Accurate Miniatures TBF-1C Back-dated to a TBF-1
This kit was built some years ago. Shortly after AM released their TBF-1C, Cutting Edge released a resin conversion to back-date the kit to a TBF-1. The main difference was the -1 had a .30 gun in the cowling where the -1C had two .50 guns in the wings. Also, the lower rear windows were slightly different.
The cowling was a simple replacement for the kit part. The wing gun opening and ejector holes were filled. As to the window configuration, I was lucky to have a 1:1 example nearby.
At the time, a friend of mine had acquired a very early TBF-1 and was staring a restoration. The fuselage was mostly intact so I could see what the rear windows looked like. The original configuration did not have the large window below the turret, but rather a small rectangle window, low down on each side. In addition, there was a round window in the crew door.
The model is painted in the early Blue-Gray over white scheme.
This is one of three 1/48 scale, AM Avengers that I have built. I hope to be able to show the other two here shortly.
Really nice. I looked at all that "glass" and chickened out and bought masks
Thanks, George. Back when I built this I don't think there were any masks available.
Looks great Chuck! I have the same build planned for my Avengers!
Love the quality of your weathering!
Thanks, Dan. Coming up (when I get around to taking pictures) will be my TBM-3D, night intruder from USS Enterprise and a Canadian AS.3 sub hunter.
Great looking Avenger.
Thanks, Matt.
That's an amazing build, Chuck @charleshorner
Must have been wonderful to have a 1:1 reference nearby.
Thanks for the kind words, John. Unfortunately, I've lost track of the restoration efforts. Very little had be done other that collecting parts when I last looked in. He has a flying PT-19 that he maintains as well.
Fantastic build, Chuck!
As always, thanks for the support, Spiros.
Well done, Chuck
Thanks, Gary
Cool build Chuck. Great job on the A M kit đź‘Ť
Thanks, Guy. I like the old AM kits. I've built three Avengers and an SBD-1 is awaiting painting.
Lovely build - love the paintwork!
Thanks, Greg.
Chuck Horner (@charleshorner)
You have done a great job with your early Avenger. Like you, I have been very fortunate to have been around an early TBF-1 Our local airport has a museum called NAS Deland, in which we have one restored to a static display. It was recovered from the Great Lakes in the early 1990's and is on loan to the museum by the Pensacola Naval Museum. The pilot who ditched after engine failure on take off was eventually reunited with his old plane. We found an old rag stuffed into the carburetor air intake... and don't know how it got there.
I also built a model of this exact same aircraft some years ago and posted it here on Imodeler as a part of our Midway Group Build. I scratch built the MG opening on the cowling and moved the landing light to a different location under the wing. The kit has the landing light molded in the wrong location for the very early aircraft like this one was. The landing light is molded in the correct spot for a later version though.
Check it out if you can.
Thanks for sharing this one with us. I definitely clicked on several of the various "like" buttons.
Here's a link if you're interested. I built mine up with the smaller insignia and the red and white stripes on the rudder.
Louis, thanks for the great comments. I just spent a portion of this afternoon going through your TBF-1 articles, especially your group build one. You did a fantastic job. I didn't do anywhere near the research you did on the early -1's. I relied on the Cutting Edge instructions and gleaming what I could from my friends restoration project. I did know about the middle cockpit. My friend's plane was also very early and came from the factory with that as a manned station, but had been converted at some point to the unmanned radio compartment.
I don't recall now, but I suspect I used the same decal sheet as you did. I do remember having to decide whether to do the state-side markings or later in-theater markings. I choose the later ones.
Thanks again your great information. I've only been part of the iModeler community for less than a year and have only touched on some the older posts.