Virtavia F7F-3 TIGERCAT released

**keithb77** · August 22nd, 2023, 01:07

https://secure.simmarket.com/virtavi...for-msfs.phtml
not tried it...

***noddy*** · August 22nd, 2023, 05:31

***noddy*** · August 22nd, 2023, 05:46

***noddy*** · August 22nd, 2023, 06:00

***Tom Clayton*** · August 22nd, 2023, 11:54

First reviews put it at mediocre quality...

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t...eleased/606338

**StormILM** · August 22nd, 2023, 12:03

In Phil's defense here, I spoke to him on release of the Sterling Bomber and he told me Virtavia is a one man show now. I think the model looks pretty good but my chief concern would be the flight model and sounds. We can easily graft in a good sound pack but I have zero idea how to properly tune a flight model in this sim. Certainly it can be done and improved and make the model superb which it is reasonably priced.

Are there any flight dynamics guys out there that do freeware work anymore?

**DennyA** · August 22nd, 2023, 12:21

Originally Posted by Tom Clayton

First reviews put it at mediocre quality...

https://forums.flightsimulator.com/t...eleased/606338

There are only two reviews, though, and that's an audience that loves to focus on finding fault.

I bought it and will check it out after work today and post some impressions. I'd rather have a $20 Virtavia-built Tigercat that's not up to Flying Iron detail in 2023 than to hope that Flying Iron gets around to a one-year-of-development $30 Tigercat by 2028.

Really, really hoping Jankees picks it up!

**DennyA** · August 22nd, 2023, 17:11

Posted my own impressions over on the official forums. For $20, I'm quite happy with it. The model looks great, it overall feels good flight model wise (except the turn radius feels way too wide, as mentioned). It only has one issue that I really hope to see patched, the audio shifts to an idling sound when you throttle back that's not realistic for a plane in the air. (Sent a note to Phil on that one...)

Anyway, it's a step up from Virtavia's P3D models, the price is right, and it looks great and with some flight model tweaks, an audio fix, and some nice repaints it'll be even better. If you go in with Virtavia experience instead of expecting everything to MATCH or surpass Flying Iron/A2A/PMDG despite lower prices and more variety of offerings...

***Sundog*** · August 22nd, 2023, 18:03

I'll definitely be getting it. That's what I like about Virtavia, and liked about Alphasim, they modeled the planes that most people weren't going to make. With the exception of Rob.

***Priller*** · August 23rd, 2023, 08:47

Hoping our talented repainters over here will go over her. I like the model, but the textures aren't "wow".

Cheers,

Priller

**ZsoltB** · August 23rd, 2023, 09:00

Originally Posted by DennyA

Posted my own impressions over on the official forums. For $20, I'm quite happy with it. The model looks great, it overall feels good flight model wise (except the turn radius feels way too wide, as mentioned). It only has one issue that I really hope to see patched, the audio shifts to an idling sound when you throttle back that's not realistic for a plane in the air. (Sent a note to Phil on that one...)

Anyway, it's a step up from Virtavia's P3D models, the price is right, and it looks great and with some flight model tweaks, an audio fix, and some nice repaints it'll be even better. If you go in with Virtavia experience instead of expecting everything to MATCH or surpass Flying Iron/A2A/PMDG despite lower prices and more variety of offerings...

Hi,

Good shots
What kind of airport is shown in the bottom picture?

Zsolt

***Sundog*** · August 23rd, 2023, 09:10

Originally Posted by ZsoltB

Hi,

Good shots
What kind of airport is shown in the bottom picture?

Zsolt

That looks like Sitka up in Alaska, to me.

**DennyA** · August 23rd, 2023, 09:12

Originally Posted by ZsoltB

Hi,

Good shots
What kind of airport is shown in the bottom picture?

Zsolt

Thanks!

That's Sitka, AK (PASI)

(Good eye, Sundog!)

***jankees*** · August 23rd, 2023, 09:44

Screenshot (1850) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Screenshot (1842) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Screenshot (1845) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

still very much work in progress...

***Priller*** · August 24th, 2023, 06:47

Now that looks very nice already!

Priller

**Javis** · August 24th, 2023, 07:25

Originally Posted by jankees

Screenshot (1845) by JanKees Blom, on Flickr

Wow! That's quite a giant pilot flying that little kitty ! ( the other way around of what usually is the case with pilot figures.. ;-)

***Sundog*** · August 24th, 2023, 09:30

Originally Posted by Javis

Wow! That's quite a giant pilot flying that little kitty ! ( the other way around of what usually is the case with pilot figures.. ;-)

Yeah, if I had one gripe about the model, that would be it. Either the pilot is too big or the plane is too small.

**Javis** · August 24th, 2023, 11:23

Originally Posted by Sundog

Yeah, if I had one gripe about the model, that would be it. Either the pilot is too big or the plane is too small.

Yes, considering it's Virtavia we might assume that it's the default airforce pilot figure we see here. That would mean that the model's scale is a tad too small. (assuming that the default pilot figure cannot be scaled up or down). With FSX/P3D that would be fixed in a jiffy, not sure about that with an MSFS model....

IMHO the too big pilot figure makes the plane look a bit like a 3/4 scale model. This exceptional beautiful Grumman cat looked very sleek but certainly not particularly small.

Not really one of the smallest pilots stepping inside the office of F7F-3P "Here Kitty, Kitty" showing there's lots of room underneath the canopy while the Virtavia pilot seems to occupy almost all space inside the cockpit :https://youtu.be/Sm7dOl2-XMU?si=Jc3Y_i6LlfGFJ2mx

The sound of the RW Tigercat is a real treat ! Will this Virtavia kitty purr just as nicely too ? I do like the external model and the VC too (more or less anyway). Maybe the most beautiful cat Grumman ever made ??...

***Sundog*** · August 24th, 2023, 17:55

Originally Posted by Javis

Yes, considering it's Virtavia we might assume that it's the default airforce pilot figure we see here. That would mean that the model's scale is a tad too small. (assuming that the default pilot figure cannot be scaled up or down). With FSX/P3D that would be fixed in a jiffy, not sure about that with an MSFS model.... IMHO the too big pilot figure makes the plane look a bit like a 3/4 scale model. This exceptional beautiful Grumman cat looked very sleek but certainly not particularly small. Not really one of the smallest pilots stepping inside the office of F7F-3P "Here Kitty, Kitty" showing there's lots of room underneath the canopy while the Virtavia pilot seems to occupy almost all space inside the cockpit :https://youtu.be/Sm7dOl2-XMU?si=Jc3Y_i6LlfGFJ2mx The sound of the RW Tigercat is a real treat ! Will this Virtavia kitty purr just as nicely too ? I do like the external model and the VC too (more or less anyway). Maybe the most beautiful cat Grumman ever made ??...

When it comes to the piston engine era, yeah, this is easily the best looking Cat.

**Paul K** · August 25th, 2023, 02:37

I agree with the pilot being too big/plane too small. Plane Sailing's F7F displayed at Duxford for a number of years in the 1990s, and it was a big beast. Though the Short Stirling really wasn't up to snuff IMO, I’m glad Virtavia is back. I hope one day their Avro Lincoln returns ( with corrected H2S radome, please ).