From my wife: My grandfather was a RIO in the F7F-3N during the Korean War. He flew hundreds of missions, mostly at night. In 1952 he was flying with his pilot when they were shot down over enemy territory. They pulled the canopy and climbed over the side of the plane. My grandfather survived the jump, the pilot was never recovered; it's not known whether he died during the jump or was captured by the enemy. The next morning my grandfather was rescued by USAF before the enemy could get to him. He is believed to be the only person to successfully eject from the Tigercat F7F-3N. He's 93 today, and still proud of his USMC service.
@@paulgentile1024 thank you, he's a great guy. He contributed to the book "History of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531", which demonstrates what a unique force Squadron 531 was during the war effort. He was part of this squadron, known as the Grey Ghosts.
This is an outstanding document of a true masterpiece of engineering and design in action. Beautifully flown with obvious skill and confidence. Thank you to everyone involved.
the engines are the same used on a Convair airliner of the time that carried 40 passengers plus crew! That's ALOT of POWER! Also note how slim the fuselage is...beautiful design!
That wicked sound and then you see the narrow fuselage and two fat engines, you know right then that the designers knew what they were after. Tigercat looks more fun to fly than a jet!
@@lightbox617 -But Monsieur, it is this.. "noise", this magnificent symphony of controlled explosions, the defiant roar as a flame-spitting beast takes to the skies... But, that being said, turboprops would be pretty interesting to see on this plane.
Siempre admiré al F7F Tigercats , por su refinado diseño y sus limpieza de líneas aerodinámicas . Un pura sangre con poderosas planta motrices . Pero nunca me imaginé verlo volando , haciendo esas maniobras acrobáticas . Muchas gracias por brindarme está posibilidad de verlo en acción . Gracias por tan espetacular video 👌 .
@@Ford_Raptor_R_720hp_V8 Ability to get home or at least closer to home if one engine is lost. More carrying capacity for ground attack missions., Better visibility to the front as well as having all guns boresighted rather than converging from outer wing area.
I grew up on northern airports in Canada as my late father was an airport manager. There was the airport and the lake next to it which had two major float plane bases that serviced the gold mines and big game outfitters in the southern yukon and Northern b.c. so hearing radial engines was a part of my daily life also had alot of ww2 water bomber conversions so heard alot of radial engines and they sound amazing.
My uncle, George Roy Hill, was a Marine night fighter pilot training pilots at Cherry Point, North Carolina. He flew the night fight versions of the F4U Corsair, the F6F Hellcat, F9F Panther, and the Navy version of the Shooting Star as well as the F7F Tiger Cat. Knowing my uncle, I think that you have to be a little bit crazy in order to do that job.
The Tigercat has to be the ultimate perfect prop driven twin-engine Fighter-bomber ever made. The horsepower to weight ratio must be off the scale with that aircraft.
Stew certainly uses the power of the Tigercat to the full. Bet you couldn't wipe the smile off his face for weeks! Are the engines handed like the P38? They didn't look that way in the footage. Thankyou.
These used to serve as air tankers in California in the 70’s but had issues with fuel management that cost pilots their lives. After hours in the air at low altitude and high heat it was easy to forget which tank to use. Beautiful aircraft but unforgiving.
From my wife: My grandfather was a RIO in the F7F-3N during the Korean War. He flew hundreds of missions, mostly at night. In 1952 he was flying with his pilot when they were shot down over enemy territory. They pulled the canopy and climbed over the side of the plane. My grandfather survived the jump, the pilot was never recovered; it's not known whether he died during the jump or was captured by the enemy. The next morning my grandfather was rescued by USAF before the enemy could get to him. He is believed to be the only person to successfully eject from the Tigercat F7F-3N. He's 93 today, and still proud of his USMC service.
👍 amazing story.. God bless him
@@paulgentile1024 thank you, he's a great guy. He contributed to the book "History of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 531", which demonstrates what a unique force Squadron 531 was during the war effort. He was part of this squadron, known as the Grey Ghosts.
They don’t eject they just get out and jump, and try to miss getting hit by the tailplane as they leave
Beautiful aircraft, just like the Beaufighter, two engines followed by a pilot.
