Sub
hunting was recognized as a natural for the Avenger as she trolled the Atlantic
for the U-Boats, aboard the Bogue(VC-9, VC-42, VC-65, VC-95), Core(VC-13),
Card(VC-9, VC-1),
Guadalcanal
(VC-58,
VC-13),
Wake
Island
(VC-58),
Santee
(VC-29),
Suwannee
(VGS-27)
and
Block
Island
(VC-1,
VC-6) with total kills of 32. The Pacific theater had its success but far less
numbering 6 in all aboard the Anzio
(VC-82,
VC-13),
Suwannee
(VT-60)
and Tulagi(VC-92)
Click on
images below to see larger images
Pacific
Predators early kills came in the 1943 with Chanango aircraft sinking
I-21off the
Gilbert Islands
in 1943. But CVE
Liscombe
Bay
fell victim to I-175 in late November suffering much loss of life. Two
kills occurred in 1944, first in June when a VT-60 Avenger sank I-184 near
Guam
, the second was a shared kill between VC-82 and its escort destroyers of
I-41, several hundred miles east of Sumar. 1945 Off
Iwo Jima
, VC-13 sank two submarines on successive days, January 26th & 27th, a
960 ton “RO” boat and a large I–boat. Two more sinkings occurred off
Okinawa
by VC-92 Avengers of an I-boat, VC-82 a month later of I-361. The final
Pacific Avenger kill came from Anzio’s TBM’s, assisted by
screening destroyers, of I-13 on July 16 some 500 plus miles east of
Yokosuka.
This
is an Accurate Miniatures TBM-3 of VC-97, aboard USS Makassar Straight (CVE-91)
in March of 1945. Note the unique fishhook emblem as if “fishing” for subs.
Makassar’s TBM’s performed ASW duties, and close air support during the Iwo
Jima and Okinawa campaigns, but scored no sub kills. In 1944 the Avenger came
equipped with 5” HVAR’s, and gave it more then a broadside of a destroyer.
An Avenger pilot proclaimed them “greatest thing since the nickel cigar”
against island targets.
Used
Tamiya spray synthetic AS-19 Intermediate Blue, AS-8 Navy Blue and Testors Flat
White spray paint. Used Superscale 48-819 decals. This is my final article
on the specific use of Tamiya spray paint, my first on F6F Hellcats and second
on an F4U-1A Corsair are in this gallery.
References:
from decal sheet and Osprey Combat Aircraft #16 TBF/TBM Avenger Units of
WWII.
Mark
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