Author Topic: Tigercat & Tiger Force?  (Read 15184 times)

Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« on: May 11, 2013, 02:01:31 AM »
Been playing with the idea of an inline AF Tigercat for a while and this group build might actually see it done!


Grumman P-65F (BTO) Tigercat by mtpalmer1, on Flickr

The Bomb-Through-Overcast nose and auxiliary jet just sort of added themselves as I went along!

Edit: Sorry about the ghost effect! Hopefully this is a little better? The more-or-less finished line art.



« Last Edit: May 13, 2013, 01:46:24 AM by Empty Handed »

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2013, 03:21:23 AM »
Interesting...
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2013, 05:17:47 AM »
 And its a stealth ship, too! ( The lines are really, really faint, EH - I can make out the shape, but its
 a bit hard on the eyes,mate!)

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2013, 08:22:33 AM »
Just sort of added themselves huh?  ;D  Can't wait to see some war paint man  :)

What engines are those?  Merlins?
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2013, 10:43:22 PM »
Sorry Dr. YoKai, hopefully that's been fixed!

Cliffy B, yep Packard Merlins. The cowling is something of a cross between a F-82 and a Lancaster!

Offline ysi_maniac

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #5 on: May 12, 2013, 12:51:10 AM »
I love the engines. :-*

Can you repeat it with the original nice nose and darker lines?

Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #6 on: May 12, 2013, 05:18:55 AM »
Progress! Shadows, canopy, etc. more or less done (no doubt tweeks will be necessary). Weathering is way up to show it off btw. Trying something new with a "primer" layer. War paint coming up next.


Grumman P-65F (BTO) Tigercat Primer by mtpalmer1, on Flickr

FYI the pic that shows in the forums is just a preview not the real thing. Click on the pic to go to Flickr, once there right-click the image to get different size options. Go for the "Large 1600" or "Large 2048" options to see her properly!  :)

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #7 on: May 12, 2013, 05:21:41 AM »
Wait a minute!  Is that a jet engine at the rear? ???
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #8 on: May 12, 2013, 05:23:52 AM »
BTW, my recommendation (freely ignore if you wish):  Do it as a recon bird in the blue scheme some of the USAAF Spits, Mosquitos etc wore.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #9 on: May 12, 2013, 05:25:35 AM »
^ Westinghouse J30 for a Kinder Egg moment when they get bounced by enemy fighters.  ;)

I'll defo do a PR Blue one but the first one's scheme is already decided upon.

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #10 on: May 12, 2013, 05:28:57 AM »
^ Westinghouse J30 for a Kinder Egg moment when they get bounced by enemy fighters.  ;)

You cheeky bugger!  I bet you thought you were going to be able to simply sneak that by us... :) ;D
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #11 on: May 12, 2013, 05:44:30 AM »
Curses!!! Foiled again!!!

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #12 on: May 12, 2013, 06:55:25 AM »
Wait a minute!  Is that a jet engine at the rear? ???

Greg did you read the first post?  ;)

Looks like a target tug or other utility aircraft.  Postwar schemes in the future maybe *hint, hint* ?

From the line drawing I thought more of the nose would be glass?  What exactly does the guy do up there?  ???
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Re: Grumman Tigercat USAAF
« Reply #13 on: May 12, 2013, 06:16:51 PM »
Oh that's just the template I'll be using. I put it into a yellow-chromate primer type scheme so that the weathering and shadows had something to play off of. My first paint scheme looks a little more like this....


Grumman P-65F (BTO) Tigercat FSAAF WIP by mtpalmer1, on Flickr

Not quite complete yet but getting there.

Quote
From the line drawing I thought more of the nose would be glass?  What exactly does the guy do up there?


