Very different from the Grumman 'cats' which had preceded it, the F7F Tigercat (as it became known) was designed as a twin-engined fighter-bomber for operation from the then new Midway class of aircraft carriers displacing 45,000 tons. In fact it was not until 1945 that F7F-4Ns were delivered equipped with arrester gear and suitable for carrier operations. In spite of its size, speed and tricycle landing gear, the Tigercat also operated successfully from carriers of the Essex class.

The prototype XF7F-1, which flew for the first time in December 1943, had been designed for a close-support role. To provide high performance and the capability to carry a heavy weapon load, it was powered by two 1,565kW radial engines mounted in underwing nacelles. Deliveries of single-seat land-based production F7F-ls to the US Marine Corps began in April 1944, but only small numbers entered service before production of a two-seat night fighter was initiated - this having the designation F7F-2N Tigercat. Other variants included F7F-3 single-seat day fighters, similar to the -1, and -3N and -4N two-seat night fighters. Tigercats were developed too late for operational deployment in World War II, and while small numbers served post-war with the Marine Corps, these were soon displaced by first-generation jet-powered fighters/fighter-bombers.

3-View

A three-view drawing of F7F-2N radar-equipped night fighter (1280 x 888)