All Thomas Gunn aircraft are hand carved in mahogany and take around 60 hours to manufacture, each comes with a full interior and all are limited editions.

The British FAA Avenger’s were used by the Fleet Air Arm as torpedo bomber, bomber, anti-submarine and airborne early warning variants. 3 aircraft were also modified to carry the 'Highball' bouncing bomb, although this was not a successful exercise. The Avenger replaced the Swordfish and Albacore currently in service as was without doubt a superior aircraft, equipping some 17 frontline squadrons by the end of the war.

Possibly it's most unlikely success was the destruction of a V1 flying bomb in July 1944 when the dorsal air gunner shot one down at a range of 700 yards as the missile was overtaking them on its way to the UK.

It was the heaviest single engined aircraft of WWII and pilots reported that it 'flew like a truck', but its docile handling characteristics were ideal for many of its roles.

Especially busy in the Pacific where it took part in Operation Meridian at Palembang and many other sorties. On 24 July an Avenger from No.848 Squadron became the first British aircraft to bomb Japan. The fleet took part in the attacks on shipping, naval bases and airfields, with three carriers at first. The first period of operations began on 17 July and lasted for 25 days, although bad weather limited operations to only eight of them. Operations were interrupted by the atomic bombs of 6 August and 9 August, although TF 37 raided Honshu on 9 August. By this point the British fleet was running desperately short of supplies, and so a shrunken Task Force 38.5 was formed around Indefatigable and the battleship King George V. The fleet's final operations came on 15 August 1945, and involved a force of Avengers and Seafires.

After the end of the war the Avenger rapidly left British service. Under the terms of the Lend Lease agreement the British had either to return items to the US or pay for them. The Avengers weren't wanted by either side, and so many of them were simply dumped at sea. No.848 Squadron was the last to go, disbanding on 3 June 1946.

Avengers were used widely in the European role and used in coastal operations including D-Day and scheduled attacks on the Tirpitz.

Thomas Gunn's 1/32 scale hand carved mahogany aircraft is one flown by 855 Sqn, RN FAA, Hawkinge in June 1944.

The K&C figures and TG accessories shown are for display purposes only and are not included 

Info: British Avenger, WWII Display Model