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Michael Smith
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TBD-1 Devastator month

March 24, 2024 · in Aviation · · 3 · 188

My last project for month is repainting my old (2017) George Gay 8-T-14 TBD into the correct colors and markings for Lt Cdr James Brett's T-1 on the Lexington at Coral Sea.

I had two sets of T1 decals, but neither had the intermediate dash, which photos of the TBDs near the Lexington's wreck showed ("T-1", not "T1"), so I added that. I added the missing .30 cal for the tail gunner, closed the canopy over the pilot, and repainted the torpedo flask brass, but otherwise didn't try to update the 2017 build.

The month has been a fun one, building three new TBD-1s and rehabilitating a deteriorating build into something worthwhile.

Reader reactions:
5  Awesome 1 

3 responses

  1. Excellent re-do, Michael!

  2. A beautiful set of Devestators, Michael @mcsmith1964

  3. A nice slight restoration.

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