F7F Tigercat SOH Project

I've started to clean up a photo of the "King Of The Cats" nose art. It's going to take a while, but I think I can do it. If I can finish it without making myself crazy, I'll paint the plane.

I don't really know if this is the missing plane. It might just be an earlier livery of one we already have.
 
F7F Tigercat SOH Project repaints

Hallo Mick, Hallo Maarten,

I just want to transmit you a
GREAT THANK YOU
for your repaints and all the research you did.
With Milton and your works
you "keep them flying"
Thank you that is really super!
Yours
Papi
 
Mick said:
I've started to clean up a photo of the "King Of The Cats" nose art. It's going to take a while, but I think I can do it. If I can finish it without making myself crazy, I'll paint the plane.

I don't really know if this is the missing plane. It might just be an earlier livery of one we already have.
Click to expand...

Hi Mick et all,

These are the six airworthy Tigercats I could find:

1) F7F-3N Tigercat NX379AK (To Tigercat N379AK LLC)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.117. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80375. Converted to F7F-3N (two-seat night fighter). Military career unknown. Stored ca. 1954? To USMC Museum, MCAS Quantico, VA in 1976. To Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, AZ, Oct 1987-1988 for outside display. Registered NX379AK by unknown in 2009. To WestPac Restorations Inc., Colorado Springs, CO, in 20 April 2011. Nose F7F-3N replaced by nose F7F-3P. Airworthiness Date 22 May 2013. To William R. Klaers DBA, Colorado Springs, CO, on 22 May 2013. Certification Issue Date 29 Aug 2013 (Expiration Date 31 Aug 2016, Classification: Experimental, Category: Racing, Exhibition). To Tigercat NX379AK LLC, Bellevue, WA, on 31 Aug 2013. Current in Nov 2015.

2) F7F-3P Tigercat N6178C "Bad Kitty" (Historic Flight Foundation)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.225. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80483. Converted to F7F-3P (one-seat photo reconnaissance) in 1945. Military career unknown. Stored ca. 1954? Converted to fire tanker ca 1964. To Cal-Nat Airways, Grass Valley, CA, in 1964 as N6178C. Flew as tanker E43. Wheels up landing at Ukiah Municipal Airport, Ukiah, CA, on 7 Aug 1966 after having hit trees on cropduster run. Stored. To Sis-Q Flying Service, Santa Rosa, CA, in 1969. Flew as tanker E43. To unknown owner on 21 May 1975. Following malfunctioning or failure of one engine crashlanded at Sonoma County Airport, Santa Rosa, CA, on 21 May 1975. To Macavia International Corp, Santa Rosa, CA, in Jun 1985. Flew as tanker E43. To Weeks Air Museum, Tamiami, FL, in 1987. Stored at Santa Rosa, CA. Airworthiness Date 28 Oct 1988. To Lea Aviation (US) Inc, Tampa, FL in 1988. Ferried to Duxford, UK, arriving on 13 Nov 1988. Operated by Plane Sailing Air Displays, flying as USN JW-483. Returned to USA in 1993. To Richard Bertea, Chino, CA, in 1993. Stored in 2002. Restored. To Historic Flight Foundation, Mukilteo, Snohomish, WA, in March 2006. Certification Issue Date 3 Oct 2006 (Expiration Date 30 Apr 2017, Classification: Standard-Restricted, Category: Agriculture and Pest Control, Forest, Aerial Advertising). Current in Nov 2015.

3) F7F-3P Tigercat NX700F "Here Kitty, Kitty!" (Lewis Racing LLC)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.132. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80390. Converted to F7F-3N Tigercat (two-seat night fighter), then to F7F-3P (one-seat photo reconnaissance). Military career unknown. Stored at NAS Litchfield Park, AZ, in Apr 1949. To Kreitzberg Aviation, Salem, OR, 1958 as N6129C. To Wayne B. Fowler, Shaw Island, WA, on 25 May 1959. To Aero Enterprises, Elkhart, IN, in 1960. To Johnson Flying Service, Missoula, MT, in 1961. Converted to fire tanker at Salem, OR, in 1961. To Calvin J. Butler/Butler Farm Air Service, Redmond, OR, in 1963. Flew as tanker F 16, later tanker 16. Wfu 1969. To TBM Inc., Tulare, CA, in 1969. Flew as tanker E62. To Harold Beal/On Mark Aviation, Knoxville, TN, in Nov 1978. To Preston Parish/Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, Kalamazoo, MI, in Mar 1980 as N700F. To Air Training Inc, Knoxville, TN, in Jan 1981. Reg N700FM reserved but ntu. Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum, Kalamazoo, MI, in 1981 as N700F. Delivered from Knoxville in Mar 1985. Flown as 80390/D3. Wfu in 2006. Airworthiness Date 29 Sep 2010. To Lewis Racing LLC, San Antonio, TX, in Nov 2010 as NX700F "Here Kitty, Kitty!". Certification Issue Date 9 Nov 2010 (Expiration Date 20 Nov 2016, Classification: Experimental, Category: Racing, Exhibition). Current in Nov 2015.

