1:72 Monogram Grumman F7F-3 Tigercat

[Brandy]

Alternatively, you could make a small base for it, then pin the nose wheel to the base...

 

Ian

[StephenCJ]

Make the chock yourself.....

1/. Flatten a lead sinker or use sheet lead

2/. cut and file to shape then paint.

 

Not a difficult job for a artisan like yourself.

[Navy Bird]

Thanks guys, good ideas!

 

I found this photo, which appears to be from when the F7F was in service:

 

 

She still has the WWII style insignia. I note that the chocks look very much the same as modern USN chocks, of which Brengun makes a nice set, reviewed on Hyperscale here.

 

Being a basically lazy guy, I might give these a try. I recently received some RAF wheel chocks (thanks Jack!) but they are a different style. Looking at this photo, I realised that I haven't yet put any weight in the front of that drop tank. I also didn't try the "test-balancing" with the props in place, but they don't weigh much. I'll be using the resin Quickboost props.

 

What I need is a hollow nose wheel tyre that is filled with liquid mercury...  

 

Cheers,

Bill

[dogsbody]

Does Aeroclub make any white metal props to fit this aircraft?

 

 

Chris

[dalea]

IIRC, Aeroclub produced P 022 which was intended for somebody's Convair CV 340, which are apparently suitable for F7F's. Note, these have square tips. Look at the  photos and you can find F7F's with square tipped props. which were applied (so it is said) pretty much at random. If your F7F has rounded tips on its propellers these are apparently identical to those on an F6F. These are done by Quickboost but don't add weight.

In the above photo are those square tipped props or round tipped props with the yellow tips making them look square?

 

Edited November 17, 2016 by dalea

[keefr22]

I'm with Ian - stick it on a base Bill!

 

All mine are stuck to simple scenic bases - for one, to me, it adds a little more realism, and for two, I often don't actually bother putting nose weight in at all, as it prevents  possible long term stress building up in any potentially weak nose gear, causing catastrophic failure and having the thing collapse onto its nose! And to me it looks like the F7F certainly has a potentially weak nose gear ! 

 

Keith

[Navy Bird]

On 11/16/2016 at 23:16, dogsbody said:

Does Aeroclub make any white metal props to fit this aircraft?

 

Good idea, that would add more weight than the resin props. I'll have a look around and see what's out there.

 

On 11/17/2016 at 01:14, dalea said:

IIRC, Aeroclub produced P 022 which was intended for somebody's Convair CV 340, which are apparently suitable for F7F's. Note, these have square tips. Look at the  photos and you can find F7F's with square tipped props. which were applied (so it is said) pretty much at random. If your F7F has rounded tips on its propellers these are apparently identical to those on an F6F. These are done by Quickboost but don't add weight.

In the above photo are those square tipped props or round tipped props with the yellow tips making them look square?

 

I would say the photo shows round tipped prop blades. I looked through the Squadron Tigercat In Action book, and the majority of photos show round tipped props. One is interesting, however, as it shows square-tipped four bladed propellers. That's the only time I've seen that - looks quite neat!

 

I think you're right about the prop being the same as that used on the Hellcat. Some, but not all, Corsairs also used this 13' 1" propeller. Avenger too, I think.

 

On 11/17/2016 at 05:17, keefr22 said:

I'm with Ian - stick it on a base Bill!

 

All mine are stuck to simple scenic bases - for one, to me, it adds a little more realism, and for two, I often don't actually bother putting nose weight in at all, as it prevents  possible long term stress building up in any potentially weak nose gear, causing catastrophic failure and having the thing collapse onto its nose! And to me it looks like the F7F certainly has a potentially weak nose gear ! 

 

Surely you must be thinking of the F7U - now that was a weak nose gear! Oh, wait, you mean on the model - yeah, the nose gear looks a bit spindly. But it's moulded in this hard-as-nails blue plastic from the 1970s. I think it will hold up.

 

Besides, there isn't that much weight up front:

 

 

I weighed the port fuselage before and after - this adds up to 26 g. My personal best was 83 g that I put in my PB4Y-1 (B-24D) to make it set on its nose gear. Crazy. It had to be that much because it all had to go behind the cockpit - no room in the nose with that big picture window up front. That was a couple of years ago, and she's still fine. I don't see any sagging of the gear - yet.

