemed like a space ship to the British seamen.

The next variant of the Tigercat also achieved the most fame and largest production numhers. The F7F-3 was produced as a single-seat day fighter and was powered by P&W R-2800-34W radiais. A total of 250 -3 variants were built with final examples being delivered during June 1946. Just twelve F7F-4Ns were built and this variant had a strengthened airframe, stronger landing gear, new radar and arrester gear for carrier operations. When the last was delivered in November 1946, Grumman was out of the Tigercat business.