I want to build a Grumman TBF-1 Avenger from the Guadalcanal campaign.
Accurate Miniatures has a TBF-1C, I think, what do I need to do to make it an -1?
Or did the -1C’s see action in Guadalcanal?
I’m not too sure which one served at Guadalcanal, But you can backdate the Accurate Miniatures TBF-1C kit… I think Warbird Modeling had an article on in 2 years ago. I’ll see if i can find an on-line copy of it. Is there a particular unit you had in mind that saw action in Guadalcanal? [:D]
I believe you will have to back date it, read down this page http://www.acepilots.com and select Avenger. Here is a good site with pictures http://www.daveswarbirds.com/cactus/cactus.htm The modifications from the -1 to the TBF-1C were the pilot’s single fuselage-mounted .30 caliber machine gun was replaced by two wing-mounted .50 caliber guns. The turret was also equipped with a .50 caliber weapon. And provisions for an internal fuel tank in the bomb bay plus two wing tanks more than doubled the Avenger’s fuel capacity, from 335 to 726 gallons.
HTH
Tim Landers
TimL, shrikes.
Cheers mates! Being the nutter that I am, I’m going to build the Avenger TBF-1 flown by Cdr Harold H. “Swede” Larsen from VT-8, from USS Saratoga.
It only states that’s in an TBF-1, so I’m only guessing here foks.
I found it in TBF/TBM Avenger Units of World War 2 by Osprey, on page 15,
under “Guadalcanal and the Solomons”.
I must say that half the fun is actually to do the research for the object that you want to build, am I right?
I agree! I do more researching than building it seems. Now I’m off to see what I can find on VT-8 on the Sara.
Tim Landers