F7F-3 with APS-6 radar? (1 Viewer)

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Hoggardhigh

Airman 1st Class
199
8
Jan 6, 2014
United States
Hi folks,

Most sources claim that the F7F-3 (basic single-seater variant) lacked the APS-6 nose radar of the F7F-1N/-2N models, but a few sources, such as the now-defunct americancombatplanes.com, along with this cutaway, suggest the F7F-3 actually retained the APS-6.

Anyone know which is correct?
 
There doesn't seem to be any photographic evidence of the F7F-3 (Single Seat) with APS-6 Radar Nose. Not sure what the point of one would be since there was the F7F-3N (Two Seat) Night Fighter.
 
Your Linked Cutaway doesn't open up for me.

All original time frame F7F-3 photos that I find are with the Standard nose.
 

 
Perhaps FLYBOYJ has a better understanding of what I'm talking about here?

In any case, my question is this: Did F7F-3s have a radar scanner in the nose as per the F7F-1(N), or not?
 
F7F-3 BuNo 80458
 

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Details of all the F7F variants are detailed here.

The F7F-3 was a radarless fighter bomber for daylight operations, and therefore radarless.
 
No. It is becuase mjfure couldn't access the pic. The link you posted in the #1 somehow gentertes an error initially.
 
Looking at that diagram again, there is nothing on it to indicate exactly what model of F7F it is supposed to represent. It might even be some kind of composite. Note that while a radar set is shown in the nose (type unspecified but probably an AN/APS-6 from the nose shape) there is no armament in the nose. And it represents a single seater.

The F7F-1 and -3 were single seat, day fighter models that had 4x0.5" in a nose that lacked radar.

The F7F-2 was a two seater intended as a night fighter with AN/APS-6 radar in the nose. Most were built as F7F-2N night fighters, BUT some were built as F7F-2 but still retained the second seat looking at the photos. The -2N had the radar but no nose armament. The -2 had the nose armament and no radar. But the -2 also had provision for an 80 gallon reserve tank in the rear cockpit space, a feature shared with the following F7F-3 day fighter.

Returning to the diagram, the line of the upper fuselage resembles that of the F7F-2/-2N and F7F-3/-3N and not the F7F-1. And there is a "Reserve fuel tank" in the area of the rear cockpit (item 83) which would indicate either a -2 or a -3. The description is not too clear due to the quality of the image so I can't read the size, but that is what I think it says.

It can't be a two seat F7F-3N as it had a different radar and nose shape.

So, at the moment, I can find nothing to suggest that the F7F-3 got the AN/APS-6 radar. I think the diagram is a composite of features that appear on the F7F-2 and F7F-2N.
 
F7F-1N and F7F-2N i think has APS-6 radar
Seemingly there were only 2 F7F-1N (converted from from the 34 F7F-1 built). Both served in a training role with VMF(N)-531 in 1945 alongside the squadron's F7F-2N. No photos of them seem to exist. Not clear if they were one or two seaters.

And yes both models had the AN/APS-6 radar. The F7F-3N got the SCR-720 radar which needed a larger radome.
 

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