Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Single-engine land and carrier-borne torpedo bomber

Power Plant:

(TBF-1C)

One 1,268 kw (1,700 hp) Wright R-2600-8 eighteen-cylinder two-row air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

Armament:

Two fixed forward firing 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine guns; one 12.7 mm (0.5 in) machine gun in dorsal turret; one 7.62 mm (0.3 in) machine gun in ventral hatch; max bomb load 907 kg (2,000 lb)

History:

In April 1940 the United States Bureau of Aeronautics placed a contract with Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation for the construction of two prototypes of a three-seat carrier-borne torpedo bomber known as the XTBF-1. The aircraft design had mid-mounted folding wings, an internal bomb-bay, with hydraulically-operated doors to house either a 55.99 cm (22 in) torpedo, or four 227 kg (500 lb) bombs. The power plant was a 1,268 kw (1,700 hp) Wright R-2600-8 eighteen-cylinder, two-row, radial engine driving a Curtiss Electric three-blade propeller.

On 1 August 1941 the first prototype (Bu Aer 2539) made its first flight. However, this machine was lost on 28 November 1941. The second prototype (Bu Aer 2540) was flown for the first time on 23 December 1941. An initial contract was immediately placed for 286 examples to be known as the TBF-1.

The production aircraft was basically similar to the first prototype but had a dorsal fin extending from just behind the dorsal turret to the tail, the same as the second prototype. Grumman built 2,293 Avengers, and the type was also built by the Eastern Aircraft Division of the General Motors Corporation, this company completing 7,546 examples. Many variants of the type were produced and, discounting prototypes, Grumman built nine variants from the TBF-1 through to the TBF-1L and TBF-1P; and Eastern Aircraft built similar variants, plus a further 15, from the TBM-3 through to the TBM-3W.

During World War II Avengers were flown by the United States Navy (USN), United States Marine Corps (USMC), Royal Navy (RN), and the RNZAF. Operating from aircraft carriers of the American fleet, they were operated in many of the battles in the Pacific, including Guadalcanal, Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, and the Battle of The Philippine Sea. They also took part in the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carriers ‘Ryujo’, ‘Hiyo’, ‘Chiyoda’, ‘Zuikaka’, ‘Chitose’ and ‘Zuiho’. On 7 April 1945 Avengers contributed ten torpedo hits to the sinking of the 69,092 tonne (68,000 ton) Japanese battleship ‘Yamato’.

The Avenger was used for a variety of roles, including photo-reconnaissance, torpedo bomber, bomber, anti-submarine strike aircraft, etc. In the European Theatre it was used mainly in the anti-submarine strike role, operating from the decks of aircraft carriers, and was credited with sinking 28 German U-boats (submarines). The Royal Navy operated 958 Avengers. The type was initially known as the Tarpon by that service, but the American name was later adopted. Royal Navy Avengers were known as the Mks I to IV.

After World War II a number continued in American service until the introduction of the Douglas Skyraider. However, large numbers were used by other armed services, including those of Canada, France, Japan, The Netherlands, Uruguay, and New Zealand.

In 1943 the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) received six TBF-1s (NZ2501 to NZ2506), and later 42 TBF-1Cs (NZ2507 to NZ2548). Two dive-bomber squadrons were formed to operate the aircraft, Nos 30 and 31, and they completed a tour of operations in the Solomons as land-based bombers. These units were disbanded in 1944 and, during the following year, nine of the surviving aircraft were transferred to the Royal Navy and 16 were returned to the US Navy. Subsequently, six were operated by the RNZAF Central Fighter Establishment, and Nos 41 and 42 Squadrons, as target tugs.

After retirement in 1960 the remainder were sold for scrap.  One TBF-1C (NZ2527) was transferred to Bennett Aviation in May 1959, and later registered to Barr Bros as ZK-CBO (c/n 5625) to be used as a top-dressing aircraft, but this did not eventuate.  It was rescued from a children’s playground in 1974, has been restored in RNZAF markings and placed on display with the Ministry of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) Museum in Auckland.

Other survivors have included: NZ2504, but painted as NZ 2521, restored and has been placed on display at the RNZAF Museum at Wigram;  NZ2505 on loan to the Gisborne Aviation Preservation Society from the RNZAF Museum for display; NZ2539 stored in Auckland and derelict until transferred to the Classic Fighters Museum at Tauranga for restoration.

An airworthy example of the TBM-3E was imported in the early 1990s for the Alpine Fighter Collection at Wanaka and was flown for some years as ZK-TBM² (c/n 4015).  In late 1999 it was sold in Australia and flown to Caboolture in Queensland where it was regularly flown as VH-TBM (ex ZK-TBM, N6827C, Bu Aer 91110).  Ownership was transferred to Steven Searle in Queensland but, following his demise, it was sold and returned to New Zealand. The aircraft was flown across the Tasman to New Zealand where it became ZK-TBE on 16 April 2012 to ITL Aviation Ltd.

In 2004 a TBM-3W Avenger, which had been operating with Forest Protection Ltd in Canada as a fire bomber C-GFPM (c/n 3919, ex C-GFPM, N707C, Bu Aer 53857), was imported to Brisbane, QLD where it was restored in its World War II configuration as VH-MML4.  The aircraft has remained airworthy based at Cessnock, NSW and in later years has been operated by Paul Bennet Airshows on Australia’s east coast and has regularly been seen at aviation events.

In 2005 a TBM-3E (c/n 3399, ex N337GA, CF-IMI, 390 [Royal Canadian Navy] Bu Aer 53337) built by General Motors at Trenton, New Jersey in 1945, which was operated by the Canadian Navy in 1952, was imported for restoration to wartime configuration by Steven Searle. This aircraft was declared surplus in 1954 and became CF-IMI with Skyway Air Services of Langley, British Colombia and later Conair for firebombing as N357GA.  It became VH-VTB (c/n 3399 – ex N337GA, CF-IMI, RCN390, 53337, Bu Aer 53337). However, following the sudden  demise of Mr Searle the aircraft was exported to the United States as N337VT and was lost in an accident.

Neither the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) nor the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) operated the type, but a number of aircraft were flown in Australia by the Royal Navy.  At the end of the war many were stored at Archerfield, QLD, and Bankstown and Schofields, NSW.  Being Lend-Lease aircraft it was necessary to dispose of them at the conclusion of hostilities. Many were towed by ‘Queen Mary’ articulated vehicles from their bases to the wharves in Sydney, NSW where they were loaded on board aircraft carriers and fleet repair ships, such as ‘HMS Unicorn’, taken out to sea and pushed over the side.

Many hundreds of naval aircraft were involved, some being broken up in situ and others, ie, in the Admiralty Islands, etc, being placed on lighters, taken to ships anchored offshore and dumped in the ocean.  Personnel of the time have spoken of aircraft flown to Archerfield or Bankstown where systematic destruction took place during March and April 1946, main types involved being United States Lend-Lease aircraft, but also including surplus British types such as the Fairey Firefly I and the Fairey Barracuda.

In later years the nets of fishing trawlers have occasionally been snagged on some of these wrecks and some parts have been recovered but have been badly corroded.