The Grumman TBF Avenger entered service in 1942 as a replacement for the Douglas TBD Devastator. Large for a single-engine carrier aircraft, it carried a three-man crew and could deliver a torpedo, bombs or other ordnance over long distances.
TBF or TBM?
The designation depends on the manufacturer. Grumman-built aircraft were TBF Avengers. As production demands increased, General Motors' Eastern Aircraft Division began building the design under the designation TBM. The basic aircraft remained the Avenger.
This manufacturing expansion produced thousands of aircraft and allowed Grumman to concentrate increasingly on fighter production.
From Midway to the End of the War
Avengers first saw combat during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Their debut was costly, but the type soon became a mainstay of U.S. Navy carrier air groups.
Although designed as a torpedo bomber, Avengers were used for conventional bombing, anti-submarine patrol and attacks on shore targets. The aircraft's range, internal weapons bay and rugged construction made it adaptable to changing missions.
Avengers continued serving after World War II in military and civilian roles, including anti-submarine warfare, firefighting and agricultural work. Their long postwar careers helped preserve a substantial number of examples compared with many other carrier aircraft of the period.
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