Grumman’s TBF Avenger began replacing the earlier Douglas TBD in United States Navy torpedo squadrons in mid-1942 and continued in service until war’s end. A 1,700 horsepower Wright R- 2600 Double Cyclone 14-cylinder radial engine powered the TBF, giving it a top speed of 271 miles per hour at 12,000 feet, a cruising speed of 145 miles per hour, and a range of 1,215 miles. It could carry a single torpedo or up to 1,600 pounds of bombs in its enclosed bomb bay. Unlike contemporary United States Navy dive bombers, very large numbers of Avengers were transferred under Lend-Lease to the Royal Navy, in which they came to equip a majority of that service’s strike squadrons.
The TBF Avenger, which we tend to think of as a torpedo bomber, which it was, was used mostly as a Naval bomber by the British. That is, they mostly used it to drop bombs through the bomb bay. It could carry four 500 lbs bombs rather than a torpedo, when used that way.
Called by one test pilot, “The grand-daddy of all Wildcats,” the Avenger was designed as a replacement for the TBD Devastator in the spring of 1940. Its development was well timed. It began rolling off the assembly line on January 3rd, 1942, less than one month after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. The Navy urgently needed a carrier based bomber, and the Avenger served this role well throughout the war. It could carry bombs or torpedoes over tremendous distances.
Its combat debut was less than promising. During the battle of Midway, on June 4th, 5 out of 6 Avengers were shot down, and none of them hit their targets. As the war progressed, however, the Avenger proved a vital anti shipping weapon and tactical bomber. Although Japan’s air forces suffered a steep decline, beginning with Midway, Avenger missions never became easy. To launch a torpedo, the TBF had to fly extremely low and slow to within a short distance from a target typically spewing lethal anti-aircraft fire. Even on bombing missions, the Avenger was never a swift strike airplane, and was a fat target for ground fire. Future American President, George Bush, had the Avenger he was piloting shot down by ground fire.
The Avenger has two basic designations: the TBF, manufactured by Grumman, and the TBM, manufactured by General Motors. All late war Avengers carried the TBM designation regardless of manufacturer.
