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1/72 - Grumman TBM-3S2/R/U/W, AS.4, Mk.I, TBF.1 Avenger/Tarpon/Guppy by Sword Models - released


Homebee

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After the TBM-3W Guppy (link), Sword Models is to release new Grumman Avenger variants

https://www.facebook.com/swordmodels/posts/256373042442580

 

Expected late June 2020: 

 

- ref. SW72130 - Grumman Avenger AS.4

Source: https://swordmodel.cz/en/home/151-sw72130-avenger-as4.html

 

sw72130-avenger-as4.jpg

 

- ref. SW72131 -  Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger

Source: https://swordmodel.cz/en/home/152-sw72131-tbm-3s2.html

 

sw72131-tbm-3s2.jpg

 

- ref. SW72132 -  Grumman TBM-3R Avenger

Source: https://swordmodel.cz/en/home/153-sw72132-tbm-3r.html

 

sw72132-tbm-3r.jpg

 

V.P.

 

Matt-Memory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
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Excellent news, can't wait to build a late AS.5/ECM.6!  I've been trying to source a conversion set for the Hase kit, but failing miserably!

It looks like Sword have clocked all the canopy changes, of which they are many and varied.

 

The Royal Navy boxing shown should be an AS.5/ECM.6, the AS.4 being the more familiar turret equipped Avenger. 

It is pictured as XB446 383 wearing the 'Flook' character, which was an 831 Squadron ECM.6 based at Culdrose, 1958.  This is the Avenger currently preserved in spurious markings at the Fleet Air Arm Museum.

 

Really hoping that Canadian AS.3 and 3M ECM versions follow!

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 Kit manufacturers seem determined to make money from me. I thought thus year was going to be quiet and more good stuff keeps appearing. Still Dave at Halifax Modellers World will be happy. Looks like a decent post war FAA Avenger. 

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10 hours ago, Mr T said:

Kit manufacturers seem determined to make money from me. I thought thus year was going to be quiet and more good stuff keeps appearing.

Yep, like a sucker I've fallen for it too, finally I won't  need to be torn about which markings to use!

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15 hours ago, Mr T said:

 Kit manufacturers seem determined to make money from me. I thought thus year was going to be quiet and more good stuff keeps appearing.

Yes, another bad year to give up buying kits.

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8 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Will the RN one be eligible for Op Musketeer markings, I seem to recall Hasegawa did one years ago though I've never seen it?

Steve.

 

No, those were AS4s with the gun turrets.

 

The French AEW ones had stripes, which you can do from the earlier issue of the Sword kit

 

SW72115.jpg?t=1522143152

Edited by Dave Fleming
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32 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

Yes, another bad year to give up buying kits.

Does remind of 'Airplane' with Lloyd Bridges trying go give up everything

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23 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Will the RN one be eligible for Op Musketeer markings, I seem to recall Hasegawa did one years ago though I've never seen it?

Steve.

You're correct Steve, I have that boxing of the Hasegawa kit, interestingly, it has the Royal Navy markings painted on the bomb bay doors, I'm guessing they were relocated there because the Musketeer stripes over painted the normal legends.

16 minutes ago, Dave Fleming said:

 

No, those were AS4s with the gun turrets.

 

The French AEW ones had stripes, which you can do from the earlier issue of the Sword kit

 

SW72115.jpg?t=1522143152

There was a thread about the FAA AS.4's used in Musketeer a few years back.  They were apparently used for COD duties, see this thread here

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2 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

AS5 had the turret too, but a different underwing radar pod

I know that as delivered, but it started out as an AS.5, the boxing is with the long canopy and the markings depict it as an ECM.6.  It wasn't an AS.4 as the box says.

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6 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

I can probably talk myself out of one then, like as not they'll be sold out before I could get one shipped this way too. :(

Steve.

 

If you specifically want to do an Operation Musketeer aircraft then yes, as James ( @71chally  ) says, the long canopy is often associated with the Mk.6 but I can't say whether that was exclusively so.

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My understanding is that some AS.4s and AS.5s got the long canopy conversion making them all AS.5s, any of these converted for ECM work were ECM.6s.  XB446 did start out as a 5 though.

