The F-7F Tigercat was heavily armed and in addition to the four 20mm guns on the nose and the four 12.7mm machine guns on the wings, it could carry up to 900kg of bombs under the wings and a torpedo under the fuselage.This variant designed as F7F-2D, was a transformation of a few F-7F.2Ns as a drone controller for training tasks. The windshield behind the cockpit was that of the F-8F Bearcat fighter.The US Marine Corps ordered 500 units of Tigercat fighter in 1943, but due to the constant delays in the delivery periods, 200 were cancelled at the end of 1945.Tigercat had exceptional performance for an aircraft with piston engines, reaching more than 700 km/h and a service ceiling of more than 12,000 meters.This aircraft was so big that it could not be embarked on escort carriers or the oldest ones. In principle they were designed to be used in the Midway class aircraft carriers, the biggest of that time.This is the F7F-3N Tigercat, night fighter variant with a radar installed on the nose instead of the guns of the first series. 60 examples of this model were built, which like the most, operated from ground bases.Although Tigercat demonstrated excellent qualities in flight, several mechanical problems prevented its qualification for use in aircraft carriers. Only the F7F-4N Tigercat variant got the permit after extensive modifications in some structural areas for on-board operations and finally 12 aircraft were manufactured.Some F7F-3N Tigercat participated in the Korean War, but in small numbers. Only the Marine Corps VMF (N) -513 “Flying Nightmares” used 15 aircraft for night fighting and attack missions.Tigercat began to be removed from service after 1952, and in 1954 they had all been retired. Despite being an excellent aircraft, could not stand the push of the new jet aircraft that left their performances exceeded in a short time.