4) F7F-3N Tigercat NX747MX "La Patrona" (Lewis Racing LLC)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.245. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80503. Converted to F7F-3N Tigercat (two-seat night fighter). Military career unknown. Stored ca. 1954? To TBM Inc, Sequoia, CA, in 1960. Converted to fire tanker and registered N800RW. Stored dismantled in hut, Sequoia, CA, in 1973. Rebuilt at Fort Collins, CO, from 1988 till 2002. To Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, TX, in Jan 1989. Flown as Marines 80503 'RW' "Big Bossman", registered N800RW. To Monique Ltd, Carson City, NV, 2003. Flown as Marines 80503 'RW' "Big Bossman", registered 800MB. To Rod Lewis in 2008. Airworthiness Date 27 Jul 2010. Sold to Lewis Racing LLC, San Antonio, TX, Nov 2010 and registered NX747MX. Named "La Patrona". Certification Issue Date 8 Nov 2010 (Expiration Date 30 Nov 2016, Classification: Experimental, Category: Racing, Exhibition). "La Patrona" is one of five flyable Tigercats as of 2015. She was the first ever to race at the National Championship Air Races in Reno, NV. Current Nov 2015.

5) F7F-3P Tigercat N909TC (Avstar Inc.)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.167. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80425. Military career unknown. Stored ca. 1954? To Calvin J. Butler / Butler Farm Air Service, Redmond, OR, in 1963. Converted to fire tanker and registered N7235C. Flown as tanker #F17, later #17. To TBM Inc, Tulare, CA, in 1969-1979. Flew as tanker #E64. Stored in 1979. To Military Aircraft Restoration Corp, Chino, CA, in 1982. Flew as "Marines 80425". Loaned to Combat Air Museum, Topeka, KS, from 1992 till 1996. To The Fighter Collection, Duxford, UK, in Jun 1996-2011. Registered G-RUMT. Returned to USA in 2011 and rebuilt by Steve Hinton, Fighter Rebuilders, Chino, CA. Airworthiness Date 4 Apr 2011. Registered NX909TC. To Avstar Inc., Seattle, King County, WA, in 2011. Certification Issue Date 10 Jul 2007 (Expiration Date 30 Nov 2017, Classification: Experimental, Category: Exhibition). Current in Nov 2015.

6) F7F-3 Tigercat NX207F "King of the Cats" (Pond Warbirds LLC)
Built an F7F-3 Tigercat in Bethpage, NY, in 1945. C/n C.154. Del to US Navy as BuNo 80412. Military career unknown. Stored ca 1954? To Cal-Nat Airways, Grass Valley, CA, 1963 as N7628C. Flew as tanker E59. Crash landed, Ukiah, CA, Jul 1966. To Sis-Q Flying Service, Santa Rosa, CA, in 1969 who acquired wreckage. Stored at Santa Rosa, CA, in 1972. To Weeks Air Museum, Tamiami, FL, in 1988. Stored disassembled, Borrengo Springs, CA, in 1988-1989. To Planes of Fame East, Eden Prairie, MN, in 1991. Restored at Chino, CA, in 1992. Airworthiness Date: 17 Apr 2000. To Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, CA, in 2001 as N207F. Flown as USN 80411/BP7/King of the Cats". To Pond Warbirds LLC, Saint Cloud, Benton County, MN, in 20?? as NX207F. Certification Issue Date 3 Mar 2001 (Expiration Date 30 Apr 2018. Classification: Experimental. Category: Exhibition). Current in Nov 2015.