These are my favourite Avengers but they are a minefield as that long canopy is actually subtly different between some of the different air arms, as an example the Royal Navy, Canadian Navy and JASDF (boxed by Hasegawa) all have minor differences to each other.  I think that Scottish Aviation might have undertaken the UK conversions.

The French Aeronavale and Brazil also operated these types.

 

Nice page with photos of the Dutch Avengers here,

https://www.ipms.nl/artikelen/nedmil-luchtvaart/vliegtuigen-g/vliegtuigen-g-grumman-avenger

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I've never seen an AS4 or 5 with the long canopy. (AS5s had the UK ASV.19A radar in the large pod under the starboard wing, RN pilots notes confirm that was the difference between them)  I believe they all retained the turret (but not always guns).

 

The mk 6s conversions were done at Gosport. I believe there were only 8 of these (XB311, 328, 360, 364, 375, 376, 444, 446) . There is a question as to whether the AS6 actually existed as a designation or if they all went straight to ECM6

 

Must see if I can find the Air Britain Militaria article, published around 200/2001 if I recall

Edited by Dave Fleming
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2 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

 

I've never seen an AS4 or 5 with the long canopy. (AS5s had the UK ASV.19A radar in the large pod under the starboard wing, RN pilots notes confirm that was the difference between them)  I believe they all retained the turret (but not always guns).

 

The mk 6s conversions were done at Gosport. I believe there were only 8 of these (XB311, 328, 360, 364, 375, 376, 444, 446) . There is a question as to whether the AS6 actually existed as a designation or if they all went straight to ECM6

 

Must see if I can find the Air Britain Militaria article, published around 200/2001 if I recall

I have the Magna conversion for later FAA Avengers, it provides a number of b&w profiles for a number of aircraft, they are:

 

AS.4 XB374/981-B from Bulwark's Ship's Flight 1956 (the aforementioned Musketeer striped aircraft), that has a turret.

 

TS.5 XB383/797-GN, 745NAS, Eglinton, 1956-57, that too has a turret (the TS designation has always puzzled me).

 

AS.6 XB375/382, 831NAS, Culdrose 1958-59, this is the same aircraft as in Modeldecal Sheet 18 when it was based at Watton in 1958, given that 831NAS was the Pugwash equivalent of the Royal Air Force's 360 Sqn, I'm surprised this isn't designated as an ECM.6 (as Dave notes, the AS.6 designation may be unofficial).  This the modified canopy. 

 

ECM.6 XB446/992, Culdrose Station Flight 1960, this has the modified canopy.

 

AS.5 XB308/387-Z, 815NAS, 1955, this has a turret.

 

Finally, the Freightdog conversion features XB446 when it was 383 of 849NAS at Culdrose 1in 1958, it had the modified canopy by that point.

 

So from this little lot, only the Mk6's had modified canopies and there were differences in the framing so pictures are essential.

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2 hours ago, Wez said:

 

TS.5 XB383/797-GN, 745NAS, Eglinton, 1956-57, that too has a turret (the TS designation has always puzzled me).

 

Finally, the Freightdog conversion features XB446 when it was 383 of 849NAS at Culdrose 1in 1958, it had the modified canopy by that point.

That's probably just a typo, XB383 was an AS.5.

When XB446 was 383 it was with 831 NAS, not seen any record of 849 operating Avengers in that era.

 

I was desperately seeking that Freightdog conversion and could never find it, not a problem now of course!

Edited by 71chally
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6 minutes ago, 71chally said:

That's probably just a typo, XB383 was an AS.5.

It's a typo that occurred more than once then, I'm guessing with 745NAS being a training unit it may have been assumed it was a trainer version but that may have just been an enthusiasts designation.

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Maybe modified, some turreted Avengers carried an ECM device looking like a can on legs under the fwd bomb bay doors, but definitely delivered as an AS.5.  745 was a trials unit, similar to the RAFs' ASWDU.

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2 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Maybe modified, some turreted Avengers carried an ECM device looking like a can on legs under the fwd bomb bay doors, but definitely delivered as an AS.5.  745 was a trials unit, similar to the RAFs' ASWDU.

The one in the profile has that very device, it's a part of the Magna conversion parts - something I've never been brave enough to tackle!

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