A fixer upper project
This kit has so many things wrong with it. I'm not sure of the scale, of the plane type, but it was given to me (temporarily) to fix and clean by my ROTC Instructor Major Whited. I would like to pick your collective brains to clean, take apart, categorize, etc. It has an issue with the wing folding, the landing gear, the pilot figures are broken, the turret is missing a large portion of the gun barrel, it's missing its rear tail gear, and it is FILTHY. Let me know in the comments.
What you have there is a TBM Avenger.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_TBF_Avenger
The scale and manufacturer is questionable, I'm guessing it's at least 1/24th scale if not larger. Best option at the moment is a gentile blow of air across the whole model then maybe using a make-up brush after that.
Until you can figure out the manufacturer, only option is to scratch build parts. I searched Scalemates.com but could not find anything in plastic over 1/32 scale.
Maybe others here have a better clue.
I thought it was an Avenger. I just wasnt sure.
It's a "21st Century Toys Ultimate Soldier" Avenger in 1/18 scale. They were sold painted and assembled.
I thought it was 1/18th
Looks like they are out of business. Only place I found any of their stuff was Ebay and limited stuff on Amazon.
Wow. I bet I'd have to buy the whole darn plane to get the parts. At that point, I might as well give the new one to Major, lol.
I did a little research and found the model, thanks to Google. It is a special edition by 21st Century in 1/18th scale. It commemorates the four TBM Avengers in Flight 19, which was famously lost in the Bermuda Triangle shortly after WW2. If I recall correctly, they released special editions with markings for all four of the planes in the flight. Your model, FT-28, was flown by Navy Lieutenant Taylor, the leader of the flight. The plane in the photo is FT-36, another plane in the flight.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Wow, thank you. I saw that there were some on Ebay after another commenter told me, and now I have some backstory too. You're the best.