F7F Tigercat – Bad Kitty Tribute

A One for Four

Delivered for service in 1944, this F7F-3 Tigercat named “Bad Kitty”, never saw combat during WWII. However, she would redeem herself in the Korean War, where she offered a streamlined, two-seat design capable of traveling farther and faster than the previous variants. After two wars, Bad Kitty saw action as a firefighter, logging 13,000 hours between 1962 and 1970.

Historic Flight acquired Bad Kitty in 2003 and restored it to airworthy condition. With only six Tigercats in flying condition worldwide, it’s safe to say that Bad Kitty is one of the rarest warbirds in the world.

Unfortunately, she was traded to another organization in 2017 and was replaced by four other radial-powered planes in the process. Here’s what Flight to Fly Photography, an avid fan of HFF’s Bad Kitty, had to say:

 “Bad Kitty” was easily one of my all-time favorite warbirds, having one of the most hair-raising sounds I’ve ever heard from a warbird.  Nothing matches that runway freight-train sound of this thing roaring overhead.

We couldn’t agree more. Hear this kitty roar in the video below!