1/72 TBM-3 Avenger "White 305" - VT-84, U.S.S. Bunker Hill (CV-17) – February 1945

My second build of the year is a Hasegawa TBF/TBM-1C Avenger finished as "White 305" from VT-84 on the U.S.S. Bunker Hill (CV-17) during Operation JAMBOREE, the Tokyo/Honshu Raids February 1945.

JAMBOREE was conceived as a spoiling attack on Japanese land-based aircraft stationed in Japan in order to prevent their interference with the forthcoming landing on Iwo Jima. Task Force 58 struck against aircraft factories and any available shipping targets on February 16th and 17th. The Bunker Hill's air group added yellow cowlings to their aircraft to provide easy identification when returning from the raids.

The Hasegawa kit is the original 1995 boxing, and a distinct improvement over the two Academy kits I have built previously - which are heavily influenced by the old 1973 Frog kit. I didn't originally plan on doing it as a February 1945 Bunker Hill TBM, and thus didn't realize until midway through construction that I had the wrong version, since VT-84 flew the more common TBM-3 type. Bert Kinzey's In Detail & Scale came to my rescue, with the modeler portion explaining that the differences consisted of removing the back seat and add an oil cooler air scoop to the underside of the cowling - in fact Hasegawa also released a TBM-3 variant in VT-84 markings in 1995. I used a set of Aero Master decals (#72-108) that I picked up at King Hobby in Austin which had White 305. The one change I did make to the decals was to add gaps to the large aircraft numbers as photos of VT-84 clearly show the aircraft numbers to be stencilled.

The build didn't go perfectly - the Avenger requires a lot of prepainting and masking, and my airbrush isn't up to the tighter camo delineations - but I'm happy to have it done - and retire my previous tri-color Academy TBF to the "also-ran" shelf.

It also completes my trio of Operation JAMBOREE aircraft from Bunker Hill, as a couple of years ago I completed an F4U-1D Corsair of VF-84 flown by 1st. Lt. Dean Caswell, and an SB2C-4E Helldiver from VB-84. I don't know the pilot for the Helldiver, or the TBM. For the TBM I know why. According to one account, pilots didn't have individual aircraft. There were assigned aircraft by number and had to find them on the flight deck.

All in all, an enjoyable two-day build.

4 additional images. Click to enlarge.