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Sword 1/72 Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger ASW "Killer"


hsr

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This is my build of the recently released Sword 1/72 Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger. This is the "killer" half of the late 40's TBM-3W/TBM-3S2 Hunter/Killer Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) team. Sword had earlier released the TBM-3W. This is not Swords best work with some flash and fit issues. The worst fit problem was the wing to fuselage joint with the slots in the fuselage being much smaller than the tabs on the wings.  On the plus side there is a fairly complete interior. Also on the plus side the decals which have proved to be very problematic in the past worked much better than previous Sword decals. They were a tiny bit thicker and did not stick fast to the first location they were placed making them much easier to move around. Unfortunately Sword didn't think to include decals from the same squadron as their TBM-3W. Luckily thanks to @theplasticsurgeon I was able to get a set of the TBM-3W decals that I was able to finagle to a different aircraft of the same squadron.

 

The biggest issue I had was with the instructions which I consider a work in progress and could have used a couple more editing passes. The spues seem to have all the parts for the several different TBM-3 variants that they have just released but there is no indication of which parts are used and not used for this variant. There are several paint schemes used by the different nations that used the TBM-3S2 and the instructions show where there are different parts options but they do not say which option goes with which scheme. Finally some of the drawings do not match the shape of the actual parts.

 

But enough of my usual complaining; here are the pictures

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and here is the team together

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Next up is the Italeri F4U-5N

 

Enjoy

 

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Nice job!  I like the sharp demarcations on the canopy and high gloss appearance.  The comparison between the two aircraft is a great touch, too.  From my C-54 build, I now know that the radar pod under the right wing is an AN/APS-4! Thanks, U.S. Navy, for supplying these to the USAF!

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17 minutes ago, bigbadbadge said:

they look fab together. 

I don't know why they didn't do matching squadrons

7 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

the radar pod under the right wing is an AN/APS-4

I wasn't sure what color to paint it. The instructions said blue, but all the pictures I saw looked like white so I went for that.

 

Thanks

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6 minutes ago, kapam said:

It has a big (for a single-engine plane) and bulky look

I read somewhere that the crews used to call it a turkey because it was such a big bird

 

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On 9/14/2020 at 9:19 PM, hsr said:

Unfortunately Sword didn't think to include decals from the same squadron as their TBM-3W. Luckily thanks to @theplasticsurgeon I was able to get a set of the TBM-3W decals that I was able to finagle to a different aircraft of the same squadron.

 

The biggest issue I had was with the instructions which I consider a work in progress and could have used a couple more editing passes. The spues seem to have all the parts for the several different TBM-3 variants that they have just released but there is no indication of which parts are used and not used for this variant. There are several paint schemes used by the different nations that used the TBM-3S2 and the instructions show where there are different parts options but they do not say which option goes with which scheme. Finally some of the drawings do not match the shape of the actual part

Glad to help HSR,  they do look good together.

I had the same gripes about the instructions with my build.

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2 minutes ago, theplasticsurgeon said:

I had the same gripes about the instructions with my build.

I guess that means I'm not crazy...maybe.

 

Thanks again for the decals

 

 

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The sharp eyed among you might have noticed that on the squadron on the left side the "VS" was messed up. I didn't notice this myself until I looked at the pictures. Luckily I still had a good VS on the decal sheet so, after little bit of effort; scraping off the bad VS touching up the paint, reapplying the VS and hitting it with "light sheen" overcoat, I have now fixed it.

 

 072c7d6f-68d4-4be2-98cb-5fe73a7c0ebc.JPG

 

Thanks for all the kind comments even with the defect.

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Nice to see one built up.  Agree your gripes re the wing fit and especially the instructions: lots of parts but no indication of which are for which version - hence my plea elsewhere for photos of the rear cabin of FAA's ECM.6.  There are ome useful photos in the Walkround section once you work out what you're looking at!

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28 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

There are ome useful photos in the Walkround section once you work out what you're looking at!

Duh, I never thought to look there :dunce:

 

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