Originally posted by Karnak
Mossie on steroids. It'd eat an F7F Tigercat for lunch.
Unfortunately it missed the war so i don't think it would be a suitable addition for AH.
I'll disagree. There never existed a piston-engine fighter that could "eat the F7F Tigercat for lunch". Pilots who flew both the F8F-1 and F7F-3 have stated that the F7F climbed faster, accelerated faster and turned remarkably well.
Let's look at the F7F-3, similar vintage to the Hornet F Mk.3 (the model in Guppy's photo).
Max level speed: 460 mph at 21,900 ft. (Angelucci and Bowers. Grumman claims 465 mph at 22,700 ft)
Climb in WEP power: 4,550 fpm (Angelucci and Bowers)
Climb in WEP power: 5,130 fpm (Grumman)
Normal takeoff weight (full internal gas and ammo): 21,906 lbs.
Wing area: 455 sq/ft.
Wing loading at normal takeoff weight: 48.14 lbs per sq/ft.
Total HP: 4,200 hp
Hornet-
Max level speed: 472 mph at 22,000 ft.
Climb in WEP: 4,650 fpm (Green and Swanborough)
Normal takeoff weight: 21,060 lbs
Wing area: 361 sq/ft
Wing loading at normal takeoff weight: 58.33 lbs per sq/ft.
Total HP: 4,140 hp
If I were in the Hornet, I'd avoid dogfighting with the far more agile Tigercat. It's 12 mph speed advantage increases to 28 mph at sea level. It can run away if it starts out as fast or faster. However, it can't climb away or engage in a turning fight... Better stay fast.
If you want a more logical comparison, put the Sea Hornet Mk.21 up against the F7F-3. The Sea Hornet is 42 mph slower that the Hornet F Mk.3 and surrenders nearly 300 fpm in climb. Both the Mk.21 and F7F-3 are post-war twin-engine carrier fighters. Even if we match up the F7F-3N (twin seater) and the Sea Hornet Mk.21, the Tigercat has an edge in performance.
A post-war plan to re-engine the F7F with C-series R2800s was canceled before the engines were delivered. Meyer figured that a total of 5,600 hp would have produced a max speed of 485 mph and a climb rate of 5,500 fpm or better. However, this was still inferior to the XF9F.
Bottom line: Both are extremely capable fighter-bombers. Absolute speed goes to the Hornet. But, the F7F is a more capable dogfighter. Both have four Hispanos cannon. But the F7F adds four additional .50 caliber MGs to the equation. This is like the P-51D vs P-38L comparison in AH2. The Mustang cannot afford to dogfight the P-38. It can't climb away either. It must rely on speed to get an advantage. However, a good P-38 pilot can offset that advantage. Just like the P-51 vs the P-38, neither will eat the other for lunch. It will all come down to who makes the big mistake first.
My regards,
Widewing
