This 1/48th ERTL/AMT F7F-3N Tigercat is the 1997 release of the kit. Following their Tigercat-2 releases, these were then and still are pretty much the only game in town for an injection mould F7F model kit. Luckily it is a pretty decent model at that.
Notable Kit Features:
Sparse cockpit detail
Very finely done engraved panel lines
Good detail in wheel wells
Nicely detailed double-row engines
Good overall fit of parts
Rockets, bombs and tanks provided (with nice anti-sway braces on racks)
Inclusion of 55 gal. drum with crate on top to prop up this tail-sitter
Rubber tires provided (seemed like a good idea at the time)
Build Inspiration:
For one reason or another, the black, round-nosed Tigercat appealed to me more than the original sharp-nose cat. The job of the night-fighter was a challenging one and this TIgercat was introduced to the job just as the jet age was dawning. It faired well in the Korean conflict and then passed the torch along to the Skyknight.
Heads-Up Report:
Instructions are brief and lacking detail
The nose appears to be too lean
Remember to add sufficient weight to the nose to stop this cat dragging its tail
Propeller cuffs are incorrect in pitch (Cutting Edge Modelworks provides correction - CEC48321)
The gear is rather fragile (Aerocraft Models ACM48060 produced a metal version)
Original rubber tires provided melted the plastic wheel hubs over time (Note: my kit is now in a flying display state)
Kit Additions / Modifications:
I didn't attempt to correct the nose nor the propeller cuffs on this build. An Out-of-the-Box build worked well for me at the time. This provided a relatively stress free model build and got me a great looking display aircraft.
Finishing:
The somewhat weathered night-fighter black finish was achieved by blending multiple black tone applications of paint (none of which are straight black). Paint chipping was later done in areas such as the leading edges and prop hubs & blades (although it is pretty subtle to see in the photos). A gloss coat was sprayed on afterwards to get the decal finish prepared. Kit decals for VMF(N)-513 "Flying Nightmares" were used and then top-coated with a matte finish. The final fragile bits were added post paint bringing the antennas and gear details into the mix. (The gear is rather fragile, so that metal gear set might be an asset for your build.) As a final touch, a bit of chalk weathering was brushed in for the exhaust staining and then it was time to inform The Hangar Crew of another pending arrival. It took a few years until the wheel hubs seemed to disintegrate into mush and I was forced to strip off the gear and get this display airborne (so don't use the rubber tires if the kit has them).
The After-Build Report:
The ERTL/AMT Tigercat series were an excellent bargain at the time they were released in the 1990s. The surface and component detail of these kits was often superior to many of their rivals and the price point would be typically much less expensive given this quality. I recommend this F7F series as well as the S-2 Viking and A-20 ones if you can find them. Italeri released this "Black Cat" in 2007 and the F7F-3 in 2016 (not so inexpensive, but nice have in production again - with injection mould wheels).
Feel free to comment or ask any questions - Keep on building, gain experience, challenge yourself if you like, but try not to stress yourself out over the build - it is supposed to be an enjoyable hobby after all - Cheers
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