F7F-3N «Tigercat» V2

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The Tigercat was designed as a sleek and fast performer with hard-hitting standard armament. The fuselage was of the smallest possible cross-section and featured a pointed nose assembly, single-seat cockpit and conventional empennage. The pilot was afforded good forward and above visibility though his views left, right and to the rear were limited to an extent. Views left and right were partially obstructed by the radial engine nacelles slung underneath each mid-mounted monoplane wing. The wings themselves were hinged outboard of the engines for ease of storage (hence its carrier-based origins). The tricycle landing gear arrangement was unique, particularly for this class of large fighter.

The Tigercat missed out on combat in World War 2, but the upcoming crisis on the Korean Peninsula made sure the USMC aircraft would play a role. In fact, USMC elements of the VMF(N)-513 were already stationed in Japan when fighting broke out between the North and South Koreas. These Tigercat night-fighters were pressed into service, conducting night-intruder operations as needed. Beyond this type of action, the Tigercat lineage had reached its end by 1954, to which the aircraft was retired from USMC service. A renewed (albeit limited) lease on life occurred over the next two decades, however, as Tigercats were utilized to combat forest fires in the western United States for a time. Very few preserved Tigercats exist today with even fewer in flyable condition.

As an aside, the F7F Tigercat was originally named «Tomcat» but this naming convention - and its negative connotations - was eventually dropped in favor of «Tigercat». The Tomcat name was resurrected (and forever related) in the future turbofan-powered Grumman F-14 Tomcat swing-wing, carrier-based interceptor some decades later.

☁️ Source: militaryfactory.com / Wikipedia