HELP - Accurate Miniatures TBM-3 Avenger

This may help: 

http://web.archive.org/web/20071021125431/http://www.accurate-miniatures.com/builds/avenger/avengerturret.shtml

The AM Avenger is on my top 5 of favorite kits.  I've done several of them.  My solution for the turet, should you try another one, is to go ahead and paint and add the turet prior to joining the fuselage halves when you have more room to work with.  No fuss, no muss that way.

DiscoStu

The AM Avenger is on my top 5 of favorite kits.  I've done several of them.  My solution for the turet, should you try another one, is to go ahead and paint and add the turet prior to joining the fuselage halves when you have more room to work with.  No fuss, no muss that way.

 

That's exactly what I did. (I found the old AM sheet Phil posted after the fact). I made a little rolled-up paper tube to protect the turrent for the rest of the build.

Sure glad to hear you get her in. I remember trying to figure out how to mount the gun and stuff inside. The instructions are horrible. I remember laying in bed nights trying to figure it out. Good on you for getting it all sorted out.

As mentioned, it is a fantastic kit.

I wish I could find the instructions I'd saved somewhere on my computer that guided me through the process of installing the turret. I'm headed to the land of nod now (getting up at 3:30 am for a hike in the Columbia Gorge) but I'll look for it day after tomorrow.

Anyway, I am of the same opinion as some others that this is a fine kit. I also like the TBM's as aircraft.

I built two of the Accurate Miniatures kits - one with the wings folded and, although I didn't do a great job (actually pretty far from great) I enjoyed building them and after having found the secret to installing the turret on my first build the second one was no sweat.

Here's a link to page 4 of my second build:

http://cs.finescale.com/fsm/modeling_subjects/f/2/t/174817.aspx?page=4

I still have a copy of the Accurate Miniatures instructions. Greg emailed me a copy years back, and I would not have figured out how to do the turret without them  The Academy model I had had horrid instructions. If you need a copy, PM me your email address and I will send it to you. Not sure you need it but if you do.

It also took me a while to figure out how to install the turret ( I painted it before install and also placed a gunner inside as well ). 

Other than bad instructions it's an excellent kit. I am thinking about building the 2nd one if I could find one for reasonable price.

Sorry, it took me a little longer than I'd thought to find this:

https://www.modelkitsreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/TBM-3D_0122.pdf

Fact of the matter is that after my hike last Thursday I was so tired I just forgot. Anyway, better late than never.

Pictures from my hike:

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