Pure perfection! Thank you SO much for no music and no background announcer! Only the beautiful sound of those twin radials!
there is a turbine running spoiling the whole thing...
But, where's the 'Rata tat tat'..? :(
Above average video. No claptrap!!
That is a beautiful airplane. One of the best looking planes I've ever seen.
I completely agree.
IMHO the most beautiful aircraft produced by Grumman.
That sound will never get old
This is an outstanding document of a true masterpiece of engineering and design in action. Beautifully flown with obvious skill and confidence. Thank you to everyone involved.
She purrs with authority on those fly-bys. Coolest Cat EVER!
these are what - 70 years old? They still give me goosebumps.
the engines are the same used on a Convair airliner of the time that carried 40 passengers plus crew! That's ALOT of POWER! Also note how slim the fuselage is...beautiful design!
That wicked sound and then you see the narrow fuselage and two fat engines, you know right then that the designers knew what they were after. Tigercat looks more fun to fly than a jet!
I think Stew Dawson is a Navy pilot with exceptional skill, he owns this beauty with grace. Kudos with envy!!
When high preformance was built by people with great skill and dedication to winning at all costs! Great vid!
Good lookin' Grumman. Love those speed passes on a wing.
Has to be the sexiest looking and meanest sounding warbird of all time!!!! Just wow!!! And designed on frigging paper with a pencil!!!!!!
some of the best F7F footage i have ever seen!
Indeed.
Beautiful on the ground, beautiful in the air, beautiful sound what more could you ask for!!!
I've watched this like 5 times now. Lol. It's awesome!!!
ryan moeller It cant get much better than this!
Some people are into yoga and meditation etc.
I just listen to this sound.😉
36 cylinders of HELL YEAH!!!!!
What could it do with a couple of modern Turboprops? Think of the range and speed, not the noise.
seems like its not a slouch with 70 year old piston engines. that thing really moves out. and the sound, WOW
@@lightbox617 -But Monsieur, it is this.. "noise", this magnificent symphony of controlled explosions, the defiant roar as a flame-spitting beast takes to the skies... But, that being said, turboprops would be pretty interesting to see on this plane.
Didn’t those engines have 28 cylinders each??
@@jamessmelcer616 P&W 2800 double wasp, 18 cylinders.
One of the best videos on CZcams!!
Mechanical music, and a work of art.
She's 70 years old and never misses a beat, slick design!
Siempre admiré al F7F Tigercats , por su refinado diseño y sus limpieza de líneas aerodinámicas . Un pura sangre con poderosas planta motrices . Pero nunca me imaginé verlo volando , haciendo esas maniobras acrobáticas . Muchas gracias por brindarme está posibilidad de verlo en acción . Gracias por tan espetacular video 👌 .
Excellent video, only the pure music of those two engines. Pure blue sky, pure aircraft lines, ... wow (wish it was mine). Thanks a lot
The F7F is a beast!
*Top Speed 460mph, when just 1 Corsair engine isn't enough.*
Interesting that you have an additional 2200HP but only 30 more mph.
@@edwardforman6472 - what other performance characteristics were improved?
@@Ford_Raptor_R_720hp_V8 Ability to get home or at least closer to home if one engine is lost. More carrying capacity for ground attack missions., Better visibility to the front as well as having all guns boresighted rather than converging from outer wing area.
@@edwardforman6472 Takes horsepower to move 4-20mm cannons AND 4-.50cal M2 machine guns.......
@@tomneedham4434 Its all about the climb
I was so blessed to see these aircraft as working fire bombers out of Santa Barbara as a kid.
I grew up on northern airports in Canada as my late father was an airport manager. There was the airport and the lake next to it which had two major float plane bases that serviced the gold mines and big game outfitters in the southern yukon and Northern b.c. so hearing radial engines was a part of my daily life also had alot of ww2 water bomber conversions so heard alot of radial engines and they sound amazing.
My uncle, George Roy Hill, was a Marine night fighter pilot training pilots at Cherry Point, North Carolina. He flew the night fight versions of the F4U Corsair, the F6F Hellcat, F9F Panther, and the Navy version of the Shooting Star as well as the F7F Tiger Cat. Knowing my uncle, I think that you have to be a little bit crazy in order to do that job.
