History: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) would employ 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.
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.
In June 1943, future-President George H.W. Bush became the youngest naval aviator at the time. While flying a TBM with VT-51 (from the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)), his TBM was shot down on 2 September 1944 over the Pacific island of Chichi Jima.[6] Both of his crewmates died. However, he released his payload and hit the target before being forced to bail out; he received the Distinguished Flying Cross. (From Wikipedia)
Review:
21st Century’s TBF Avenger has been praised by many as their finest aircraft produced. After receiving my Bunker Hill TBF Avenger, I can see why so many collectors treasure this model.
The first thing that strikes you while unpacking this beast is the shear size of the Avenger. The packaging is poorly designed and not suitable to hold such a large model, causing paint damage to the left wing of mine and a broken propeller blade. With a length of 27” and a wingspan of 36”, it can be intimidating to handle. The Avenger includes 1 pilot, 1 radioman, 1 turret gunner and 1 torpedo. The Special Edition Flight 19 Avengers also include an alien figure with exception of the flight leader.
The list of moving features that 21st Century Toys incorporated into the TBF Avenger is impressive. The pilot’s cockpit windows slide open individually, but only offer a small opening to cram him into his seat. The bubble turret spins 360 degrees and gun/seat elevates to shoot above enemies. The glass dome removes completely, allowing easy access to insert the gunner. The radioman has his own access hatch on the right side fuselage with plenty of room to move around. His gun raises and lowers. The control surfaces are movable including ailerons, flaps, elevators and rudder. There is a minor issue here do to the simple hinged nature of the control surfaces that causes them to be loose and tend to droop. The propeller spins, wheels raise/lower and the wings fold for carrier storage. The folding wing is a complex design that requires the wheels to be down in a locked position, a triangular panel to be opened on the underside of the wings and both hands to complete. The wings have swivel joints that lock into place, securing the wing in open or closed positions and additional tabs to keep the rear of the wings lined up. This system was executed extremely well, much better than the bbi Hellcat, but the 36” wingspan is enormous and causes a bit of wing droop. Lastly, the belly bomb bay doors open to reveal the removable torpedo stored safely inside.
The Bunker Hill TBF Avenger has an attractive paint job and is the only version with a Pacific WWII theme. The Tampo printing is done well on most of the model, but the US stars on the rear of the fuselage are crooked and have fuzzy edges. The lack of weathering on 21st Century models is fine for the factory fresh look, but leaves much to be desired when sitting next to a bbi plane. Unfortunately, my Avenger had white scratches on the left wing where the bottom of the right wing rubbed it during shipping.
Even with the flaws on my particular TBF Avenger, I have to give it a solid A. This plane is stunning and only my bbi F-18 Hornet bests it for sheer awesomeness. I actually sold my bbi F-16 Falcon so I could purchase the BH Avenger and have no regrets. If you have any Pacific WWII planes in your collection, you owe it to yourself to own this bird.
Score: A
[ May 13, 2009: Message edited by: pcsguy88 ]
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posted May 11, 2009 23:29
