Grumman TBM-3W Guppy

Sword, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Graham Carter

This kits is basically a Special Edition, presumably why it has ‘SE' tagged on its number, re-release of a 2018 pair of kits, SW72114 and SW72115 with a larger decal sheet offering five choices rather than the two or three with the originals - Sword is doing a Hasegawa!

This version of the big, powerful torpedo/bomber Grumman Avenger/Tarpon of WWII fame came into service in 1946. Changes from the TBD included the massive radome between the main undercarriage legs ( hence the ‘Guppy’ soubriquet) and the faired over rear canopy area to enclose the two radar operators in the darkness required for their jobs. The massive radome created yaw issues which were corrected by the addition of large fillets at 3/4 span on the elevators. Initially, 40 joined the USN as AEW and Radar jammers. After 1950 some 160 additional airframes were produced on the same platform for anti-submarine operations. These were operated by the USN and sold to Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and France, all of whom are represented in the decals in this kit. (details gleaned from the instruction sheet)

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To my knowledge, prior to the original issue, no injected kit has been released in the ‘one true scale’, although Falcon did a nice vacform fuselage conversion as part of a 3-piece set back in the 1980s. As such it will be a  welcome addition to the shelves of many modellers. 

This is a fairly simple kit moulded in a darkish grey plastic with lovely fine engraved and relief detail, presented in rather flimsy end-opening boxes with rather nice illustrations on the top and colour profiles on the back. Simple in the sense that there are no resin, PE or masking embellishments, but the level of moulded fuselage and undercarriage bay detail is more than adequate in this scale.

Readily available resin and PE after-market sets from the likes of Pavla, Eduard, and Aires for the Avenger should offer the detail fanatic the bits they require for the front cockpit, engine and undercarriage areas.

The rear radar operators’ station is non-existent but would be invisible anyway.

The kit revealed a very fine seam around some parts which will benefit from a light trim with a sharp blade to remove. The moulds seem to have stood up well to the passage of a few years.

As with most short-run kits there are no locating pins and holes on the larger components so care should be taken in aligning these before committing to glue.

Transparencies are clearly moulded but only the closed portion is available.

Instructions are clear with colour call-outs in each of the 12 steps in a 12-page A5 booklet, the last five of which are colour illustrations of the decal schemes. There is also a stencil location drawing. All aircraft are identically dark sea blue, with the exception of the Canadian one.

Markings

Decals are beautifully printed in perfect register and good colour density on a massive 260x120mm sheet with all individual markings and sufficient stencilling for a single aircraft.

The choices are as follows:-

1. 53524, “24 ST” of VS892, USN in o/a gloss Sea Blue,

2. 91537 “412” of VS881 of the RCN in Dark Sea Grey over Light Sea Grey,

3. 2255, “255” of the JMSDF from Kaijo Jieitai in o/a  Gloss Sea Blue,

4. 9.F12/ “12” in the Aeronavale on the French carrier ‘Arromarches’, in overall gloss Sea Blue, and

5. “16-119” of Sqn 2 of the Kon Marine on MVK Vallenburg in 1953 in overall gloss Sea Blue.

It is good to see this kit back again and nice to have such variety of markings available to modellers all over the world.

Thanks to Sword Models for the review samples.

Text and Images Copyright © 2021 by Graham Carter
Page Created 16 September, 2021
Last updated 16 September, 2021

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