TBD-1 Devastator VT-3 Midway
The Douglas TBD-1 Devastator was the US Navy's premier torpedo bomber when hostilities broke out on December 7th 1941. Six months later it was completely obsolete and removed from combat operations. The subject of my build is from the USS Yorktown VT-3 aircraft (0303) crewed by Harry Corl and ARM3 Lloyd Childers. One the morning of the 4th at approximately 1200hrs Petty Officer Childers spotted smoke 25 miles away to the starboard. Machinist/pilot Harry Corl was able to get the squadron skipper Lt Cdr Massey attention. The skipper made a course correction to head for the nearest carrier (Hiryu). It was reported that at this time the squadron was jumped by approximately 30 Zeros. VT-3 was lucky enough to have 4 F4F Wildcats with them to help fend off the attackers. After what I could only imagine as an agonizing 20-minute slow approach, they were able to release 5 torpedoes. Corl and Childers 0303 had been badly shot up on the approach and the only way to keep airborne was to jettison their torpedo.
The following is from Machinist WO/Pilot Harry Corl Mission report date 6-15-42:
The free gun had jammed during the fight. Childers, Arm3, my gunner used .45 automatic during the 10 minutes of the attack. Childers was hit in the right ankle causing a compound fracture of the same. He received two hits in his left leg above the knee no broken bones in that leg. I arrived at the Yorktown at 1425 circled it twice and saw that there was no chance of getting aboard. (Yorktown was bombed by Hiryu Vals) So I proceeded over the Enterprise. I attempted to land aboard, but discovered I did not have enough tab control on the elevator to keep the nose up. I landed in the water head and to the starboard of the carrier alongside the destroyer USS Monaghan. The time of the landing was 1510.
Ensign Harry Corl was KIA(VT-3 TBF-1) 25 August 1942.
Lloyd Childers survived the war and became a Marine Aviator and retired as a Lt Col.
This is the Trumpeter 1/32 TBD-1 Devastator from VT-3 USS Yorktown on June 4th 1942 Midway. I added Air Scale products such as the Photo Etch, propeller set, wheels and the single .30cal machine gun. I highly recommend their products. I did bits of scratch building such as adding cockpit wiring, relief tube, two internal windscreen braces (removed the molded on external windscreen braces), wingfold braces and leather pad for the bombardier under the pilots area. I used AK real color for the light grey bottom Model master Blue/grey for the top and AK for the interior green for the crew areas. I have seen some debate on-line about this, what color? But for me seeing the pics of sunken TBD's aircraft from the discovery of the USS Lexington at the battle of Coral Sea. Interior green is also stated in TBD's Devastators in action book(The Old One). Another debate is whether what squadrons carried the twin .30's. It is very obvious that VT-8 for sure had them and I have seen some documentation that VT-6 (USS Enterprise) may have also had them. After many hours of research, I came to the conclusion that VT-3 only had the single.30. I came to this by listening to several recorded interviews With Mr. Lloyd Childers. And in the end, there is just no conclusive proof they carried the twins. I also used Hawaiian Air Depot masks for the A/C numbers and the insignias. I had previously bought the Gold Medal decal but figured painting over the corrugation would be far easier then decals. But I am glad I purchased it because they come with aircraft data. If anyone has seen what Trumpeter did with their data decals….well.
Rod
Welcome aboard the flight deck, Rod @rodbettencourt. I’m always leery of Trumpeter kits but this Devastator seems exceptional and so is the work and effort you put into this along with the photos. Impressive!
Thank you Eric. I have built 10 Trumpeter kits, this one is a tie for my favorite with the SBD-3.
Rod
Nice looking TBD model.
Real thing vs scale model. Hard to tell the difference in your exceptional build! Great photos.
Very well done build & finish. Cockpit & crew areas particularly impressive. All good.
That's exemplary and inspiring modeling, Rod. Your building, painting and photography all evoke the full-size version so well that it takes a few seconds to realize this is just a replica. This one captures the imagination.
Thank you for that Tim.
Rod
That model is OUT Freakin' standing. Holy Smoke, that looks like the real deal. those low angle shots of the torpedo area...if I didn't know it was a model...well. Paint, weathering, engine and interior detailing and above all photography, TOP notch. Unreal good job.
Thank you that reply Bill. I found this one hard to take pictures of due the wing fold.
Rod
Really excellent work throughout on this and a great result. Very realistic look.
Thank you very much Tom!
Rod
Thought they were reference photos until the cockpit cutaway shots. Awesome build and finish.
Great post, great model, great pix! Thanks for posting this impressive work.
Awesome build, great detail - even the girlie magazine on the floor!
Glad you caught that Chas. With the wing fold you really can not see either of them. Bummer.
Rod
Very nice build, making me want to purchase this kit. After five in 1/48 what's one in 1/32 right? Somebody stop me.
Looks like you had a similar stacking issue for the last sliding sections that I had with my Great Wall TBD-1. And I really need to add the wiring at the wing folds.
Did the wings fold down that far without issue? And the support braces, did they come with the kit?
Again, very nice build. Nice touch with the pinup magazine.
Hi David,
I could have pushed last sliding section further back but thought it looked better sticking out a bit. The wings fell into the correct position quit easily. I made the support braces from wire.
Rod
Excellent job and a superb result, Rod!
Welcome aboard!
That is one amazing build. @rodbettencourt
Absolutely amazing work, Rod @rodbettencourt
You entered this forum with a very realistic build, welcome.
The way you have taken the pictures do give it an even more realistic look.
Superb work Rod !
Excellent Devastator , and great presentation, the photos do look realistic. Welcome aboard and thanks for sharing.
Lovely big Devastator, excellent article, welcome to iModeler.
Thank you Very much George.
Rod
Lovely work, I really like this. Well done!
That's an incredible model and article, and an impressive debut, Rod @rodbettencourt! 🤩 The photos are, as usual, breathtakingly realistic; I am quite familiar with your work at BM and have contributed to your "outdoor photography" thread there, too. Welcome to iModeler, Rod! I hope we see a lot of you around the place! 🥃
Thank you Gary and I look forward to your next build.
Rod
Super work Rob!
Thank you to all that have replied. It is very much appreciated.
Rod
A beautiful build - love the weathering and some great detail work on the interior!
Thank you Greg!
Rod
This looks very nice. Model & photography are both top notch.
images 4,9,12 and 14 look like photos of a real devastator! awesome work building and shooting! congrats!
Dan from Bermuda.
Rod @rodbettencourt, I missed this when you published this article. It is nice to see the work you put into it and it shows when you see the real thing like I did Sunday at OrangeCon. It is a really well done and exceptional build. It was also a pleasure to bump into you again and get a look at your B-17G, it is also well done. Hope to see you at Lancaster.
Thanks Walt, it was great talking to you also. I will try to make Lancaster. I look forward to see what you do next!
Rod