AMT 1/48 F7F-2 Tigercat

I built this model as part of my “Just Missed WWII Collection”. The subject is as seen of a factory fresh F7F-2N during carrier qualification aboard USS Antietam, April 8, 1945. Tigercats did not see combat in WWII, but Marine squadron VMP-354 used them to photograph beaches of Kyushu in July/August 1945 for the planned Operation Downfall invasion.

Tigercats were used in Korea in night interdiction missions by VMF(N)-513 and shot down several PO-2 biplane “Bed check Charlies”. To me the Tigercat is a twin-engine Bearcat with similar performance!

The kit can be built as the single seat F7F-2 or 2-seat F7F-2N. There is a 13-page instruction booklet with clear instructions and color callouts. There are 6 well molded gray sprues and 1 clear sprue. The kit vinyl molded tires have a tendency to melt the styrene wheels. Painting the inner section of the wheels reduces this problem, but I used True Detail resin wheels to be sure.

There is a handy 55-gallon drum and crate to position under the tail as the model will be a tail sitter. If enough weight is put in the nose, it may collapse the spindly nose wheel strut.

The front and rear cockpits were painted interior green and decal seat belt/harnesses were applied. There is a solid piece to use instead of the clear rear canopy to build a -2 instead of the -2N. The fuselage halves were mated with no seams.

The nicely molded R-2800 engines were painted with aluminum cylinders with a black wash and an engine gray crankcase. The cylinders and crankcase were assembled, not forgetting the prop retaining shafts. I did not attach the engines to the firewalls until the model was painted and then the engines and cowlings were installed. There are multiple exhaust stacks that were drilled out and painted burnt metal.

I did not include ordnance but if you do, there are partial holes that need to be drilled out of the wings before assembling the wing halves.

The wing halves were mated and slight seams filled and sanded. The engine nacelles/wheel wells were painted interior green and installed to the wings.

The wings and horizontal stabilizers were installed and carefully aligned and left to dry overnight. Alignment is critical to the correct look of the Tigercat.

The landing gear struts were installed and aligned, and all openings were masked with tape and pieces of foam. When the model painting was complete the strut oleos were painted with Revell chrome. The resin wheels were painted Gloss Sea Blue with flat black tires. The flattened tires were attached with white glue to allow time to carefully align them with the pavement.

The canopies were masked with Tamiya tape and painted Interior Green and when dry Gloss Sea Blue and installed with white glue.

The props were painted gloss black with yellow tips and aluminum hubs. The prop domes were painted with Revell chrome.

Final assembly included installing landing gear doors, boarding ladder and pitot. The 4- 20mm cannon barrels were drilled out and painted gunmetal, installed and carefully aligned. 2 guitar string antennas were installed on the rear fuselage as well as an antenna wire from the tail to the mast.

Red, green and white nav lights were painted with a fine brush before my morning coffee!

The entire model was painted with 2 mist coats and a final wet coat of Model Master enamel F.S. 15042 Gloss Sea Blue including the gear legs and inner gear doors. The kit decals performed well on the gloss finish. As this Tigercat was brand new, it was very glossy, and the only weathering was light gray/tan pastels applied in the direction of airflow with a soft brush behind all the exhaust stacks. These light-colored stains were very common especially when using water injection.

The Tigercat was a nice addition to my “Just Missed WWII Collection and another of my favorite Grumman cats! I know the fragile rudder should not rest on the crate!

Editor's note: If you cram every empty space forward of the main wheels with weight, then you can keep it from tail sitting, but just barely.

Squadron Signal F7F Tigercat No 79