Grumman TBF Avenger

Torpedo bomber introduced in 1942

Overview

Grumman United States ICAO: TBF 1941–1945

The Grumman TBF Avenger was manufactured by Grumman as a torpedo bomber military aircraft introduced in 1942. It was originally built for the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps, then after some time, the Avenger was also used by a few air and naval aviation services throughout the world. On August 7, 1941, the aircraft performed its maiden flight and was retired in the 1960s.

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Specifications

Units
Engine
1 × Wright R-2600-8 Twin Cyclone
Engine type
Piston
Power
1,700 hp · 1,268 kW
Avionics
—
Wing tips
No winglets
Seats
3
Crew
—
Cabin width
—
Cabin height
—
Cabin length
—
Exterior length
40 ft 1 in  ·  12.23 m
Tail height
16 ft 5 in  ·  5.00 m
Fuselage diameter
4 ft 11 in  ·  1.50 m
Wing span
54 ft 2 in  ·  16.51 m
Baggage volume
—
Gross weight
—
Empty weight
—
Max takeoff weight
17,900 lb  ·  8,100 kg
Max landing weight
15,500 lb  ·  7,050 kg
Max payload
2,200 lb  ·  1,000 kg
Fuel capacity
730 gal · 2,700 L · 2,000 kg (AvGas)
Max cruise speed
242 kt  ·  278 mph  ·  448 km/h
Maximum speed
—
Cruise speed
—
Approach speed
60 kt  ·  69 mph  ·  111 km/h
Range
870 nm  ·  1,000 mi  ·  1,610 km
Fuel burn
—
Ceiling
30,000 ft  ·  9,100 m
Rate of climb
2,060 ft/min  ·  10 m/s
Takeoff distance
—
Landing distance
—
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Five U.S. Navy Grumman TBF-1 Avengers from Escort Scouting Squadron 29 flying in formation

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Operational Context

The TBF Avenger can accommodate up to three crew members. It has an external length of 12.19 meters, an external height of 3.7 meters, and a fuselage diameter of 1.5 meters. The tail height is 5 meters and the wheelbase is 6.4 meters. It has a wingspan of 16.51 meters and a wing area of 46 square meters. The maximum takeoff and landing weights are 8,115 kg and 7,047 kg, respectively. It has a maximum payload of 1,000 kg and a fuel capacity of 330 US gal in three center section integral tanks plus two 58 US gal droppable slipper tanks below the outer wings, with provision for a jettisonable 275 US gal bomb-bay ferry tank. The oil capacity is 32 US gal.

The aircraft is powered by a single Wright R-2600-8 Twin Cyclone engine. It is a fourteen-cylinder two-row radial engine with two pushrod-actuated valves per cylinder with a sodium-cooled exhaust valve, a single-stage two-speed centrifugal-type supercharger, a Stromberg downdraft carburetor with automatic mixture control, a dry-sump with one pressure pump and two scavenge pump oil system and an air-cooling system. The engine produces a maximum thrust of 1,700 hp and drives a three-bladed Hamilton Standard constant-speed propeller.

The Avenger has a maximum speed of 242 knots and a cruise speed of 187 knots. It has a travel range of 786 nautical miles at cruise speed. The service ceiling is 22,600 feet and the rate of climb is 1,075 feet per minute. The aircraft could be armed with a few guns including a single 7.62 mm nose-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun on early models or two 12.75 mm wing-mounted M2 Browning machine guns, a single 12.7 mm dorsal-mounted M2 Browning machine gun, and a single 7.62 mm ventral-mounted M1919 Browning machine gun. It is also loaded with up to eight 3.5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rockets, 5-Inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rockets, or High Velocity Aerial Rockets, and up to 907 kg of bombs or a 907 kg Mark 13 torpedo.