TBM-1C
Avenger

About This Build

The Subject

The Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger was the US Navy's standard torpedo bomber from 1942 through the end of the war, and long into the Cold War era as an anti-submarine platform. Its cavernous weapons bay could carry a torpedo, bombs, or depth charges, and its three-man crew — pilot, turret gunner, and radioman/ventral gunner — made it a formidable and self-sufficient aircraft. The Avenger played a decisive role at the Battle of the Philippine Sea and later operations throughout 1944–45.

The Kit

This build is the Hobby 2000 re-edition of the Hasegawa TBF-1C in 1/72 scale, with additional masks included in the box. I added photoetched cockpit parts from Eduard and a resin engine from Quickboost. To bring the scene to life, I placed the model against my cardboard carrier backdrop alongside two figures in 1/48 scale — the perspective works surprisingly well across the two scales. I also included two photos showing a speculative view of interior lighting for a night mission, assuming red cockpit illumination.

Colours & Markings

The Hasegawa tooling features excellent crisp external panel line engraving — noticeably sharper than some competitors. The clear parts are well done, but I opened the canopy as I usually do, which required carefully sawing the hood in two places. I used the cut-out middle section as a mould for a new piece, though fitting it back under the rear canopy section proved tricky. The reference markings are VT-15, USS Essex (CV-9), November 1944.