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About the aircraft Grumman Avanger TBF/TBM |
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.
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
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.
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| TBF Avenger |
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| Source:
US Navy {{PD-USGov-Military-Navy |
| Introduced: 1942 |
| Type: |
Manufacturer:
Grumman Aircraft;
Canadian modifications by Fairey Aviation Company Ltd |
| Weight: Empty: 10,600 lb (4,808 kg) Gross: 16,300 lb (7,394 kg) |
Dimensions:
Span: 54 ft 2 in (16.50 m)
Length: 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)
Height: 15 ft 8 in (4.78 m)
Wing Area: 490 sq ft (45.52 m) |
| Role: Torpedo bomber |
| Crew: 3 |
| Engine:1,900hp Wright R-2600-20 radial piston engine |
Performance:
Max Speed: 259 mph (417 km/h) Cruising Speed: 171 mph (275 km/
Climb Rate: 2060 feet per minute
Ceiling: 30,100ft
Range: 1000 miles
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Armament:
Two 12.7mm (0.5 in.) forward-firing machine guns
One 12.7mm (0.5 in.) dorsal-mounted machine gun
One 7.62mm (0.3 in.) ventral-mounted machine gun
Up to 2,000lb of bombs in bomb-bay
Wing-mounted rockets / drop tanks / radar pod
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| Variants: |
Primary users:
United States Navy
Royal Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
Royal New Zealand Air Force
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| Source: |
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBF_Avenger |
| More Information: |
www.acepilots.com/planes/avenger.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TBF_Avenger |
| http://www.aerofiles.com/_grum.html |
| Avanger TBM-1 in three color camouflage scheme, 1943 |
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| Variants: |
More detailed information about the types of
Grumman Avanger
http://www.aerofiles.com/_grum.html |
TBF
XTBF-1
Two prototypes each powered by a 1,700 hp (1,300 kW) R-2600-8 engine, second aircraft introduced the large dorsal fin.
TBF-1 Initial production model based on the second prototype, 2,291 built (some as TBF-1Cs)
TBF-1C
TBF-1 with provision for two 0.5 in (12.7 mm) wing guns and fuel capacity increased to 726 gal (2,748 l).
TBF-1B
Paper designation for the Avenger I for the Royal Navy.
TBF-1D
Conversions of the TBF-1 with centimetric radar in radome on starboard wing leading edge.
TBF-1CD
Conversion of TBF-1Cs with centimetric radar in radome on starboard wing leading edge.
TBF-1E
TBF-1 conversions with additional electronic equipment.
TBF-1J
TBF-1 equipped for bad weather operations
TBF-1L
TBF-1 equipped with retractable searchlight in bomb bay.
TBF-1P
TBF-1 conversion for photo-reconnaissance
TBF-1CP
TBF-1C conversion for photo-reconnaissance
XTBF-2
One TBF-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) XR-2600-10 engine.
XTBF-3 Two TBF-1 aircraft with 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) R-2600-20 engines.
TBF-3
Planned production version of the XTBF-3, cancelled
TBM
TBM-3Ds of VT(N)-90 January 1945.
A TBM-3R COD plane in the early 1950s
TBM-3S and TBM-3W of VS-26.
TBM-1
as TBF-1, 550 built.
TBM-1C
as TBF-1C, 2336 built.
TBM-1D
Conversions of the TBM-1 with centimetric radar in radome on starboard wing leading edge.
TBM-1E
TBM-1 conversions with additional electronic equipment.
TBM-1J
TBM-1 equipped for all weather operations
TBM-1L
TBM-1 equipped with retractable searachlight in bomb bay.
TBM-1P
TBM-1 conversion for photo-reconnaissance
TBM-1CP
TBM-1C conversion for photo-reconnaissance
TBM-2
One TBM-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) XR-2600-10 engine.
XTBM-3
Four TBM-1C aircraft with 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) R-2600-20 engines.
TBM-3D
TBM-3 conversion with centimetric radar in radome on starboard wing leading edge.
TBM-3E
TBM-3 conversion with centimetric radar in radome on starboard wing leading edge and strengthened airframe.
TBM-3H
TBM-3 conversion with surface search radar.
TBM-3J
TBM-3 equipped for all weather operations
TBM-3L
TBM-3 equipped with retractable searchlight in bomb bay.
TBM-3M
TBM-3 conversion as a missile launcher.
TBM-3N
TBM-3 conversion for night attack.
TBM-3P
TBM-3 conversion for photo-reconnaissance.
TBM-3Q
TBM-3 conversion for electronic countermeasures with large ventral radome.
TBM-3R
TBM-3 conversions as seven-passenger, Carrier onboard delivery transport.
TBM-3S
Anti-submarine strike version converted from TBM-3.
TBM-3U
General utility and target towing conversion of TBM-3.
TBM-3W
Anti-Submarine search conversion of TBM-3 with APS-20 radar in ventral radome.
XTBM-4
Three prototypes based on TBM-3E with modified wing incorporating a reinforced center section and a different folding mechanism.
TBM-4
Production version of XTBM-4, 2,141 on order were canceled.
Royal Navy Avenger
Royal Navy Avenger.
Canadian Avenger AS3M with long tubular magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) boom on the lower rear fuselage.
Avenger Mk.I RN designation of the TBF-1, 400 delivered.
Avenger Mk.II RN designation of the TBM-1/TBM-1C, 334 delivered.
Avenger Mk.III RN designation of the TBM-3, 222 delivered
Avenger Mk.IV RN designation of the TBM-3S, 70 cancelled
Avenger AS4 RN designation of the TBM-3S, 100 delivered postwar
Avenger AS3 Modified by RCN for anti-submarine duty, dorsal gun turret removed, 98 built
Avenger AS3M
AS3 with magnetic anomaly detector boom added to rear fuselage |
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