 

You may recall that I estimated it would need 32 g to set properly. "Missed it by that much!" said Max.  

 

Cheers,

Bill

[TonyTiger66]

9 hours ago, dalea said:

In the above photo are those square tipped props or round tipped props with the yellow tips making them look square?

 

I keep looking and they look square tipped.

 

This is a great photo. Some other things that stand out from this photo; the undercarriage legs really do look to be painted blue.

 

The overall main blue is not really glossy and not all that dark, even in this b/w picture that's pretty clear.

 

The nosewheel undercarriage assembly is extremely fine and quite elaborate.

 

Bill, John Aero here on BM still has a lot of his Aeroclub parts, it might be worth sending him a PM as those props would add some nice weight.

 

I know it would be fiddly but; given how fine the nosegear is as shown on your photo above; how about using the kit part as a starter 'template' and building gear from eg Albion Alloys metal rod and tube?

 

It's lovely stuff, great to work with and would add nose weight, and strength. You could retain your existing wheel and guard . A bit of aluminium drinks can metal cut to shape for the nose gear door would look very to scale too.

 

The weight in front of the drop tank may, literally, tip it in your favour  !

 

Have you thought of pouring the 'Liquid Gravity' product into every teensy gap left,  between all the existing weights? 

 

All the best

TonyT

[Navy Bird]

I wouldn't read too much about the colour and finish from that photo - it is a really lousy picture. Here it is with a simple gamma and contrast adjustment:

 

 

I can assure you that Dark Sea Blue FS15042 is indeed glossy and quite dark in real life. I think it has a hint of green to it as well, but Nick would know more about that than I would. For scale effect, I always try to get a satin, eggshell or semi-gloss look for DSB, like on this XF10F:

 

 

I'll be using the Quickboost resin props for the F6F - they have round tips, and they're already in my stash! SWMBO says I spend too much of her money on my hobby. Which is a strange comment, as I was the one who went to work every day for 40+ years. I would think the money is mine, eh? 

 

Cheers,

Bill

[TonyTiger66]

A beautiful finish on that XF10F Bill  

 

I love it all the more due to the Jaguar art  !

 

I see what you mean with the b/w photo.

 

All the best

TonyT

Edited November 17, 2016 by TonyTiger66
Jaguar not Tiger!

[CedB]

Great job packing weight in the nose Bill - fingers crossed for you here!

 

14 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

SWMBO says I spend too much of her money on my hobby. Which is a strange comment, as I was the one who went to work every day for 40+ years. I would think the money is mine, eh?

 

Yeah - I'm with you on that! Although, of course, I don't want to start a fight...

[modelglue]

"Basically lazy"?!?!?!?! Bill! Please! lol.

 

It is a pleasure to follow this, for certain, because I will never have the guts to do all this work to the Monogram kit. I think with the AZ kit as a future possibility we might see a new tool somewhat soon and can't justify having the older kit around. I had built one a while back, before college, and was very happy with it OOB. It sat next to my first hasegawa kit (a Boof TF. X) and was one of my proudest builds. 

 

Can you hear me chanting : "Mauler, Mauler, Mauler" ?

[giemme]

13 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

Which is a strange comment, as I was the one who went to work every day for 40+ years. I would think the money is mine, eh? 

Yes, that's what you think. But don't you dare saying it loud when your Missus is around, 'cause we don't want an injured Navy Bird ...   

 

Ditto on the satin effect, and nice XF10F BTW  

 

Ciao

[ejboyd5]

I've never had any difficulty getting the Monogram Tigercat to sit on its three wheels.  However, if there are problems, think of all the pictures from Korea where the back end of the Tigercat is propped up by a 55 gallon fuel/oil drum.

[Navy Bird]

On 11/17/2016 at 11:27, TonyTiger66 said:

A beautiful finish on that XF10F Bill  

 

I love it all the more due to the Jaguar art  !

 

Thanks! For want of a more powerful engine, and a decision to move to a conventional tail earlier in the test program, the Jaguar would have been a far more interesting aircraft. Lots of what ifs there, but who knows, it might have even entered production. Of course, Grumman would have to fix the other 2,457 bugs - but the swing wings always worked great! 

 

On 11/17/2016 at 11:37, CedB said:

Great job packing weight in the nose Bill - fingers crossed for you here!