It's a H2X Bomb-Through-Overcast radar (off of a P-38). She's an all-weather-ish pathfinder for her gun-nose sisters. The window is a bone thrown to the rather unlucky operator. More here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H2X_radar
http://www.486th.org/Photos/AC2/MkySet.htm

Now you may recall that I have a penchant for orange so to get it into this profile I figured I'd make it a Free South African Air Force unit attached to the USAAF. How did South Africa fall? Well if Versailles were a little kinder, perhaps Germany could have held onto these......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_East_Africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_South-West_Africa
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_New_Guinea                  <--------------- this one not really relevant here but very interesting!
« Last Edit: May 13, 2013, 01:45:28 AM by Empty Handed »

Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #14 on: May 13, 2013, 01:50:35 AM »
OK pretty much done....


Grumman P-65F (BTO) Tigercat FSAAF by mtpalmer1, on Flickr

Also a little something else I've been working on....


Vickers Windsor B.II by mtpalmer1, on Flickr
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 07:27:14 AM by Empty Handed »

Offline father ennis

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #15 on: May 13, 2013, 02:25:28 AM »
Dude ... !!!   That HURTS my eyes ... !!!!!!
I may be old but I'm not dead ... yet anyway ... !!!    And NO I did not know Richard III !!!!!!

Offline Dr. YoKai

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #16 on: May 13, 2013, 06:44:16 AM »
Erk! I really dig the Windsor...textra turrets are one thing but...ow. ow. ow.

No offence, amigo - the Tigercat came out beautiful!

Offline apophenia

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #17 on: May 13, 2013, 09:31:53 AM »
Your P-65F is gorgeous!  :-*  Looking forward to the Windsor too  :)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #18 on: May 14, 2013, 08:14:12 AM »
Awwww come on! It's not that bad!!!!!


Vickers Windsor B.II RAF Tiger Force 635 Sqn by mtpalmer1, on Flickr

 ;)

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #19 on: May 14, 2013, 08:21:26 AM »
Two words sir, Exhaust Suppression!!!!  If she's a dedicated night time bird then those snazzy little exhaust flames might as well be searchlights.  Not trying to rain on your parade, just saying  ;)

What kinda gunnery is she carrying?  Is that an over-under tail gun arrangement?  If so then is that another sticking out of the back of the engine housing???!!!  :o

She's weird looking, ungainly, and just plain odd, but I like it!!!!!!!!!!
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #20 on: May 14, 2013, 08:35:36 AM »
Quote
Is that an over-under tail gun arrangement?  If so then is that another sticking out of the back of the engine housing???!!!


4 20mm guns in remote-controlled barbettes in rear of outer engine nacelles, see:

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/Additions/11549L-1.jpg
http://crimso.msk.ru/Images6/MY/MY76-10/21-1.jpg

FYI the throttles have just been pushed up as she hits the IP. Or something. The flames were just something I wanted to have a go at. She's too high for effective flak and there probably aren't too many nightfighters in the CBI theatre c1946.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 08:42:21 AM by Empty Handed »

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #21 on: May 14, 2013, 08:45:44 AM »
Those are some NEAT gun installations!!!  I'll have to make a note of those  8)

I figured as much about the flames.  I was just busting your chops about 'em man, no worries  ;D
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #22 on: May 14, 2013, 08:56:00 AM »
Oh I know, I was just sort of self rationalising. Wanted to sound more intelligent than "me like pretty lights"! To be honest, with 7 20mm cannon to play with, being intercepted by a Ki-102 or the like isn't really going to ruin the night!  >:D

Offline Cliffy B

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #23 on: May 14, 2013, 09:51:55 AM »
Depends on whose night you're talking about.  Being on the receiving end of 7 20mm will ruin just about anyone's night  ;D
"Radials growl, inlines purr, jets blow!"  -Anonymous

"Helos don't fly.  They vibrate so violently that the ground rejects them."  -Tom Clancy

"If all else fails, call in an air strike."  -Anonymous

Offline apophenia

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Re: Tigercat & Tiger Force?
« Reply #24 on: May 14, 2013, 10:38:59 AM »
And the exhaust glare will be really hard to spot once those seven 20s light up!

Nice work on the Windsor, EH  :)
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."