TBM-1C, VT-7, USS Hancock (CV-19) Questions

7474 and Stik,

Thanks again for the info.

My model may end up not having the correct cowl but, for my purposes, that's OK. It'll be close enough for me.

I found a page with a cutaway/schematic view of a TBM-1C which shows me most of what I needed to know.

Edit: I also found information on the differences in the cowls on this page:

http://www.airvectors.net/avtbm.html

Edit: (again) -: I just found more decals for TBM-3's with the tri-color scheme. Looks like I'm back to modeling a TBM-3 .

Thanks again.

The -3 introduced a more powerful engine with the new cowl arrangement, and an external tail hook. Later versions do the -3 dispensed with the ventral machine gun.

http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=300

I think the only huge differences, IIRC, the -1C had wing mounted guns (a .50 in each wing) and a tail gun for the radio operator (aft of the bomb bay) that were deleted on the -3s. I worked to help restore an Avenger, I have pics that I can send, somewhere. It was an old fire tanker and originally a -3, but it was a few years ago and can't remember clearly.

Thanks Stik!

That's kind of what I'd thought but hearing it from you is reassuring.

Ordinance carried is determined by the type of strike flown. If the aircraft in question is flying ASW patrol, they could be carrying a homing torpedo (later in the war) or depth charges. If flying anti shipping a torpedo, or bombs are in order. And if flying against land targets, bombs and/or rockets are the preferred weapons. So I suggest you do a bit of research on VT-7's history to see what they would have carried. The odds are that at one time or another each type of weapon was carried.

Externally/visually, the differences between a TBM-1C and TBM-3 are minimal, mostly in the cowl configuration. Most diffrences between the versions are internal.