Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger PDF eBook + Aircraft Flight Manuals

General Characteristics

• Crew: 3
• Length: 40 ft 1?8 in (12.195 m)
• Wingspan: 54 ft 2 in (16.51 m)
• Width: 19 ft (5.8 m) folded
• Height: 16 ft 5 in (5.00 m)
• Wing area: 490 sq ft (46 m²)
• Airfoil: root: NACA 23015; tip: NACA 23009
• Gross weight: 15,536 lb (7,047 kg)
• Fuel capacity: Fuel 330 US gal (275 imp gal; 1,249 l) in three center-section integral tanks + 2x 58 US gal (48 imp gal; 220 l) droppable slipper tanks under outer wings, with provision for a jettisonable 275 US gal (229 imp gal; 1,041 l) bomb-bay ferry tank.; Oil 32 US gal (27 imp gal; 121 l)
• Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-2600-8 Twin Cyclone 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,700 hp (1,300 kW)
• Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed propeller

Performance

• Maximum speed: 278 mph (447 km/h, 242 kn)
• Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn)
• Range: 905 mi (1,456 km, 786 nmi) at cruise speed
• Service ceiling: 22,600 ft (6,900 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,075 ft/min (5.46 m/s)
• Power/mass: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)

Armament

• Guns:
  • 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) nose-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun (on early models) or 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) wing-mounted M2 Browning machine guns
  • 1 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) dorsal-mounted M2 Browning machine gun
  • 1 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) ventral-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun
• Rockets:
  • up to eight 3.5-Inch (89 mm) Forward Firing Aircraft Rockets, 5-inch (127 mm) Forward Firing Aircraft Rockets or High Velocity Aerial Rockets
• Bombs:
  • Up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs or
  • 1 × 2,000 lb (907 kg) Mark 13 torpedo or Mark 24 mine (Fido) acoustic homing torpedo

TBF

• XTBF-1 – Prototypes each powered by a 1,700 hp (1,300 kW) R-2600-8 engine, second aircraft introduced the large dorsal fin. (2 built)
• TBF-1 – Initial production model based on the second prototype. (1,526 built)
• TBF-1C – TBF-1 with provision for two 0.5 in (12.7 mm) wing guns and fuel capacity increased to 726 US gal (2,748 l). (765 built)
• TBF-1B – Paper designation for the Avenger I for the Royal Navy.
• TBF-1D – TBF-1 conversions with centimetric radar in radome on right wing leading edge.
• TBF-1CD – TBF-1C conversions with centimetric radar in radome on right wing leading edge.
• TBF-1E – TBF-1 conversions with additional electronic equipment.
• TBF-1J – TBF-1 equipped for bad weather operations
• TBF-1L – TBF-1 equipped with retractable searchlight in bomb bay.
• TBF-1P – TBF-1 conversion for photo-reconnaissance
• TBF-1CP – TBF-1C conversion for photo-reconnaissance
• XTBF-2 – TBF-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) XR-2600-10 engine.
• XTBF-3 – TBF-1 re-engined with 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) R-2600-20 engines.
• TBF-3 – Planned production version of the XTBF-3, cancelled

TBM

• TBM-1 – as TBF-1. (550 built)
• TBM-1C – as TBF-1C. (2336 built)
• TBM-1D – TBM-1 conversions with centimetric radar in radome on right wing leading edge.
• TBM-1E – TBM-1 conversions with additional electronic equipment.
• TBM-1J – TBM-1 equipped for all weather operations
• TBM-1L – TBM-1 equipped with retractable searchlight in bomb bay.
• TBM-1P – TBM-1 conversion for photo-reconnaissance
• TBM-1CP – TBM-1C conversion for photo-reconnaissance
• TBM-2 – One TBM-1 re-engined with a 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) XR-2600-10 engine.
• XTBM-3 – Four TBM-1C aircraft with 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) R-2600-20 engines.
• TBM-3 – as TBM-1C, double cooling intakes, engine upgrade, minor changes. (4,011 built)
• TBM-3D – TBM-3 conversion with centimetric radar in radome on right wing leading edge.
• TBM-3E – as TBM-3, stronger airframe, search radar, ventral gun deleted. (646 built).
• TBM-3H – TBM-3 conversion with surface search radar.
• TBM-3J – TBM-3 equipped for all weather operations
• TBM-3L – TBM-3 equipped with retractable searchlight in bomb bay.
• TBM-3M – TBM-3 conversion as a Tiny Tim rocket launcher.
• TBM-3N – TBM-3 conversion for night attack.
• TBM-3P – TBM-3 conversion for photo-reconnaissance.
• TBM-3Q – TBM-3 conversion for electronic countermeasures, retained gun turret.
• TBM-3R – TBM-3 conversions as seven-passenger, Carrier onboard delivery transport.
• TBM-3S – TBM-3 conversion as an anti-submarine strike version.
• TBM-3U – TBM-3 conversion as a general utility and target version.
• TBM-3W – TBM-3 conversion as the first ship based airborne early warning control and relay platform with AN/APS-20 radar in ventral radome.
• XTBM-4 – Prototypes based on TBM-3E with modified wing incorporating a reinforced center section and a different folding mechanism. (3 built)
• TBM-4 – Production version of XTBM-4, 2,141 on order were cancelled.