Sources:
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Inquiry.aspx
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/f7fregistry/f7fregistry.html

I hope this unravels the mysteries. :)

Cheers,
Maarten
 
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michaelvader said:
Hallo Mick, Hallo Maarten,

I just want to transmit you a
GREAT THANK YOU
for your repaints and all the research you did.
With Milton and your works
you "keep them flying"
Thank you that is really super!
Yours
Papi
Click to expand...

Thank you, Papi, for your very kind words. Very much appreciated.

Cheers,
Maarten
 
Ah ha! So "Here Kitty Kitty" and "La Patrona" are NOT the same plane in different paint! They are two different planes, both owned by Rod Lewis. One guy has two Tigercats! And most of us don't even have one!

Well, I have two tiger cats, but they aren't Tigercats.

It took a couple hours of pixel by pixel clean up work, but I've extracted the "King Of The Cats" artwork from a photo and have it ready to shrink down and patch into a texture file. I probably could have done it in less time, but I had far too much help from my own tiger cats, who insist on being deeply involved in every little thing I do. Very deeply involved. Very deeply indeed!

At this point I haven't even started on the other markings, but hope to get to it later later today, or more likely tomorrow.
 
Mick said:
Ah ha! So "Here Kitty Kitty" and "La Patrona" are NOT the same plane in different paint! They are two different planes, both owned by Rod Lewis. One guy has two Tigercats! And most of us don't even have one!

Well, I have two tiger cats, but they aren't Tigercats.

It took a couple hours of pixel by pixel clean up work, but I've extracted the "King Of The Cats" artwork from a photo and have it ready to shrink down and patch into a texture file. I probably could have done it in less time, but I had far too much help from my own tiger cats, who insist on being deeply involved in every little thing I do. Very deeply involved. Very deeply indeed!

At this point I haven't even started on the other markings, but hope to get to it later later today, or more likely tomorrow.
Click to expand...

My best regards to your tiger cats. They must be an inspiration to you. ;)

I'm going to try to finish "Here Kitty, Kitty!" and the Avstar F7F this weekend. "Paneling" and "riveting". When I have finished these I have all five revised and new made textures ready for upload. And then my eyes need a bit of distance from all the rivets. ;)
 
King Of The Cats

OK, here it is:

The 2-seat F7F-3P Tigercat "King Of The Cats" was on display at the Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs CA, from 2001 until it was sold in 2010.
 
I'm glad you guys like them!

I'm not usually big on contemporary warbirds, especially those in unauthentic or completely non-service liveries. "King of the Cats" isn't authentic and "La Patrona" is completely fanciful, but they both appealed to me because they are unusual as well as atttractive. I like the red codes on dark sea blue of "King of the Cats" and I like the silver finish of "La Patrona."

I also like the great nose art on "Bad Kitty" and "Here Kitty Kitty" that Maarten is repainting his repaints of.

Of course, the tanker liveries are in a class by themselves and I'm beyond impressed by the skill of the painters. Hmmm... Weren't there a couple more tanker skins in the works...???

I thought we'd wind up with skins for all of the flying Tigercats, but now I don't know about that. Even though there are just half a dozen of them, they seem to change hands pretty regularly, they apparently get new paint jobs at least as often as they get new owners, and sometimes they even get new registrations when they're sold, making it really tricky to figure out which planes are which and what liveries are or were worn by what planes and which ones are still being worn today. For example, I read that "King of the Cats" was sold in 2010. but not who it was sold to or what it's painted like today. It might be the same plane as one (or more!) or the other skins we have. And there may be liveries and planes that we don't have or even know about. Very confusing!
 
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Mick said:
I'm glad you guys like them!

I'm not usually big on contemporary warbirds, especially those in unauthentic or completely non-service liveries. "King of the Cats" isn't authentic and "La Patrona" is completely fanciful, but they both appealed to me because they are unusual s well as atttractive. I like the red codes on dark sea blue of "King of the Cats" and I like the silver finish of "La Patrona."

I also like the great nose art on "Bad Kitty" and "Here Kitty Kitty" that Maarten is repainting his repaints of.

Of course, the tanker liveries are in a class by themselves and I'm beyond impressed by the skill of the painters. Hmmm... Weren't there a couple more tanker skins in the works...???

