TBF Avenger
1. - Development
The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world. It entered U.S. service in 1942, and first saw action during the Battle of Midway.
Douglas' TBD Devastator, the U.S. Navy's main torpedo bomber introduced in 1935 was obsolete by 1939. Bids were accepted from several companies but Grumman's TBF design was selected as the TBD's replacement. Designed by Leroy Grumman, its first prototype was called the XTBF-1. Although one of the first two prototypes crashed near Brentwood, New York, rapid production continued.
TBF-1 Avenger early in 1942. Note the red spot centered in the US national insignia, which was removed just before the Battle of Midway
Grumman's first torpedo bomber was the heaviest single-engine aircraft of World War II, and it was the first design to feature a new wing-folding mechanism created by Grumman, intended to maximize storage space on an aircraft carrier; the F4F-4 and later models of Wildcat received a similar folding wing and the F6F Hellcat (both designed by Grumman) employed this mechanism as well. The engine used was the Wright R-2600-20 (which produced 1,900 hp/1,417 kW). There were three crew members: pilot, turret gunner and radioman/bombardier/ventral gunner. One .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun was mounted in the nose, a .50 in (12.7 mm) gun was mounted right next to the turret gunner's head in a rear-facing electrically powered turret, and a single .30 in (7.62 mm) hand-fired machine gun mounted ventrally (under the tail), which was used to defend against enemy fighters attacking from below and to the rear.
This gun was fired by the radioman/bombardier while standing up and bending over in the belly of the tail section, though he usually sat on a folding bench facing forward to operate the radio and to sight in bombing runs. Later models of the TBF/TBM dispensed with the nose-mounted gun for one .50 in (12.7 mm) gun in each wing per pilots' requests for better forward firepower and increased strafing ability. There was only one set of controls on the aircraft, and no access to the pilot's position from the rest of the aircraft. The radio equipment was massive, especially by today's standards, and filled the whole glass canopy to the rear of the pilot. The radios were accessible for repair through a "tunnel" along the right hand side. Any Avengers that are still flying today usually have an additional rear-mounted seat in place of the radios, which increases crew to four.
During the Battle of Midway, all of the three aircraft carriers' torpedo groups (from the USS Hornet (CV-8), USS Enterprise (CV-6), and USS Yorktown (CV-5)) had taken horrendous casualties; one group had a single survivor (Ensign George Gay). This was partly due to the slow speed of the Devastator (less than 200 mph/320 km/h) during glide-bombing) and its weak defensive armament. Ironically, the first shipment of TBFs had arrived only a few hours after the three carriers quickly departed from Pearl Harbor (although six eventually participated, operating from Midway Island, with five being shot down and the other returning heavily damaged, with one of its two gunners killed).
The Avenger had a large bomb bay, allowing for one Bliss-Leavitt Mark 13 torpedo, a single 2,000 pound (907 kg) bomb, or up to four 500 pound (227 kg) bombs. The aircraft had overall ruggedness and stability, and pilots say it flew like a truck, for better or worse. With its good radio facilities, docile handling, and long range, the Grumman Avenger also made an ideal command aircraft for Commanders, Air Group (CAGs). With a 30,000 ft (10,000 m) ceiling and a fully-loaded range of 1,000 mi (1,610 km), it was better than any previous American torpedo bomber, and better than its Japanese counterpart, the obsolete Nakajima B5N "Kate". Later Avenger models carried radar equipment for the ASW and AEW roles. Although improvements in new types of aviation radar were soon forthcoming from the engineers at MIT and the electronic industry, the available radars in 1943 were very bulky, because they contained vacuum tube technology. Because of this, radar was at first carried only on the roomy TBF Avengers, but not on the smaller and faster fighters.
Escort carrier sailors referred to the TBF as the "turkey" because of its size and maneuverability in comparison to the F4F Wildcat fighters in CVE airgroups.
Edit2. - Serial #'s
TBF Avenger - SerialsEdit3. - Operational History
Edit4. - Variants
XTBF-1: two prototypes, R-2600-8 engine
TBF-1: initial production version similar to second prototype; total 2,291 excluding prototypes but including -1Bs and -1Cs
TBF-1B: variant for British with minor differences: initially designated Tarpon TR.Mk 1; 395 conversions
TBF-1C: as TBF-1 but maximum fuel capacity increased from 335 to 726 gallons with two wing drop tanks and bomb bay ferry tank, two 0.5-inch wing guns
TBF-1CP: conversions of TBF-1C with trimetrogen reconnaissance cameras in fan to give wide coverage
TBF-1D: conversion with RT-5/APS-4 radar in wing pod: TBF-1CD similar conversion of TBF-1C
TBF-IE conversion with special radar and additional avionics
TBF-1J: conversion for Arctic operations, including a high-capacity cockpit heater, bad weather avionics and lighting, and special ice protection
TBF-1L: searchlight on retractable mount extending from bomb bay. Quickly dropped as the searchlight made the plane a fine target for submarine anti-aircraft fire.