Royal Navy Avenger

• Tarpon GR.I – RN designation of the TBF-1, 400 delivered.
• Avenger Mk.II – RN designation of the TBM-1/TBM-1C, 334 delivered.
• Avenger Mk.III – RN designation of the TBM-3, 222 delivered
• Avenger Mk.IV – RN designation of the TBM-3S, 70 cancelled
• Avenger AS4 – RN designation of the TBM-3E, delivered postwar with minimum modifications
• Avenger AS5 – RN designation of the TBM-3S, delivered postwar & fitted with British equipment
• Avenger AS6 – RN designation of the TBM-3S, fitted with British equipment including a centrline radome. A total of one hundred
• TBM-3E & TBM-3S were delivered to the Royal Navy in 1953.

Royal Canadian Navy Avengers

• Avenger AS3 – Modified by RCN for anti-submarine duty, dorsal gun turret removed, 98 built
• Avenger AS3M – AS3 with magnetic anomaly detector boom added to rear fuselage
• Avenger Mk.3W2 – Similar to TBM-3W, with large ventral radome. 8 operated.

Australia

Airworthy

TBM-3

• 53857 – Bennet Aviation Pty Limited in Redhead, New South Wales.

Canada

Airworthy

TBM-3

• 53610 – Shearwater Aviation Museum in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
• 53858 – Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Hamilton, Ontario.
• 69361 – Reynolds-Alberta Museum in Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

On display

TBM-3

• 53607 – Atlantic Canada Aviation Museum in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• 85733 – Central New Brunswick Woodsmen’s Museum in Boiestown, New Brunswick.
• 85861 – Shearwater Aviation Museum in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

In storage

TBM-3

• 91171 – James Wilson in British Columbia.

France

Airworthy

TBM-3

• 85869 – AMPAA in Etampes.

Israel

On display

TBM-3

• 69355 – Israeli Air Force Museum.

Under restoration

TBM-3

• 85506 – under restoration by Ben Ami in Tel Aviv.

New Zealand 

Airworthy

TBM-3

• 91110 – Brendon Deere, based at RNZAF Base Ohakea, painted as NZ2518 “Plonky” (build number 47733).

On display

TBF-1

• 24336 – RNZAF serial NZ2504, RNZAF Museum in Wigram, New Zealand, painted in its original colours as RNZAF serial NZ2504
• 24337 – RNZAF serial NZ2505, Classic Flyers, Mount Maunganui, on loan from Gisborne Aviation Preservation Society in Gisborne, New Zealand.
• 47859 – RNZAF serial NZ2527, Museum of Transport and Technology, Western Springs, Auckland.

Under restoration

TBF-1

• 48016 – RNZAF serial NZ2539, being restored by Classic Flyers, Mount Maunganui.

Switzerland 

TBM-3

• 53319 – Trachsel Charles in Matin Calme. It is currently based at the Lausanne Airport of Lausanne, Switzerland.

United Kingdom 

TBM-3

• 69327 – Imperial War Museum in Duxford.
• 69502 – Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton.

United States 

Airworthy

TBF-1C

• 47887 – restored by Pacific Fighters for private owner in Beaverton, Oregon.

