U-Boat's Menace |
Grumman/Eastern TBM-1C "Avenger" VC-58 Januar 1944
Grumman's first torpedo bomber was the heaviest single-engine plane of WWII, and it was the first to feature a new wing-folding mechanism (designed by Grumman) intended to maximize storage space on an aircraft carrier; the F6F Hellcat (also manufactured by Grumman) would employ the same mechanism. The engine used was the Wright R-2600-20 (which produced 1,900 hp). There were three crew members—pilot, turret gunner, and radioman/bombardier/ventral gunner. A .50-caliber machine gun was mounted in each wing, and one more .50 caliber gun was mounted right next to the turret gunner's head in a rear-facing electrically powered turret. There was a single .30 caliber 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. There was only one set of controls on the aircraft, and no access to the pilot's position from the rest of the aircraft. The radio equipment was massive, especially by today's standards, and filled the whole glass canopy to the rear of the pilot. The radios were accessible for repair through a "tunnel" along the right hand side. Any Avengers that are still flying today usually have an additional rear-mounted seat in place of the radios, which increases crew to four. The Avenger had a large bomb bay, allowing for one Bliss-Leavitt Mk 13 torpedo, a single 2000 lb (900 kg) bomb, or up to four 500 lb (230 kg) bombs. Torpedoes were generally abandoned after Midway and were not carried again regularly until after June of 1944, when improvements mandated their use again. By that time, it was rare for American aircraft to encounter enemy shipping at sea and the Avenger was primarily employed as a ground support weapon. The plane 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 Air Group Commanders (CAGs). With a 30,000 foot (10,000 m) ceiling and a fully-loaded range of 1,000 miles (1,600 km), it was better than any previous American torpedo plane. Crew: 3 Length: 40 ft 11.5 in (12.48 m) Wingspan: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m) Height: 15 ft 5 in (4.70 m) Wing area: 490.02 ft² (45.52 m²) Empty weight: 10,545 lb (4,783 kg) Loaded weight: 17,893 lb (8,115 kg) Powerplant: 1× Wright R-2600-20 radial-engine, 1,900 hp (1,420 kW) Maximum speed: 276 mph (444 km/h) Range: 1,000 miles (1,610 km) Service ceiling: 30,100 ft (9,170 m) Rate of climb: 2,060 ft/min (10.5 m/s) Wing loading: 36.5 ft·lbf² (178 kg/m²) Power/Mass: 0.0094 hp/lb (0.17 kW/kg) Armament 1x 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) nose-mounted 2x 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) wing-mounted 1x 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) dorsal-mounted machine gun 1x 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) ventral-mounted machine gun Up to 2,000 lb (900 kg) of bombs 1x 2,000 lb (900 kg) Mk 13 Torpedo USN 99 René Hieronymus Scale 1:72 Building time: approx. 74hrs. |