TBF-1P: TBF-1 conversion, as TBF-1CP
XTBF-2: conversion of TBF-1 No. 00393 with 1,900 hp XR-2600-10 engine
XTBF-3: two TBF-1s completed with engine installation of TBF-3
General Motors TBM's
TBM-1: similar to TBF-1: total 550
TBM-IC: similar to TBF-1C: total 2,336
TBM-1D/E/J/L/P: similar to corresponding TBFs
TBM-2: conversion of TBM-1 No, 24580 with XR-2600-10 engine
XTBM-3: conversions of four TBM-1Cs with R-2600-20
TBM-3: major production model with R-2600-20 engine and outer wing drop tanks or rockets: total 4,657
TBM-3D: conversion with APS-4 radar on right
TBM-3E: conversions with strengthened structure and RT-5/APS-4 radar in pod under right wing
TBM-3E2: updated TBM-3E with extra avionics
TBM-3H: conversions with surface-search radar
TBM-3J: conversions as TBF-1J
TBM-3L: conversions as TBF-1L
TBM-3P: photo-reconnaissance conversions, differing from TBF-1P
TBM-3U: conversions for utility and target towing
XTBM-4: three new-build aircraft with redesigned wing with different fold system and re-stressed to 5g maneuvers, production of 2,141 TBM-4 cancelled at VJ-Day
Post War Variants
TBM-3M: conversions for missile launching
TBM-3M2: updates with extra equipment
TBM-3N: conversions (1945/46) for special night attack missions
TBM-3Q: various rebuilds for post-war ECM and EW research and combat duty with prominent additions on belly, cockpit, fin and in some cases wings for reception and/or jamming
TBM-3R: conversions for seven passenger or cargo transport in at least three configurations, all without guns and with door on right
TBM-3S: major post-war conversion program for ASW strike, most being further updated as TBM-3S2 with TBM 3E2 avionics
TBM-3W: major post-war conversion program for AEW (radar picket) duty with APS-20 radar, no armament and extra fins; most updated as TBM-3W2 with upgraded displays for two rear operators and other changes
British Designations
Avenger Mk 1: TBF-1B: total 402
Avenger Mk II: TBM-1; total 334
Avenger Mk III: TBM-3; total 222
Avenger AS.Mk 4: post-war TBM-3S: total 100
Edit5. - Technical Specifications
EditGeneral characteristics
Crew: 3
Length: 40 ft 11.5 in (12.48 m)
Wingspan: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.70 m)
Wing area: 490.02 ft² (45.52 m²)
Empty weight: 10,545 lb (4,783 kg)
Loaded weight: 17,893 lb (8,115 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600-20 radial engine, 1,900 hp (1,420 kW)
EditPerformance
Maximum speed: 276 mph (444 km/h)
Range: 1,000 mi (1,610 km)
Service ceiling: 30,100 ft (9,170 m)
Rate of climb: 2,060 ft/min (10.5 m/s)
Wing loading: 36.5 ft·lbf² (178 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.0094 hp/lb (0.17 kW/kg)
EditArmament
Guns:
1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) nose-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun(on early models)
2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) wing-mounted M2 Browning machine guns
1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) dorsal-mounted M2 Browning machine gun
1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) ventral-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun
Bombs:
Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs or
1 × 2,000 lb (907 kg) Mark 13 torpedo
Edit6. - Operators
- Brazil
- Brazilian Navy operated Avengers in 1950s.
- Canada
- Royal Canadian Navy operated Avengers until 1960, when replaced by the S-2 Tracker.
- France
- Aéronavale operated Avengers in 1950s.
- Japan
- Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force operated Hunter-Killer pack of Avengers in 1950s and 1960s.
- Netherlands
- Royal Netherlands Navy operated Avengers in 1950s.
- New Zealand
- Royal New Zealand Air Force
- No. 30 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 31 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 41 Squadron RNZAF
- No. 42 Squadron RNZAF
- United Kingdom
- United States
- United States Navy
- United States Marine Corps
- Uruguay
- Uruguayan Navy operated Avengers in 1950s.
Edit7. - Survivors
Edit8. - Links
Edit9. - Markings
TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
10. - References