F7F Tigercat Development and Testing

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Graeme, do you know who did the Tigercat tests in the UK? Would be interesting to read a comparison to the Hornet. At last the Brits already HAD their twin-engined carrier fighter (prototype) in roughly the same class.

Krabat
 
Krabat42 said:
Graeme, do you know who did the Tigercat tests in the UK? Would be interesting to read a comparison to the Hornet. At last the Brits already HAD their twin-engined carrier fighter (prototype) in roughly the same class.

Krabat
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Hi Krabat.

Ever since Matt started this thread I've been trying to locate an Air International (early 80's?) issue with a pilots report on the Tigercat which was written by Captain Eric Brown, but I can't locate it. Bottom line is I don't know who wrote the Boscombe Down reports above.
Now I'm going to try and find the Tigercat AND Hornet pilots report...
 
syscom3 said:
Isn't Eric Brown, that "chap" who had a claimed unbiased opinion on every airplane that flew?
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How so? He was a test pilot, he told it as he saw it.

The Tigercat looks like a big thing but head on, the cockpit looks like a tight squeeze. Very, very sleek.

Looks like it could have done with a few metre more wingspan. They look quite stubby.
 
Stubby, but of large wing area. Yeah the cockpit looks a little small. But then again, I would never have guessed that the P-47 cockpit was so cramped either. Anybody sat in one?

Good post Graeme. Hope you find the others too.
 
Isn't Eric Brown, that "chap" who had a claimed unbiased opinion on every airplane that flew?
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Well, Sys, when I met Brown in Munich this year - and I have to say that I was very sceptical because of the old oral-history thing at first - I found that he comes - in my opinion - as close to unbiased as you can get. He tested all the major allied and axis aircraft types and even if his word is of course not "found gold" (see Corky Meyer's text), I believe he is close enough. Especially after such a long time when national pride does not matter for the war effort anymore. Hey, you should have seen the guy. You'd like him.

Krabat
 
Eric Brown is far from the unbiased judge of aircraft that he portends to be.

A source for lots of information about the aircraft hes flown, but sure not for comparing the relative merits between them.
 
OK, I'd like to read that. But make sure you don't refer to someone who said "that Brown said so and so". I'm a historian in real life so I know a few things about oral history and stories from second or third sources. And about journalists and people who write books about their favourite topic by the way.

Krabat
 
syscom3 said:
I'm looking for the postings we had in here a couple fo years ago about him.

Theres a lot about what he said that wasnt true, and his bias was incredible.
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What is this bias?
He flew every major aircraft of WW2...so he knows his stuff. If he is bias then it is experience and not his own dislikes.
 
His bias was in that only british aircraft had the superior ratings. If it was German or US, they werent as good.

I think what set off alarm bells was his insistance that the Swordfish was superior to the TBF Avenger.
 
He said British aircraft are better.

And the bias is? I see no problem there.
Not even a little.
 
O.K. This leads nowhere I'd say. And it's off topic too. Can we agree that when Brown sais one aircraft is better then another, then he thinks it is? May it be for someone else or not. And that he's got a lot of experience and knowledge to back up his claim?

In fact, nobody with at least some brain will say that british aircraft are better than others. A Wellington isn't better than a Marauder or a Ju-88 and they are approximately the same class. I don't think he said something like that. If he did, and you can show me, I will stand corrected. 8)

Krabat
 
Brown: the usual problem IMO is not 'bias' by Brown. His best known book "Duels in the Sky" has some basic performance data (nothing unusual) but is mainly his *opinions* about various a/c. He had more background on which to form opinions than most, but still opinions. The problem 'IMO' is when readers quote Brown as if his conclusions are the sole source of fact.

As to bias, I really object to it when people selectively present or accept facts or even fudge them to back up their preconceptions. But there's no evidence Brown does that in his book. Any bias is a kind of 'soft' bias which is just the human condition. Famous Brit test pilot tends to think Brit planes are best: big surprise . Again it's what some readers do with that that creates a problem. Entertaining book. Really important landmark book some take it as?...not IMO.

Joe
 
Capt Brown was very fair when it came to German aircraft. He could speak German and lived there pre war and rebuilt the German Navy air arm post war.

He was very complimentary about the Ju 88 and was even nice about the Bf 109 which is unusual in British testers.

The Mosquito would be a better comparison against the 88.

But if you looked at British aviation at this time frame, I could quickly mention half dozen machines that arguably are equal to anything. So he could say Brit was good.
 
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