Brodak F7F Tigercat

[wwwarbird]

 David Smiths' "new projects" post here in the Carrier section has re-sparked my interest in a model that I've looked at and considered building countless times, the Brodak Tigercat. Seeing his build photos here, and Sam's Stuff coincidentally having the kit on sale at a great price was enough to put me over the edge and I now have a kit. It didn't hurt that I also had two NIB OS LA-15's sitting on my shelf either.

 Personally, I'm not planning on Carrier competition with it but have always considered building it as a fun semi-scale sport/stunt plane. The deciding factor in my decision to buy was closely examining David's photos where I noticed that it actually has a somewhat decent sport/stunt airfoil. That was always my thought with this one, a fun semi-scale sport plane that would have at least some stunt capability.

 I've got more than a few ideas for my version, maybe even a Fire Bomber scheme. I'm curious though, Carrier or not, is anyone else currently competing/flying/building one of these? If so, I would really like to see more photos of them for ideas etc. Even if someone has photos of older ones it would be interesting to check them out too.

 Thanks for any info or input. 

[dennis lipsett]

Wayne, While I've had the kit for along time I've not been able to get to it. However, one of the club members has had one for a few years and while he does not fly carrier he does have 3 line in it. Power is 2 LA15's and the model flies nicely with them and will maintain cruise and altitude with one engine. As it is not over powered it is insensitive to which engine quits and it just keeps flying along. I don't know about stunt with it but to be fair the example is not the lightest and I have no idea if it would really be acceptable as a stunt ship. It certainly would be really cool to see a F7F going through the pattern.
Dennis

[Steve Helmick]

NW Skyraiders member Walt Russell built one of the Brodak Tigercats and powered it with a pair of .15LA R/C's. One engine would always quit after 1-3 laps...always, and always the same lap after launch, like clockwork. He finally replaced the plastic backplates with FP units and solved the problem. That's why I'm so much in favor of 86'ing the plastic on LA's. Time at the field is too valuable to waste monkeying around with funky engine runs.

I have seen a few try to fly some stunts with 3 lines, and it looked like a bad idea to me, but that's not to say it's impossible. Just plan on the extra drag, have lots of power, keep the weight as low as possible, and work out the tipweight and trim before you get too ambitious with the tricks.    Steve

[Balsa Butcher]

I've always admired that airplane but heard they build kind of heavy - both for carrier and stunt. I think it would be an outstanding candidate for profile scale though, with throttle and as much scale detail as patience allows. 

[wwwarbird]

 Yeah, I'm certainly not looking at it as a great or competitive stunter, just a semi-scaler that would be stuntable.

 I once had a Sterling P-38 with two LA-15's and overall it flew like a rock on a string. It would fly along just fine up to about 35 or 40 degrees on one engine though,  and right or left didn't matter. Weight, drag and such is exactly why I would keep the Tigercat a two-liner for my intended purpose. Just looking at the Tigercat and it's dimensions and airfoil, I can tell it would be quite a bit better than the old '38. Still not anything great, but a fun sport/stunt plane with some cool factor. The Tigercat would easily do a pattern built properly with two .15's.

 A lot of people would never expect to see a 64" span PBY Catalina do a competitve pattern, but there is one in my "hangar" that will. Like they say, don't judge a book by it's cover.

[Dennis Adamisin]

I have been laying off this one because I thought it had a flat bottom airfoil.  Can't tell - is it symmetrical?

A couple of Brodak "10" sized electric systems turning LH & RH 7x5's ought to do well, should be quite a bit lighter than LA-15's too.  It still will have a twin sound albeit a quiet one, but it will be as easy to handle as a single.

[wwwarbird]

 Yep, it does have a symmetrical airfoil Dennis. Reasonably thick too, but not quite as much as I anticipated from looking at David's photos. Looking it all over I actually think it will do quite well with the two .15's. Gonna have to use tongue mufflers though to help save some weight. If I were to get real ambitious I may even consider spacing the ribs just a little further apart for some more wing area. Not too much though, I'd want to maintain a decent scale look.

 Electric? Electric and Tigercat should never ever be mentioned in the same sentence, just wouldn't be right.

[Dennis Adamisin]

 Electric? Electric and Tigercat should never ever be mentioned in the same sentence, just wouldn't be right.

Perhaps you are right.  When I built my electric Hellcat my brother told me it could only qualify as a Heck-cat.      

[wwwarbird]

Perhaps you are right.  When I built my electric Hellcat my brother told me it could only qualify as a Heck-cat.      

 There you have it.