The Grumman TBM-3E Avenger was designed to replace the Douglas Devastator as the U.S. Navy’s primary torpedo attack aircraft. It was the first U.S. aircraft to carry a 22-inch torpedo internally. The Avenger made its combat debut in the 1942 Battle of Midway. While five of the six Avengers were shot down during the Battle of Midway, the Avenger became the most effective and wide-used World War II torpedo bomber. It remained in use until the 1960s.
Shown below is the Avenger in the Erickson Aircraft Collection in Madras, Oregon.
The Avenger has a crew of 3 (pilot, turret gunner, radioman/bombardier/ventral gunner), a maximum speed of 278 mph, and a range of 905 miles. The Avenger could carry one Bliss-Leavitt Mark 13 torpedo, one 2,000-pound bomb, or 4 500-pound bombs.
Note: these photographs were taken on September 14, 2023.
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