Grumman TBF Avenger

Grumman TBF Avengers Story

The Grumman TBF Avenger series aircraft, destined to never win beauty contests, go down in history as one of the most powerful torpedo bombers of WWII. Her designs feature the versatility of her stately airframe, three-person crew, and abilities that have endeared many pilots throughout the war. The Avenger's success surpassed the U.S.

Navy's use of the aircraft and became a staple of global aircraft inventories during the Cold War. Surprisingly, even with the advent of the jet age and newer, more modern mounts, the Avengers managed to stay on the cutting edge of the 1950s - inherent advantages of the mighty Pearl Harbor "Avengers".

The TBF Avenger was born out of a US Navy request in 1939 to replace the already surpassed Douglas TBD Devastator series of carrier-based torpedo dive bombers. Although it had fairly advanced features when it was introduced in 1937including a fully enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear, and heavy-duty metal-skin constructionglobal technology quickly replaced the Douglas design, reaching the level it was at the time of the Japanese attack. Obsolete at Pearl Harbor in December 1941.

Trapped in war, the U.S. military frantically tried to fill its inventory with more adaptable and modern models, eventually removing the Destroyer from its program. The aircraft was withdrawn from front-line service as early as 1942 and officially retired from the U.S.

Navy's inventory in 1944, with only 130 procured since its introduction.

In addition to the XTBF-1 prototype, there are many variants on the production line. The TBF-1 was the first production model based on the second XTBF-1 prototype, of which 1,526 were produced. The TBF-1C added 12.7mm machine guns to the wings and increased combat range with larger internal fuel tanks.

765 models were produced. The TBF-1B became the British Tarpon Mk I / Avenger Mk I Lend-Lease mount. The TBF-1D added RT-5/APS-4 search radars in pods under its starboard flanks. Similarly, the TBF-1D is based on the C variant with the addition of the RT-5/APS-4 search radar. The TBF-1E is equipped with additional equipment, while the TBF-1J is designed for severe weather.

The TBF-1L houses a powerful searchlight in its bomb bay, while the TBF-P and TBF-CP are dedicated photo reconnaissance platforms converted from the existing TBF-1 and TBF-1C mounts, respectively. The XTFB-2 is the prototype of the Wright XR-2600-10 series 1,900 hp radial piston engine.

Likewise, the XTBF-3 is equipped with a Wright R-2600-20 series radial piston engine producing 1,900 horsepower. The XTBF-3 will be the cancelled TBF-3 production variant. The total production of TBF-1 was 2,290.

General Motors was hired to help produce Grumman aircraft as the U.S. Navy needed more and more viable military weapons in the Pacific.

Their five factories on the East Coast were underemployed, and so became the collective powerhouse for a new U.S. government mission called the "Eastern Pilots," numbered TBF Avengers (and F4F Wildcats, called "FM Wildcats"). A basic Avengers platform called "TBM".

The initial GM version was the TBF-1 as the basis for the TBM-1, of which 550 were produced. It was followed by the TBM-1C with 2,336 produced. TBM-1D produced additional radar. The TBM-E is equipped with additional electrical equipment, while the TBM-1J is the all-weather version.

The TBM-1L is the GM version with bomb bay searchlights, while the TBM-1P and TBM-1CP are photo reconnaissance versions. The TBM-2 is equipped with a 1,900 hp Wright XR-2600-10 series engine, while the XTBM-3 is equipped with a 1,900 hp Wright 2600-20 series engine. The latter produced four.

The TBM-3 has dual cooling air intakes, a more powerful engine and an external hitch. 4,011 types completed. The saw radar TBM-3D is mounted under the starboard wing. The TBM-3E ditched the ventral machine gun and added a search radar in the reinforced fuselage. Model 646 delivered.

The TBM-3H was equipped with a dedicated surface search radar, while the TBM-3J was ultimately determined for all-weather operation. The TBM-3L has a searchlight in the bomb bay. The TBM-3M is converted to launch missiles, while the TBM-3N is converted to a night attack platform.

The TBM-3P is a photo reconnaissance type. A version with electronic countermeasures exists under the name TBM-3Q and can be identified by the large radome on its belly. A personnel carrier was developed as the TBM-3R.

The anti-submarine mount became the TBM-3S, while the TBM-3U was a multipurpose platform and target tractor. The TBM-3W is equipped with an APS-20 radar in the abdominal radome for anti-submarine work.

The XTBM-4 is a prototype based on the TBM-3E, three of which were used to demonstrate an improved wing-folding concept and reinforced structure. The TBM-4 designation would cover the XTBM-4 prototypes on the production line, but these were cancelled.

The British Avengers included the first TBF-1s as the Avenger Mk I, of which 400 were delivered. It was followed by the Avenger Mk II (TBM-1/TBM-1C), which received 334. The Avenger Mk III is based on the TBM-3, with a total of 222 examples released. The Avenger Mk IV was born from the TBM-3S, and the order of 70 was cancelled.

98 Avenger AS3 was used as an anti-submarine platform. The Avenger AS3M is equipped with a magnetic anomaly detector in a boom that protrudes from the rear of the fuselage. 100 TBM-3S-based Avenger AS4 models were delivered after the war.

During the second half of the war - and in the years that followed - the TBF Avenger was developed into a variety of other useful roles, including dedicated reconnaissance platforms, target towing, airborne early warning (AEW) and submarine-combat (ASW) and light carrier transport. The TBM-3W "Project Cadillac" was used in 1946 to install and test the APS-20 surveillance radar.

By the early 1960s, most of the Avengers were out of military service.

Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes