British FAA Avenger

Wim van der Luijt
cool project, count me in!

Scott Collingwood
ooo Nice one, I have this decals set too. I will be taking notes!

Kerry COX
You will love this kit Gareth. I have two and had a great time. Good detail too. 👍

Gareth Windsor
Yes Kerry, the detail looks great and I did think about building her without the Eduard set, but the Big Ed set was on sale at Sprue Brothers so it was rude not to.
So I have a TBF-C kit but markings for a TBM-1C, research time! Turns out it's a manufacturer thing for the most part and the colour of the primer used by each. TBF (originally known in the Fleet Air Arm as the Tarpon) being built by Grumman and TBM by General Motors. The Brit TBM having some small modifications again like an additional seat in front of the gun turret which means moving radio equipment.

Kerry COX
Your research into this mark is most comprehensive Gareth. Mine I wanted as a filler for my new display case, but the finer points I was not all that particular, but now I see this happening, I will do a 'revisit' I think. Looking forward to your journey mate. 👍

Gareth Windsor
Thanks Kerry. All my models will be packed up (again) shortly as we sold our house last night. New house is closer to my son's school and his friends, but more importantly has a great space for a modelling bench and (oh it gets better) room in the basement for a bar/man-cave to display the models!

Gareth Windsor
ww2aircraft.net/foru..3/page-3#post-927818
Internal colours Early TBF-1 bronze green, Grumman grey and internal green. TBM - everything internal green. FS 34151 is believed to closely match ANA 611 Interior Green... that'll be easier then.

Kerry COX
I am SO happy for you Gareth. There will be many happy days ahead mate. And the basement.! ? Yeah, solid gold. hehehehe 🙂

Clifford Keesler
Cool, I am happy for you Gareth. Nice project. That is one that is on my list.

Gareth Windsor
So I found a database of aircraft side numbers and it says that JZ527 (the "Yanks in Roundals" decals i have) is actually a TBF-1C (Avenger Mk2) not a TBM as the instructions say. General Motors started supplying TBM-3's (Avenger Mk3) from JZ635. So my next bit of research....... When the aircraft arrived in the UK they were sent to Blackburn to be modified for the Fleet Air Arm. It appears that this was mostly just radios and seat straps. The Observers seat was also fitted directly behind the pilot (US Avengers have radio equipment here), but it seems that at some point this seat was removed to accommodate the increasing amount of electronics that were being developed rapidly.
I have a feeling I can ignore the extra seat as the decals are for a 1945 aircraft.

Cockpit view curticy of the Naval Aviation Museum, Pensacola.
navalaviationmuseum...rtualtour/?s=pano728

Kerry COX
WOW. ! Holy dooley. What an experience doing that. 🙂 I am going back for more. Thanks for the link there Clifford. 🙂 👍

Gareth Windsor
If you are revisiting yours Kerry here's a nice little website for Ozzies and Kiwis .

adf-serials.com.au/nz-serials/nzavenger.htm

adf-serials.com.au/home.htm

Gareth Windsor

Credit must also go to Dana Bell. His article in the October 1997 FineScale Modeler magazine. His 3 volume set Air Force Colors contains some useful info.

"TBF-1 / TBF-1C, Avenger. Cockpit: FS 34058 Bronze Green forward from the bulkhead with the window (in front of the turret). FS 34151 Interior Green for the rear crew areas. Light Gray (Grumman Gray) inside the cowling, (FS 36440 is very close) and accessory area. The stainless steel 'Dishpan' firewall was unpainted and often quite bright. Torpedo bay: FS 34151. Remember on all of these a/c the general rule is that the wheel bays, landing gear struts, wheel centers, landing flap bays, etc. are the under surface color. On the Avenger the inside of the flap itself was the upper surface color with the inside of the flap well on the under surface of the wing being the bottom color."

Kerry COX
Thank you again Gareth. These links are fantastic. 👍 🙂
Cheers mate. 👍

Wim van der Luijt
Thanks for all the Intel, saving it all as I plan to build one too....post war strike or warner version most likely.