I thought we'd wind up with skins for all of the flying Tigercats, but now I don't know about that. Even though there are just half a dozen of them, they seem to change hands pretty regularly, they apparently get new paint jobs at least as often as they get new owners, and sometimes they even get new registrations when they're sold, making it really tricky to figure out which planes are which and what liveries are or were worn by what planes and which ones are still being worn today. For example, I read that "King of the Cats" was sold in 2010. but not who it was sold to or what it's painted like today. It might be the same plane as one (or more!) or the other skins we have. And there may be liveries and planes that we don't have or even know about. Very confusing!
Click to expand...

"King of the Cats" has been sold on 14 April 2012 to Pond Warbirds LLC, Saint Cloud, Benton County, MN, (current owner) as NX207F (see http://m.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=7082). Certification Issue Date 3 Mar 2001 (Expiration Date 30 Apr 2018. Classification: Experimental. Category: Exhibition). Current in Nov 2015. See also FAA N-registration record (http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Inquiry.aspx).
 
Maarten said:
"King of the Cats" has been sold on 14 April 2012 to Pond Warbirds LLC, Saint Cloud, Benton County, MN, (current owner) as NX207F (see http://m.aerialvisuals.ca/AirframeDossier.php?Serial=7082). Certification Issue Date 3 Mar 2001 (Expiration Date 30 Apr 2018. Classification: Experimental. Category: Exhibition). Current in Nov 2015. See also FAA N-registration record (http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Inquiry.aspx).
Click to expand...

That's an example of what I wrote about. It's been sold not once but twice since it looked like my skin and re-registered (at least) once, all in just a five year period. And the current owners don't even have a current picture on their web site! They have pictures taken five years and two owners ago, when it looked like my skin, but who knows what it looks like now? Maybe still the same, and maybe not...
And if it still looks the same today, that could change next week. :dizzy:
 
Actually La Patrona and Here Kitty Kitty are NOT the same, La Patrona was the EX Big Bossman F7F. Rod Lewis has two F7Fs.
 
NathanT28 said:
Sorry LOL, wrote that at work, Rod Lewis has like 4
Bearcats too!
Click to expand...

Work can be such a distraction! It's a wonder we get anything done!

But if you think it's hard to get things done when you're working, wait 'til you retire. It doesn't get better - it gets worse!

Sheesh, that guy must have some sort of compulsion for Grumman Cats (not to mention more money than he knows what to do with!) Two Tigercats and four Bearcats, and I'll bet most of us here don't even have one of either, never mind one of each!
 
Mick said:
Work can be such a distraction! It's a wonder we get anything done!

But if you think it's hard to get things done when you're working, wait 'til you retire. It doesn't get better - it gets worse!

Sheesh, that guy must have some sort of compulsion for Grumman Cats (not to mention more money than he knows what to do with!) Two Tigercats and four Bearcats, and I'll bet most of us here don't even have one of either, never mind one of each!
Click to expand...

And Cats aren't the only birds Lewis has.Add a B-25,A-20,Spitfire,P-39,P-38(Glacier Girl),ect...ect...ect... :dizzy:
LOL
 
Mick said:
Work can be such a distraction! It's a wonder we get anything done!

But if you think it's hard to get things done when you're working, wait 'til you retire. It doesn't get better - it gets worse!

Sheesh, that guy must have some sort of compulsion for Grumman Cats (not to mention more money than he knows what to do with!) Two Tigercats and four Bearcats, and I'll bet most of us here don't even have one of either, never mind one of each!
Click to expand...

Hey Mick! Getting phylosophical? LOL

Hi everyone,

Just finished the "Here Kitty, Kitty!" livery with the racing numbers "55". The numbers made from scratch with my very non-sophisticated paint programs (getting rid of zags can only be done by hand, bit by bit.) ;) Mick, I'm very glad that you told me what font you used for the race numbers. For the result see the screenie.

I'm intending to wrap up all my new and revised repaints in one Tigercat warbirds package and then upload it today at Flightsim.com. Uploading at SOH is still a problem and I fear that the problem is actually in my much used computer. Oh well... I'll let you know in time.

Cheers,
Maarten

P.S. After I have uploaded all "my" Cats, I'll probably take a short break. My eyes need some rest. :D
 
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