Wow! The dynamics of this! Pure power.
I think the best F7F video I've seen!!
What a magnificent spectacle of pure, mechanical muscle, forcing it's will upon the very air!!
What can I say... My favorite prop plane. Gorgeous ! This pilot made this Tiger pounce !!
MOST AWESOME AIR CRAFT I EVER SAW!
ABSOLUT STUNNING PERFORMANCE.....
That flyby at 4:32 wooow.
diversant13. I know and I spilt my coffee on my self
I think this is the first CZcams video I've seen with no dislikes.
Just awesome...Love the Tigercat .
What performance! Such a sleek design despite those monster radials!
F7F..love that Tigercat..keep her flying
It’s just a magical aircraft and sounds great.
Unlimited power, it seems like. This must be one of the fastest piston engine planes. I can look to thi for hours.
What an awesome video! What a sound!
What a beast! Comes very close to jet speed!
Reminds me that we don't hear large piston engines any more - I grew up to the sound of runaway turbo compounds.
The Tigercat has to be the ultimate perfect prop driven twin-engine Fighter-bomber ever made. The horsepower to weight ratio must be off the scale with that aircraft.
Well, there WAS the De Havilland Hornet...
Awesome ! Great camera work !
That is just one awesome piece of American fire power
Corsair's, Thunderbolts and Tiger Cats. Thats the sound of madness.
I backseated aboard this aircraft September of ‘98. What a blast!
That's one plane I think can still be used today for close air support for ground troops. Damn it's fast.
Tremendous Performance
to give ya an idea of the POWER, the same engines were used on a Convair Prop Airliner of the period, that carried 40 passengers plus 6 crew!
A typical Grumman Aircraft example of pure design and workmanship.
The best were built by Grumman.
The Tigercat was one good looking airplane. Of all the Grumman "cats" (Tomcat included) she was the sleekest and most cat-like.
Seriously underrated aircraft. Fast, manoevreable, sexy as hell!
Oooohhh!!;WOW!!!Thank you very much for all that!!!
I remember being there back in 2015 for the air show
The torque has to be enormous with those two engines rotating in the same direction
beautiful
What a beautiful beast!
Beautiful landing
Great video work
Stew certainly uses the power of the Tigercat to the full. Bet you couldn't wipe the smile off his face for weeks! Are the engines handed like the P38? They didn't look that way in the footage. Thankyou.
Outstanding.
geesh both engines turn the same way! That explains the size of the tail!
A family friend started in f7f's and finish his career in A4's
Love big radials. One sounds great but 2 is just plane badass.
What a beautiful plane!
S W E E T. I would love to own this.
I love the F7F Tiger cat 😺 ❤️❤️❤️❤️
A two year old video, with over 200,000 views, and no dislikes. Now that says something.
Radials, kings of the sky.
Oh my goodness that sound
I’ll bet you could use these as ground attack today and they would be very successful. The sound of those radials roaring would scare me!
A masterful display of power and grace...... R2800 power! YES!
These used to serve as air tankers in California in the 70’s but had issues with fuel management that cost pilots their lives. After hours in the air at low altitude and high heat it was easy to forget which tank to use. Beautiful aircraft but unforgiving.
What a sound!
Love this aircraft
Love the big tiger kittie
Stunning!
Elegant AF!
Only improvement they could'a made would have been to give it counter-rotating engines. The Lightning had 'em.
Amazing!
The sound of a F7F low fly-by is wicked .. 4:34 ..
the tiger act is the true king of the prop driven cats
Low level loop into Cuban Eight. There is no other WWII fighter that can pull that off.
really great
Love that plane.
My dream .... Own one !!!
Big Kitty!
music to my ears..rrrrrrrrrrrrr
eesh man look at her bob up and down, beautiful bird but taildraggers always seem more stable on ground
Wonder how this would have done in WWII. Came out during the beginning of jet flight.
This thing flies you
Wow, wow, wow!
What a sexy aircraft.
This should have toccata in fuge d minor bmv 561 in the background
Are these fighter bombers in the 400 m.p.h. range or so?
I love POF, but I'll never forgive you for leaving Minnesota.