Grumman TBM-3S2 Avenger (Dutch Navy)

Left: AMT Tigercat, correct spinner, wrong angle of the blades. Right: kit, correct spinner, small blades correct only for an TBF. Middle: obscureco. Spinner&blades Ok.  

Verlindens R-2600. Molded on pushrods replaced with 0,5 mm rod. 0,2 mm holes for attachment of the ignition wires are well visible. Any of the ignition wires already in place. 

Finished R-2600 minus "Ölsumpf" on the lower side. Verlinden designed it a bit to large... 

Ignition wires made of 0,32 mm soldering wire. Intake pipes made of 0,5 mm soldering wire.  

Holes in the "sheets" punched with flatened 0,7 mm needle.  

 

WRONG PATTERN OF THE HOLES grrrrrrrr(: 

 

 

 

Corrected pattern of the holes: 1, 6, 3 & 1 

TBM-3E and TBM-3S had a slightly different arrangement of the lower cowl flap. 

On the top of the cowling: air duct to the carburetor. At the bottom: air duct to the oil cooler. Both were made of ureol. 

It was quite a tussle to get the too large engine in the cowling. 

I intend to left one panel oped to show the engine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…6 years later: cowl flaps. Details & rivets coming soon.  

 

 

 

 

 

It’s very interesting: the are two different versions of the trailing edge of the greenhouse canopy used in dash 3S. This is the version used by the RDN, JMSDF and RN (Royal Navy). Next picture shows the other version used only by the RCN.  

Picture mirrored for nether comparison with pic 32. 

Eduards etched parts are not bad but only 2D... and so I decided to scratch the rudder pedals. 

 

 

 

As usual I intend to install Anyz knobs and switches (silver wire) after painting and installing Eduard’s etched parts.  

Cockpit side walls corrected. Kits side consoles divided in sole parts combined with scratch build details used on late TBM-3.  

 

Armrest support replaced with 0,6 mm wire.  

 

Radio boxes, 1st step: attaching of pre drilled etched parts on matched plastic pieces for the 3rd dimension.  

 

Radio boxes, 2nd step: knobs and switches in place.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I received decals for a Dutch version that you normally not get (thank you Erik!!)
BTW: this is the reason why I love Scalemates! Tim: thank you for creating this website🙂🙂🙂 

“How much inside of the cockpit you can see after completing the fuselage?”: is here the question.🙂 

I suppose the most of the cables will be not visible.., 

Loops of 0,15 mm wire installed “through” the fuselage side.  

The same situation 2 minutes later. 

 

 

 

 

On several pictures it’s clearly visible that the middle seat was occupied. In correspondence with the plane’s destination it was probably the weapon / radio operator. Despite intensive research I found no information about the layout of the second cockpit. In such a case improvisation helps. 

Center and left console will be detailed.  

Two of seven black boxes in place.  

Working stations of the pilot & WSO completed.  

 

 

3rd station.  

 

 

This time I used in addition to the knobs decals for knob-scales (Anyz).  

 

Unfortunately there are no information in the net about the installation of the 3rd seat. Very likely the seat was rotatable.  

 

 

Because a TBM-3S has no turret the lack of ribs and stringers will be visible. Yesterday I’ve forgotten this an had to airbrush the IG second time.  

TBM-3S had no dorsal gun. MDC set consists a resin part as replacement for the clear part. The fit is average. 

Triangle shaped windows were closed with sheet.  

Preparing of the wings. Step 1: trailing edges thinned down with 180 grit sandpaper.  

Step 2: before separating the ailerons and especially the flaps it’s very important to measure the thickness of the wings.  

Step 3: after separating flaps and ailerons the “hollow” between the upper and lower side filled with plastic “wedges”.  

 

Step 4: detailing the inner side of the wings.  

Fortunately I can use my own research (first Avenger project 1997, build for the german modeling magazine ModellFan) 

Step 4 completed.  

Step 5 completed: ailerons with aerodynamic compensation. 0,56 mm wire twisted around a square rod (3 mm). On end flattened.  

