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Grumman F7F Tigercat

Grumman · Night Fighter · USA · WWII (1939–1945)

Grumman F7F Tigercat — Night Fighter
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Grumman's F7F Tigercat was the first twin-engine carrier-based fighter ordered into U.S. Navy service. Between 1943 and 1946, Grumman delivered 364 airframes. Designed for the Midway-class supercarriers — ships that did not commission until after WWII ended — the Tigercat never flew a combat sortie from a fleet deck. It instead found a home with the U.S. Marine Corps as a land-based night-fighter and ground-attack platform from 1944 through Korean War service in 1953.

Power came from two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-22W Double Wasp 18-cylinder radials rated at 2,100 hp each, for 4,200 hp combined — twice the output of any single-engine carrier fighter of the day. Top speed reached 460 mph, placing the F7F among the fastest piston-engine fighters ever built, with a service ceiling of 40,700 ft. The gun battery comprised four 20 mm Hispano cannons in the wing roots and four .50-cal Browning machine guns in the nose, supplemented by underwing bombs and rockets. The two-seat F7F-2N and F7F-3N night-fighter versions carried APS-6 radar in the nose with a radar-operator station behind the pilot.

Timing undid the Tigercat. By the time the F7F entered service in mid-1944, Navy carrier doctrine had shifted: Essex-class carriers in production preferred the lighter F6F Hellcat and F4U Corsair pairing, and the F7F was judged too heavy for sustained Essex deck cycling. Marine land-based units in the Pacific absorbed the type, flying the F7F-3 day-fighter as a ground-attack aircraft during the late-1944 and 1945 Marshall Islands and Okinawa campaigns. The F7F-3N night-fighter soldiered on into Korea, with Marine crews flying night-intruder strikes against North Korean and Chinese supply lines from 1950 to 1953.

Production wrapped in late 1946 at 364 airframes. Front-line USMC retirement came in 1954, with the F2H Banshee and F9F Panther jets taking over the mission. Roughly six F7F airframes survive today, including airworthy examples at Lewis Air Legends, the Texas Flying Legends Museum, and the Commemorative Air Force.

For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version

The Grumman F7F Tigercat is the first twin-engine fighter built to fly from U.S. Navy aircraft carriers. With two big Pratt and Whitney engines, the Tigercat was very fast and very powerful, but it was also too big for some smaller carriers.

The Tigercat first flew in 1943. It could fly at 460 mph, faster than most single-engine fighters of the time. It carried four 20 mm cannons and four .50 caliber machine guns, making it a heavy hitter. Some versions had a second seat for a radar operator to fly at night.

Only 364 Tigercats were built. The plane arrived too late to see combat in World War II, but it served in Korea in the early 1950s. Marine night-fighter squadrons used the radar-equipped F7F-3N to hunt enemy planes after dark.

The Tigercat was retired in 1954. Some were used as fire-fighting water bombers, dropping water and red retardant on forest fires. A few Tigercats still fly today at air shows in the U.S.

Fun Facts

  • The Tigercat had four 20 mm cannons AND four .50 caliber machine guns, more firepower than most WWII fighters.
  • Its two Pratt and Whitney R-2800 engines made a combined 4,000 horsepower.
  • It was too heavy for many small WWII escort carriers, so most flew from land bases.
  • Only 364 Tigercats were built before the program ended.
  • The Marines used radar-equipped F7Fs to hunt enemy planes at night during Korea.
  • Forest-fire fighting Tigercats kept flying water-drop missions into the 1980s.
  • A handful of Tigercats still fly at air shows, including the famous 'Big Bossman'.

Kids’ Questions

Why two engines?

Two engines made the Tigercat very fast and gave it more power for climbing and carrying weapons. Two engines also made it safer because the plane could keep flying if one engine quit. The trade-off was that it was bigger and heavier.

Did it fight in World War II?

The Tigercat was ready just as WWII was ending in 1945, so it never saw combat in that war. It did fight in Korea in the early 1950s, mostly as a night fighter with radar.

Why fight fires with it?

Old military planes are often turned into fire-fighting water bombers after they retire. The Tigercat was strong, fast, and could carry a lot, so it was great for dumping water and red retardant on forest fires.

Variants

F7F-1 / F7F-3 (single-seat day fighter)
Single-seat ground-attack and air-superiority versions. About 250 built. Powered by R-2800-22W or -34W engines.
F7F-2N / F7F-3N (two-seat night fighter)
Two-seat night-fighters carrying APS-6 nose radar with a radar-operator station aft of the pilot. About 100 built. Equipped Marine night-fighter squadrons through the Korean War.
F7F-4N (postwar night fighter)
Final F7F version with strengthened landing gear for new arresting-gear standards. Just 13 built.

Notable Operators

U.S. Marine Corps
Primary operator. F7F-3 day fighters flew in the late-1944 and 1945 Pacific campaigns; F7F-3N night-fighters served from 1950 to 1953 in Korea. Final retirement came in 1954, with the F2H Banshee succeeding the type.
U.S. Navy
Limited use. The F7F was judged too heavy for sustained Essex-class deck operations; the Navy flew the type only from land bases while waiting for the Midway-class supercarriers, which commissioned post-war.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was the F7F ever a carrier fighter?

No F7F ever flew a combat sortie from a fleet deck. The aircraft was judged too heavy for Essex-class carrier operations; the Navy intended to base it aboard the larger Midway-class supercarriers, which commissioned after WWII ended. F7Fs operated from land bases for their entire service life.

How fast was the F7F Tigercat?

Top speed reached 460 mph at 22,200 ft — among the fastest piston-engine fighters ever flown, and quicker than the F4U Corsair (446 mph) or P-51D Mustang (437 mph). Its two R-2800 engines produced 4,200 hp combined, double the power of any single-engine contemporary.

Did the F7F fight in Korea?

Yes. Marine F7F-3N night-fighters flew night-intruder strikes against North Korean and Chinese supply lines from 1950 to 1953. About 19 F7F-3N airframes saw Korean War service.

How many F7Fs were built?

364 airframes between 1943 and 1946 — far fewer than originally ordered. The U.S. Navy cut the contract heavily once Essex-class deck testing showed the F7F was too heavy for routine cycling. Production ended in late 1946.

Are any F7Fs still flying?

Yes — about 4 airworthy F7Fs as of 2026, including N7195C at Lewis Air Legends and N700F at the Texas Flying Legends Museum. About 6 airframes survive in static condition.

Sources

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