 

Yeah - I'm with you on that! Although, of course, I don't want to start a fight...

 

Ah yes. Ain't nobody happy unless Momma be happy.    

 

On 11/17/2016 at 11:38, modelglue said:

"Basically lazy"?!?!?!?! Bill! Please! lol.

 

It is a pleasure to follow this, for certain, because I will never have the guts to do all this work to the Monogram kit. I think with the AZ kit as a future possibility we might see a new tool somewhat soon and can't justify having the older kit around. I had built one a while back, before college, and was very happy with it OOB. It sat next to my first hasegawa kit (a Boof TF. X) and was one of my proudest builds. 

 

Can you hear me chanting : "Mauler, Mauler, Mauler" ?

 

I've seen many Monogram Tigercats built up OOB and you're right they look good, even with the raised panel lines. I think I got tired of waiting for the AZ Tigercat a while ago. Especially when it became known that it wasn't going to be one of their HQT moulds (unless they changed their mind again). Still, when it's released I will certainly buy a few. The Tigercat is just too cool to not do so. And AZ is one of those modeller-friendly companies that participate here on BM and actually answer their emails quickly, and they should be applauded for that.

 

I have the CMR Mauler - pretty basic as far as CMR goes, but I think it will build up nicely. I got mine on special because it had no decal sheet, try to find an aftermarket Martin Mauler sheet. I couldn't. I've resigned myself to using some old Skyraider stickers for it. I think I can recreate some authentic Mauler markings that way. I'd like to do the bird that set the load-out record. Or maybe I should get one of the Siga or Ace kits, use the decal sheet and throw away the plastic?

 

On 11/17/2016 at 11:38, giemme said:

Yes, that's what you think. But don't you dare saying it loud when your Missus is around, 'cause we don't want an injured Navy Bird ...   

 

Ditto on the satin effect, and nice XF10F BTW  

 

An injured Navy Bird? Curb your tongue! After nine back surgeries, a titanium femur rod, and a couple of rounds with the Big C, I ain't wantin' to be doin' no mo' sheet time! 

 

The satin effect on the Jaguar was done with Floquil Flat Finish (the original lacquer version) which, due to the extremely myopic market view of the Testors Company, is no longer available (along with the rest of the Floquil line, half of the Testors colours, and, oh yeah all of Polly-S too). Every now and then I find some on eBay and pay through the nose. Alclad Semi-Gloss gives a similar effect, but it takes several years days to dry.

 

On 11/17/2016 at 11:50, ejboyd5 said:

I've never had any difficulty getting the Monogram Tigercat to sit on its three wheels.  However, if there are problems, think of all the pictures from Korea where the back end of the Tigercat is propped up by a 55 gallon fuel/oil drum.

 

I've seen that done many times, but if push comes to shove, I could just do this:

 

 

Let it tail-sit! The Tigercat was commonly seen on its keyster prior to fueling, especially in a stiff wind.     

 

Cheers,

Bill

[modelglue]

4 minutes ago, Navy Bird said:

I have the CMR Mauler - pretty basic as far as CMR goes, but I think it will build up nicely. I got mine on special because it had no decal sheet, try to find an aftermarket Martin Mauler sheet. I couldn't. I've resigned myself to using some old Skyraider stickers for it. I think I can recreate some authentic Mauler markings that way. I'd like to do the bird that set the load-out record. Or maybe I should get one of the Siga or Ace kits, use the decal sheet and throw away the plastic?

 

Well, what I'd prefer you do is to wait until I can get back to you with what I have on hand. I havw the ACE kit and I am pretty sure it has two schemes. You can pick which one you'd like and I will send it out your way. Drop me a PM with your preference and address.

[Navy Bird]

On 11/17/2016 at 17:51, modelglue said:

Well, what I'd prefer you do is to wait until I can get back to you with what I have on hand. I havw the ACE kit and I am pretty sure it has two schemes. You can pick which one you'd like and I will send it out your way. Drop me a PM with your preference and address.

 

That sounds like it could work. Let me do a little researching...

 

In the meantime, here is yet another way to keep a Tigercat from setting on its tail. I kinda like this one!

 

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Martian]

I don't think Mrs Bill will let you have one of those! Alternatively you could try cramming some weight in the nacelles just behind the engines.

