General Motors TBM-3E Avenger
Unit: VMTB-232 "The Red Devils" Okinawa invasion, April, 1945
After the Battle of Midway which was disastrous for the TBD Devastator torpedo squadrons, the Grumman Avenger became the standard torpedo bomber for the US Navy. With orders for the Grumman TBF Avenger outstripping Grumman's production capacity, the decision was taken for General Motors to produce the aircraft. These would be known as TBM Avengers.
While Grumman had attempted to continue development of their TBF Avenger, it would be General Motors who would do so as they produced the TBM-3 which was powered by the more powerful 1,900-hp Wright R-2600-20 engine. This required a redesign of the cowling to have more, larger cowl flaps, and double cooling intakes (with upper and bottom inlets). Additionally, the TBM-3 featured strengthened wings to allow for more types of ordnance to be fitted.
General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division began series production of the TBM-3 Avengers in the middle of 1944. It became the standard USN torpedo bomber in the last year of WWII.
Further TBM-3 development by General Motors proceeded for radar capabilities. The E designation would simply mean the addition of electronic equipment, in this case provisions for carrying the APS-4 radar on a stores pylon under the right wing. This also coincided with a program by Eastern to reduce weight by about four hundred pounds. The changes included the location of the tail hook, which had been internally housed on all TBFs and prior TBM production to an external tail hook, deletion of tunnel gun postion, and some armor, etc.
The TBM-3 Avenger had a top speed of 267 mph, range of 1,130 miles with a service ceiling of 23,400 ft. Armament was three 0.50-in machine-guns and one 0.30-in machine-gun. Bomb load was either 2,000lb bombs, depth charges or torpedoes. Rocket projectiles could also be carried. The TBM-3 Avenger had a top speed of 267 mph, range of 1,130 miles with a service ceiling of 23,400 ft. Armament was three 0.50-in machine-guns and one 0.30-in machine-gun. Bomb load was either 2,000lb bombs, depth charges or torpedoes. Rocket projectiles could also be carried.
Credits
With Wolfi's permission, he allowed me to use his TBF-1C model to make the element changes for a TBM-3 model
Wolfi: about 90% of the overall aircraft model
Captain Kurt: TBM-3 model elements, 2D panel. paint textures, and .dp
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture
Gauges: AAF_Gauges.gau by Scott Jelinek, Military_RMI.gau is a FS98 gauge by 1999 Melville Consulting, the others by Microsoft or authors unknown.
Weapons: Alternate rocket rail Mk4 is originally by Bismarck13 modified by Captain Kurt to fit the TBF, db_us_wep_v2a package is by DBolt, and Depth Charges package is by Baldy
Unit: VMTB-232 "The Red Devils" Okinawa invasion, April, 1945
After the Battle of Midway which was disastrous for the TBD Devastator torpedo squadrons, the Grumman Avenger became the standard torpedo bomber for the US Navy. With orders for the Grumman TBF Avenger outstripping Grumman's production capacity, the decision was taken for General Motors to produce the aircraft. These would be known as TBM Avengers.
While Grumman had attempted to continue development of their TBF Avenger, it would be General Motors who would do so as they produced the TBM-3 which was powered by the more powerful 1,900-hp Wright R-2600-20 engine. This required a redesign of the cowling to have more, larger cowl flaps, and double cooling intakes (with upper and bottom inlets). Additionally, the TBM-3 featured strengthened wings to allow for more types of ordnance to be fitted.
General Motors Eastern Aircraft Division began series production of the TBM-3 Avengers in the middle of 1944. It became the standard USN torpedo bomber in the last year of WWII.
Further TBM-3 development by General Motors proceeded for radar capabilities. The E designation would simply mean the addition of electronic equipment, in this case provisions for carrying the APS-4 radar on a stores pylon under the right wing. This also coincided with a program by Eastern to reduce weight by about four hundred pounds. The changes included the location of the tail hook, which had been internally housed on all TBFs and prior TBM production to an external tail hook, deletion of tunnel gun postion, and some armor, etc.
The TBM-3 Avenger had a top speed of 267 mph, range of 1,130 miles with a service ceiling of 23,400 ft. Armament was three 0.50-in machine-guns and one 0.30-in machine-gun. Bomb load was either 2,000lb bombs, depth charges or torpedoes. Rocket projectiles could also be carried. The TBM-3 Avenger had a top speed of 267 mph, range of 1,130 miles with a service ceiling of 23,400 ft. Armament was three 0.50-in machine-guns and one 0.30-in machine-gun. Bomb load was either 2,000lb bombs, depth charges or torpedoes. Rocket projectiles could also be carried.
Credits
With Wolfi's permission, he allowed me to use his TBF-1C model to make the element changes for a TBM-3 model
Wolfi: about 90% of the overall aircraft model
Captain Kurt: TBM-3 model elements, 2D panel. paint textures, and .dp
Kelticheart: Prop blurred texture
Gauges: AAF_Gauges.gau by Scott Jelinek, Military_RMI.gau is a FS98 gauge by 1999 Melville Consulting, the others by Microsoft or authors unknown.
Weapons: Alternate rocket rail Mk4 is originally by Bismarck13 modified by Captain Kurt to fit the TBF, db_us_wep_v2a package is by DBolt, and Depth Charges package is by Baldy
