Accurate Miniatures 1/48 scale TBM-3 Avemger by Eduardo Mamoretti

Accurate Miniatures / Italeri/ Academy 1/48
TBM-3 Avenger

by Eduardo Mamoretti

TBM-3 Avenger

Description

Here is my 1/48 scale TBM-3 Avenger originally released by Accurate Miniatures and subsequently by Italeri and Academy.

The Grumman Avenger was originally developed for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, but soon found service with a number of air and naval forces around the world.

It boasts an impressive operational record and is the source of some remarkable anecdotes.

Future U.S. President George H.W. Bush was shot down on September 2, 1944, over the Pacific island of Chichi Jima while flying a TBM from USS San Jacinto (CVL-30), surviving as the sole member of his crew.

Another famous Avenger veteran was Paul Newman, who served as a tail gunner before beginning his celebrated post war acting career.

This 1/48 scale kit has attracted widespread praise with very few criticisms.

Construction is straightforward and lends itself well to working in subassemblies. This approach encouraged me to apply paint and weathering effects—airbrushing, chipping, and washes—to each section separately: the wings, fuselage, and tail surfaces.

The clear parts may be posed to display an open cockpit, and overall detail is excellent for the price.

If anything, a more user-friendly instruction manual would have been welcome, but this hardly detracts from what is an impressive and rewarding kit.

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