 

Martian

[SmashedGlass]

I was unaware of those Brengun wheel chocks.....must get a fistful of them myself.

[Finn]

Another tail dragger in the background:

 

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/e6b6113fbbf31d72_large

 

Jari

[SmashedGlass]

On 11/17/2016 at 10:52 PM, Finn said:

Another tail dragger in the background:

 

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/e6b6113fbbf31d72_large

 

Jari

That is a crazy picture, Jari! The bird in the foreground has the squared off prop on the starboard side, but rounded blades on the port!?!

[Navy Bird]

Hi mates,

 

I mentioned previously that I cut off the drop tank that is moulded as part of the fuselage sections. I'll add it back, but it will need a bit of work with the "pylon" and sway braces which aren't really part of this kit. Removal of the tank left some divots that needed to be filled and sanded, and while doing this I realised that I also need to fill the slot in the bottom of the fuselage - the Monogram Tigercat comes with a stand after all. I don't do stands, so I cut a piece of plastic card to fit and glued it into the slot like this (you've all seen this a gajillion times):

 

 

Then a nice little slice with the razor blade, some filler, a little sanding and you'd never know it was there. Next, I added some weights inside the front of the drop tank "just in case" it's necessary (oh, it will be I think).

 

 

This ain't much, but you never know.

 

What else did I do today? Oh yeah, the wings and nacelles went together with just a wee bit of filler needed here and there. I modified the areas where the wing root cannons will mount, sizing them to some hypo needles that I have. I removed all of the moulded-in exhaust stubs on the nacelles as I'll be adding resin exhausts from the Aires detail set. The wings were then attached to the fuselage (the fit was almost perfect!) along with the tailplanes. The latter had some ugly ejector pin marks on the bottom side, and one of them also had some MMI copyright mark. (I'm using a combination of parts from two separate Tigercat kits - one from the 1970s and one from the 1980s. The plastic is a slightly different colour between the two, one dark blue, and the other with a hint of purple in it.)

 

So here she is, although she looks pretty rough at this stage!

 

 

You're sure to notice a couple of things.

 

First, the aerial has not survived. Well, it survived, just not attached to the fuselage. It will join us again later on.

 

Second, she not be setting on her tail! However, before I get too cocky about this, if I set her back on her tail intentionally she stays there. As I said before, the balance point is very close to where the main landing gear are.

 

Now, I still have to add the nose gear/tyre/door, engines, ignition harness, exhausts, props, framework, cowling, cooling gills, seat, windscreen, canopy, cannons, machine guns, drop tank...and all of that stuff is forward of the gear. The only parts left that favour the rear of the aircraft are the main gear doors and rockets (if I can find any). Will it work out OK? Personally, I don' think so, but we'll see. 

 

Speaking of rockets, which I assume are what the underwing stubs are for - where is a good place to find them? I'm guessing these would unguided rockets as used in Korea - although I don't yet know which markings scheme I'm going to use, I think I can make believe at some point she launched some rockets. I'll look through my other early Navy jet kits and see if I can purloin some.

 

Cheers,

Bill

[Thom216]

It's looking good! I built the 1/48 AMT kit and stuffed its nose and tank and whatever with putty and it's still a tail-sitter. Ended up using a pin at the rear of the tank as a prop. Guess it wasn't dense enough.

 

Are you going to cut and replace the wing tip lights with clear spru? I finally started doing that on my 1/48 planes and it sure makes a difference.

[Brandy]

On 11/17/2016 at 10:52 PM, Finn said:

Another tail dragger in the background:

 

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/e6b6113fbbf31d72_large

 

Jari

Not to mention one round tip prop and one straight tip on the front aircraft!

 

Ian

Edit...read the next post before weighing in!

Edited November 20, 2016 by limeypilot

[Navy Bird]

On 11/19/2016 at 20:53, Thom216 said:

Are you going to cut and replace the wing tip lights with clear spru? I finally started doing that on my 1/48 planes and it sure makes a difference.

 

I wasn't planning on it, as they're just not that big in this scale. I used that technique on my Beaufort, but the clear lens area on the leading and trailing edge of its wingtip is quite large. We'll see, I'm giving it a coat of Alclad Grey Primer right now so I can get a good look at the crummy job I've done, and maybe fix the more egregious boo-boos. 

 

Cheers,

Bill