 

 

The kit offers HVAR’s with large fins and Mark 5 mounting sockets but installation points unter the wings for old Mark 4 rails (the two outer marked with red arrow). All later TBM’s especially TBM-3s were equipped with Mark 5 sockets and HVAR’s with smaller fins. Because of that I corrected this by using 0,13 mm thin plastic.  

 

 

It’s easier to make the reinforcement-box from a solid piece of plastic. Because of that I made the lightening holes a bit larger on underside („mit einem Senker angesenkt“).  

About 120 parts later than last (91) picture; flaps completed.  

 

 

APS-4 radar pod.  

 

 

 

It was a „hard work“ to determine the correct pylon position. 🙂 

 

Research about details under the right wing.  

A question to all Avenger experts: can someone tell me the function of these 3 antennae? 

Many years ago I build Avengers “son”, the AF Guardian in 1:72 long before the first “right” kit was released. The (vacuum formed) parts for the search light remaind in the spare box. I’m very stunned that the part has the correct size for my current Avenger project.  

 

Ready for “vacumtoastering”🙂 

 

Search light completed (minus painting interior and bulb). 

 

 

Green: corrected/workable front attachment point.  

 

Cowling & forward fuselage: take you time so no putty is needed.  

 

 

 

New research results; they were 4 attachment points (rollers) for the 3.rd seat.  

 

Fuselage windows plus an extra „device” (??) in place. 

 

Extra “device” on left side. I noticed that the position of this device (??) differs with the planes.  

 

In this case bare metal foil is the best choice for masking the oval windows.  

Windscreen in place.  

 

Recognition light: red, green, amber (fw, middle, aft). 

The last great hurdle is taken: vacuum formed greenhouse is in place without mess. 🙂 

 

I have just successfully completed the most important task of the entire project; installing the distinctive (vacuum formed) greenhouse canopy. At the front there is a segment which I sawed off the long kit part. Unlike the standard Avenger, this element was in the original made of solid sheet metal. 

 

Position lights removed, will be replaced with a clear blue parts.  

New research results: the „device“ (antenna) on the left side is not square but oval. On the upper side they are a inlet.  

 

New research results about position and size of the outlet on the right side.  

 

Externaly installed arresting hook.  

 

 

Today morning I removed the masks and had watch very curious for the result 

Front instrument panel lights. For better handling/ installing on the lower inner side of the windscreen I combined the lights with the interior structure.  

Right light in place.  

Left light in place.  

 

Right: original roundel has bin desintagrated…🙁. Fortunately I found in the spare box a sheet from a CA kit for a Dutch Gloster Meteor. A bit to large but by using a circle cutter I could do it smaller. 🙂 

„Self smaller made“ roundel has worked and looking good. The orange is a little bit less intensive and the blue a bit more purple but sh… happens! On course again. 🙂.  

 

Left: Nixvielgut white!🙁 

 

 

 

 

On course again: the same “white” on both upper wings. Blue formation lights (clear resin ) in place.  

Cowl flaps and exhaust tubes in place.  

 

The first batch of detailing: correct attachment of the door on leg, moulded in wiring removed . 

 

Wiring completed: 3 x hydraulic line for the retraction piston & brake and 1 x electric cable to the locking solenoid/switch (installed on retracting strut, not in picture).
 

 

Both catapult hooks and tie down ring replaced with wire.  

Great curiosity: in the box I found only one retraction strut, datailed and painted. The other one was missing. Because of they I had to scratch the part.
 

 

Unusual color for prop blades: gray with a touch metallic. Spinner in turquoise/ green. 

Completed minus any accents in alu and dark grey. 

 

 

 

 

I have been waiting for this moment for several months: several hundred parts finally look like an airplane.🙂 

 

 

As usual I used two pieces of wire (0,2 mm) to attach the sliding canopy parts to the fuselage without glue. Both holes are made „through“ recessed panel lines and are practically invisible.