I’m building Accurate Miniatures 1/48 TBM-3 and have decided to finish it like the plane in my subject title. My kit had decals and painting instructions for a TBM-3, VC-94 USS Shamrock Bay (CVE-84) whose Avengers wore an overall glossy sea blue livery. I’m attempting to challenge my airbrushing/painting skills with the subject title’s tri-color scheme. I’ve some after market decals for the plane I want to model.
Question #1: I don’t have any clue as to whether or not the ordinance that the aircraft I want to model would have been a torpedo only (which my kit does not include) or would it have just as well carried rockets and bombs which my kit does provide? I’ve ordered an after market torpedo but I’m getting close to the stage where I should put in the ordinance since I’m modeling the aircraft with the bomb bay doors open and would like to know if I should wait or go ahead and put some 500 lb. bombs in the bay. I have another TBM-3 kit that I could use the torpedo on at some other time.
Question #2: Was there any significant difference (from an external view point) between the TBM-1C and the TBM-3? From the little research I’ve done I don’t believe there was but perhaps some of you might know for sure.
Ordinance carried is determined by the type of strike flown. If the aircraft in question is flying ASW patrol, they could be carrying a homing torpedo (later in the war) or depth charges. If flying anti shipping a torpedo, or bombs are in order. And if flying against land targets, bombs and/or rockets are the preferred weapons. So I suggest you do a bit of research on VT-7’s history to see what they would have carried. The odds are that at one time or another each type of weapon was carried.
Externally/visually, the differences between a TBM-1C and TBM-3 are minimal, mostly in the cowl configuration. Most diffrences between the versions are internal.
I think the only huge differences, IIRC, the -1C had wing mounted guns (a .50 in each wing) and a tail gun for the radio operator (aft of the bomb bay) that were deleted on the -3s. I worked to help restore an Avenger, I have pics that I can send, somewhere. It was an old fire tanker and originally a -3, but it was a few years ago and can’t remember clearly.
The -3 introduced a more powerful engine with the new cowl arrangement, and an external tail hook. Later versions do the -3 dispensed with the ventral machine gun.
