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#1221

Grumman TBF Avenger

🇺🇸 United States ·first flew 1941· torpedo bomber

🎖️ military piston retired
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Avenger from HMS Victorious in flight c1944: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  2. 2. Avenger of the RCNAS (5168695642): Insomnia Cured Here· CC BY-SA 2.0
  3. 3. De Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger 038 van vliegtuigsquadron 2 (VSQ2) is geland op het vlaggeschip, Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (R81) (2015-1-103): Huiskamp, G.W.· CC BY-SA 4.0
  4. 4. George H.W. Bush seated in a Grumman TBM Avenger, circa 1944 (H069-13): Unknown author Unknown author· Public domain
  5. 5. Grumman TBF-1 Avenger of VT-5 about to take off from USS Yorktown (CV-10), circa in late 1943 (80-G-K-15278): Lt. Charles W. Kerlee, U.S. Navy· Public domain
  6. 6. Grumman TBM-3R VR-23 over Korea 1953: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  7. 7. Grumman TBM Avenger aboard USS Randolph (CV-15), in 1945 (NNAM.1996.488.021.003): U.S. Navy· Public domain
  8. 8. Mesa-Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum-Grumman TBF Avenger – World War 2 Torpedo Bomber: Marine 69-71· CC BY-SA 4.0
  9. 9. Onderzeebootbestrijdings- en aanvalsvliegtuig Grumman Avenger, reg.rn. A-28 (ex USN 53920) (1955-1960), op de catapult op vliegkampschip Hr.Ms. Karel Doorman (R81) (2158 024266): Fotoafdrukken Koninklijke Marine· CC BY-SA 4.0
  10. 10. TBM3 Avenger - Chino Airshow 2014 (14344070442): Airwolfhound from Hertfordshire, UK· CC BY-SA 2.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
Grumman TBF Avenger, photo 1 of 10
1/10 U.S. Navy· Public domain

what is it?

The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps and also eventually used by several air and naval aviation services around the world. From 1942 on, production of the Avenger (representing nearly three-quarters of its total production) was subcontracted to a purposely established division of General Motors, the Eastern Aircraft Division. The Avenger entered U.S. service in 1942 and first saw action during the Battle of Midway, losing five of the six Avengers on its combat debut.

How to recognise it: 1 piston engine with propeller · 16.5 m wingspan

base stats

  • speed 447 km/htop speed
  • size 7,047 kgmax take-off weight
  • built 9,839made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

  • First flew 85 years ago, in 1941.
  • Top speed is 3.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
  • Wingspan of 16.5 m: about 4 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight
1941
introduced
1942
status
retired
number built
9,839
role
torpedo bomber
origin
🇺🇸 United States
makers
General Motors
engines
1× Wright R-2600-8 Twin Cyclone
crew
3
length
12.2 m
wingspan
16.5 m
height
5 m
max take-off weight
7,047 kg
top speed
447 km/h
cruise speed
346 km/h
range
—
ceiling
6,888 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q21683603, Wikipedia: Grumman TBF Avenger (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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