Standard armament of nearly all production Avengers included 2 x 12.7mm M2 Browning heavy machine guns in the wings and 1 x 12.7mm M2 Browning machine gun in the powered dorsal turret as well as 1 x 7.62mm M1919 Browning machine gun in a trainable ventral fuselage position. Despite the large-scale use of hydraulics throughout the design of the Avenger, the turret was electrically-powered and developed by Grumman engineers in-house. The forward-facing machine guns were offensive in nature and could be used to strafe targets of opportunity as needed while the rear machine guns were utilized to defend the critical rear facings of the aircraft. Expert Avenger pilots could push their mounts to the point that she could be handled as an adequate fighter platform - much to the surprise of trailing enemy fighter pilots.
However, the true heart and soul of Avenger armament was its ordnance delivery which consisted of the internal bomb bay and provisions for external stores. One Mk XIII-2 torpedo could be housed in the bomb bay to which the aircraft would approach a surface target at low or medium altitudes, open the hydraulically-powered bay doors and drop the torpedo into the water. The torpedo would then stream just under the waterline towards its intended target, presumably detonating by timed fuse or on contact. For medium-altitude level bombing, the bombardier handled the torpedo responsibility though, for low-level runs, the pilot utilized an illuminated sight in the cockpit and took over the bombardier's role. In lieu of a torpedo, the Avenger could stock up to 2,000lb (4 x 500lb or 12 x 100lb) of conventional drop bombs for use against surface targets. Support for 5" air-launched, unguided, high-explosive rockets were added later and this allowed Avenger crews the capability to strike at surface targets with devastating results to the enemy (both physically and psychologically). Operational ranges could be extended by the use of 3 x 335 US gallon external fuel drop tanks.
Avengers were primarily completed with the Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14-cylinder radial piston engine series outputting 1,700 to 1,900 horsepower with many forms including a supercharger. Top speed was in the vicinity of 275 miles per hour with an operational range out to 1,000 miles. The aircraft could hit service ceilings of 30,000 feet with a 2,000 feet per minute rate-of-climb.
Initial combat actions for the TBF Avenger were recorded during the famous "Battle of Midway" occurring on June 4th, 1942. Of the six aircraft launched into battle with VT-8, only one returned home and this with a wounded bombardier, dead tail gunner and little flight support for the airframe - a rather troubling start for the aircraft line. Nevertheless, production ramped to help swell the required USN numbers. Avengers delivered torpedoes and (primarily) drop ordnance against both naval and surface targets across the Pacific and over the Japanese mainland throughout the course of the war. Additionally, the deep belly of the Avenger could serve as a basic cargo transport and many were used to airdrop supplies to cut-off Marine and Army units in the Pacific Campaign. Water, food and ammunition was dropped via Avengers to the 1st Marine Regiment at Shuri Castle on Okinawa. Avengers were also used to attack the Japanese mainland directly once air superiority was firmly in the hands of the Allies in the theater.
Overall, total production of the TBF Avenger series ranged between 9,836 and 9,839 aircraft (sources vary on the exact count). Up to 921 Avengers were delivered to the Royal Navy via Lend-Lease and, in all, 33 British Navy squadrons equipped the type and operated them from various naval warships and land bases across the Empire. New Zealand received 63 Avengers. Post-war operators included Brazil, France, Japan, Netherlands and Uruguay.
Variants abounded along the production line and went beyond the XTBF-1 prototypes. The TBF-1 was the initial production model based on the second XTBF-1 prototype and 1,526 examples were produced. The TBF-1C added 12.7mm heavy machine guns to the wings and improved operational ranges with a larger internal fuel tank. 765 of the model were produced. The TBF-1B became the British Tarpon Mk I/Avenger Mk I Lend-Lease mounts. The TBF-1D added the RT-5/APS-4 search radar in a pod under their starboard side wings. Similarly, the TBF-1D were based on the C-models with the RT-5/APS-4 search radar added. The TBF-1E featured additional equipment while the TBF-1J was designed for poor weather. The TBF-1L mounted a powerful searchlight in its bomb bay while TBF-P and TBF-CP were dedicated photo-reconnaissance platforms converted from existing TBF-1 and TBF-1C mounts respectively. The XTFB-2 was a prototype fitting the Wright XR-2600-10 series radial piston engine of 1,900 horsepower. Similarly, the XTBF-3 was fitted with a Wright R-2600-20 series radial piston engine of 1,900 horsepower. The XTBF-3 would have become the canceled TBF-3 production model. Total TBF-1 production was 2,290.
As the US Navy required more and more viable military weapons in the Pacific, General Motors was tabbed to help with production of the Grumman aircraft. Five of their factories along the East coast sat under-worked and were, therefore, formed into a collective powerhouse known as "Eastern Aircraft Division" for the new US government task of outputting TBF Avengers (as well as F4F Wildcats as the "FM Wildcat") in number. These facilities essentially manufactured Avenger platforms under the "TBM" designation.
The initial GM version was the base TBF-1 as the TBM-1 of which 550 were produced. This was followed by the TBM-1C of which 2,336 were produced. Added radar produced the TBM-1D. The TBM-E was completed with additional electrical equipment while the TBM-1J was the all-weather version. The TBM-1L was the GM version housing the bomb bay search light while the TBM-1P and TBM-1CP were the photo-reconnaissance variants. The TBM-2 featured the Wright XR-2600-10 series engine of 1,900 horsepower while the XTBM-3 housed the Wright 2600-20 series engine of 1,900 horsepower. Four of the latter were produced. The TBM-3 sported double cooling intakes, a more powerful engine and external arrestor hook. 4,011 of the type were completed. The TBM-3D saw radar fitted under the starboard side wing. The TBM-3E dropped the ventral machine gun and added search radar in a reinforced airframe. 646 of the type were delivered. The TBM-3H was fitted with specialized surface search radar while the TBM-3J was finished for all-weather operation. The TBM-3L fitted a searchlight in the bomb bay. The TBM-3M was modified to fire missiles while the TBM-3N was modified as a night attack platform. The TBM-3P was a photo-reconnaissance variant. An electric countermeasures version existed under the TBM-3Q designation and identified by its large radome along the belly. A passenger transport was developed as the TBM-3R. An anti-submarine warfare mount became the TBM-3S while the TBM-3U was a multi-role platform and target tow vehicle. The TBM-3W was fitted with APS-20 radar in a belly radome for anti-submarine work. The XTBM-4 was a prototype form based on the TBM-3E of which three were produced to prove a revised wing folding concept and strengthened structure. The TBM-4 designation would have covered XTBM-4 prototypes on production lines but these were canceled.
British Avengers included the initial TBF-1s as the Avenger Mk I of which 400 were delivered. This was followed by the Avenger Mk II (TBM-1/TBM-1C) of which 334 were received. The Avenger Mk III was based on the TBM-3 and appeared in 222 examples. The Avenger Mk IV was born from the TBM-3S and the 70 on order were cancelled. 98 Avenger AS3s were used as anti-submarine warfare platforms. The Avenger AS3M were outfitted with a magnetic anomaly detector in a boom protruding from the fuselage at the rear. 100 Avenger AS4 models based on the TBM-3S were later delivered after the war.
In the latter part of the war - and in the years beyond - the TBF Avenger was evolved into a myriad of other useful roles including that of dedicated reconnaissance platform, target towing, airborne early warning (AEW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and light carrier-based transport. The TBM-3W "Project Cadillac" was used in 1946 to install and test the APS-20 surveillance radar. Most Avengers were out of military circulation by the early part of the 1960s.
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