1:32 Grumman TBF/TBM-1C Avenger

The torpedo aircraft that did everything

The Avenger was created as a torpedo carrier, but in the end it did far more. From the decks of large and escort ships alike it flew antisubmarine patrols, bombed ground targets and served as a guidance and communications machine, and its roomy bomb bay carried equipment nobody had planned for. Because demand was enormous, it was built alongside Grumman by an automotive division as well, which is where the second letter designation the item carries in its name comes from.

Four decks on one sheet

One of the machines belonged to a torpedo squadron from the large aircraft carrier Essex, the other three to composite squadrons from escort carriers. The last of them, the aircraft with the letter B, belonged to a unit that found itself in action off the island of Samar in October 1944, where small escort ships faced Japanese battleships and their crews attacked even with an empty bomb bay, simply to confuse the enemy.

The three-tone scheme

All four aircraft carry the naval camouflage of the time in three tones of blue and white, where the shades blend according to the shape of the fuselage. The transitions are sprayed freehand from a short distance; a sharp edge would look out of place here.

The decals and the enclosed mask

Before applying the markings, even the surface out with gloss varnish. Let the motif come free in water, carry it to a damp area and squeeze the air out. The mask makes spraying the long glazing above the cockpit and above the rear gun turret easier. The kit, paints and glue are sold separately.