TBM-3

• 53119 – privately owned in Orange, California.
• 53139 – based at the National Museum of World War II Aviation in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
• 53353 – based at the Commemorative Air Force (Missouri Wing) in Portage Des Sioux, Missouri.
• 53420 – based at the Tri-State Warbird Museum in Batavia, Ohio.
• 53454 – based at the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
• 53503 – based at the CAF Rocky Mountain Wing Museum in Grand Junction, Colorado.
• 53575 – based at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston, Texas.
• 53638 – based at the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum in Reading, Pennsylvania.
• 53768 – privately owned in Joliet, Illinois.
• 53785 – based at the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, California.
• 53787 – privately owned in Carson City, Nevada.
• 53818 – privately owned in Bloomington, Minnesota.
• 53829 – privately owned in West Fargo, North Dakota.
• 53835 – privately owned in Greenwich, Connecticut.
• 69459 – based at the War Eagles Air Museum in Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

TBM-3E

• 85460 – based at the NAS Wildwood Aviation Museum in Cape May County, New Jersey.
• 85632 – privately owned in Peru, Illinois.
• 85650 – privately owned in Pawcatuck, Connecticut.
• 85794 – based at the Lauridsen Aviation Museum in Buckeye, Arizona.
• 85882 – privately owned in Seattle, Washington.
• 85886 – based at the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale, New York.
• 85938 – based at the Mid America Flight Museum in Mount Pleasant, Texas.
• 85983 – privately owned in Wilmington, Delaware.
• 86280 – based at the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison, Texas.
• 91264 – based at the Planes of Fame in Chino, California.
• 91388 – privately owned in Danbury, Connecticut.
• 91426 – based at the Commemorative Air Force (Capital Wing) in Brandy Station, Virginia.
• 91436 – based at the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton, Ohio.
• 91453 – privately owned in Fort Valley, Virginia.
• 91521 – privately owned in Huntington, Indiana.
• 91726 – privately owned in Jackson, Mississippi.
• 91733 – based at the Collings Foundation in Stow, Massachusetts.

On display

TBM-1

• 24803 – USS Intrepid (CV-11) at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum at Pier 86 in New York, New York. It is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.

TBM-3

• 53200 – Museum of Mountain Flying at the Missoula International Airport in Missoula, Montana.
• 53229 – George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas.
• 53403 – National Museum of the Pacific War at the Pacific Combat Zone in Fredericksburg, Texas. It is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida.
• 53593 – National Naval Aviation Museum at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida.
• 53804 – USS Lexington (CV-16) museum in Corpus Christi, Texas.
• 53842 – USS Yorktown (CV-10) at the Patriot’s Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston, South Carolina.
• 69374 – National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA and was restored by Rolando X Gutierrez, Flyboys Aeroworks, LLC in San Diego, California.
• 69375 – USS Hornet (CV-12) museum in Alameda, California.
• 69472 – Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.

TBM-3E

• 53726 – Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in Miramar, California.
• 85890 – National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia.
• 85957 – USS Midway Museum in San Diego, California. It is on loan from Sidney Summers in San Diego, California.
• 86123 – Mid-America Air Museum in Liberal, Kansas.
• 91586 – Cradle of Aviation Museum, Garden City, Long Island, New York. It is on loan from the Friends For Long Island’s Heritage in Huntington, New York, sponsored by Mrs. William T. Schwendler.
• 91664 – NAS Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida.
• 91752 – Wings of Eagles Discovery Center in Horseheads, New York.

Under restoration or in storage

TBF-1

• 01741 – for static display at the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum at the DeLand Naval Air Station (now the DeLand Municipal Airport) in DeLand, Florida.
• 05997 – for static display at the Yanks Air Museum in Chino, California.
• 24085 – in storage at the Paul Garber Facility of the National Air and Space Museum in Silver Hill, Maryland.

TBM-3

• 69325 – to airworthiness by private owner in Camden, Tennessee.
• 69329 – to airworthiness by private owner in Wilmington, Delaware.

TBM-3E

• 53914 – for static display at Commemorative Air Force (Airbase Arizona) in Mesa, Arizona.
• 91598 – in storage at the Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.

TBM-3U

• 91188 – based at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Titusville, Florida. Damaged after a shallow water ditching in Florida during Warbirds on Parade display.