Hi there all, have just picked up an AM TBM-3 on e-bay and was thinking about doing it as a post-war FAA machine (an AS.4, AS.5 or AS.6 in Suez stripes would be perfect - MDC do a conversion set), although I'd settle for a wartime TBM-3 with D-Day stripes. However, I can't seem to find any decent references on late war/post-war Brit Avengers. There are quite a few internet pics/articles of FAA Avengers, including some good build articles of the AM kit, but these all seem to be of TBF-1 or TBF-1C versions, which is not really any good for me. I also have the Squadron Avenger in Action book, which is great but not for the period and versions that I am looking at. Can anyone suggest a website or book that might be a good starting point for me? thanks, Brad

The Avenger Mk3 was the TBM-3 supplie under lend lease. The RN like the rear seat which the US Navy usually removed.

The Avenger A.S.4 was essentially a bog-standard TBM-3E supplied under MDAP in 1953. The A.S.5 was modifed "to suit RN requirements" which I believe was primarily a matter of new internal systems, and the A.S.6 was a further modification of the A.S.5

There's almost no information on these machines in print - as far as I know the only printed reference that discusses them in more than a couple of sentences is Thetford's "British Naval Aircaft' in the Putnam series.

If I were modelling one of these I'd proably go with the Mk4 and buidl pretty much out fo the box

Aidrian

Aidrian, thanks for that - I will try to track down that reference, and will probably also take your advice and go for a Mk IV build...Though it won't be quick....I'm the slowest builder in the world....regards Brad

One thing i forgot to mention is that you'll need the radar kit - I don't think the AM TBM-3 includes this. but you can use some of the parts from Belcher bits for Canadian a/s avengers
see

http://www.belcherbits.com/lines/148conv/bb4.htm

Aidrian