I will build the classic Monogram Douglas Devastator, using Eagle Strike decal set. Still awaiting on some other enhancements to improve an already pretty good kit. The USN Blue Grey over Lt grey scheme. Little more research as this decal sheet shows the standard sized stars, and then I noticed another sheet online with the oversized stars as shown on another scheme on this sheet for a Coral sea battle Devastator. Looking forward to get started.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

For the first six months of the War in the Pacific, U.S. Markings were in a state of flux. Louis is right about the real outsize insignia right after Pearl Harbor. A favorite of mine. You could see SBDs with 3 different size insignias on its uppers. The big 'uns took up the whole chord of the wing, and the Wildcat with the big wing insignia, with the old smaller ones sticking out of the side of it. Before Midway, things settled down and the red (center dots, tail stripes with white )went away. The reason given is that it looked like Japanese "meatballs". Uncle Bernie has trouble believing that, and suspects aircraft recognition, as usual, wasn't quite what it shoulda been.

Thanks Bernard, the Navy was in a transitional period at this point. New instructions locally and Navy wide when it came to modifying the markings. As experience in service and in battle what advantage the Navy could gain by eventually changing the color scheme of aircraft in the Pacific theatre.

Here's a photo I found from the "Hampton Roads Naval Museum" website. ON their website you can significantly enlarge the photo. It's of Torpedo 8 when they were at Norfolk during Feb. '42. This picture shows "8-T-7" when it still wore the red / white rudder stripes and red center in the national insignia.

The planes were off loaded when the B-25's for Doolittle's raid were taken aboard in April 1942. They were then reloaded once the carrier returned from the mission.

The picture is also in the Squadron Signal book TBD Devastator in Action. It looks like Torpedo 8 lost 15 TBD's on June 4th. A few days before the Midway battle, LCDR Waldron ordered that two .030 caliber rear firing weapons be installed in place of the single weapon.

Hope this helps.

2 attached images. Click to enlarge.

Greg,
I'm sure that early Monogram Marauder is very hard to find. (I checked several places for you and didn't find one either). We will be looking forward to your TBD for sure.

Interesting project, Chuck. I am looking forward to see your build.

Thanks Bernd, still waiting for some items to show up, so we can get this project started.

You got that right!, Love the smell of fresh styrene in the morning,lol, though in this case the new "car" smell has long since dissipated years ago. But those moments when you first pop the lid of a kit, it does have a distinctive scent.