Designed to meet a 1934 US Navy requirement for a carrier-based torpedo-bomber, the Devastator was first flown on April 15th, 1935. The TBD was an early shipboard monoplane built large enough to carry a heavy torpedo and achieve speeds of just over 200 miles per hour. Its design included folding wings, an inclusive canopy, and all metal construction - innovations that would be used by future carrier aircraft. Sophisticated for its time, the Devastators strong points were eventually surpassed by enemy forces. Its lack of maneuverability and slow speed made it vulnerable to the high performance of the Japanese Zero.

SkyMax's 1:72 scale TBD Devastator is a well made model constructed almost entirely from diecast metal. The large solid metal wing features simulated corrugated surfaces and a masterfully replicated fairing that blends the wing almost seamlessly into the fuselage. The unusually large greenhouse canopy is removable providing an unobstructed view of interior features like the pad-printed instrument panel, flight controls, ADF antenna and rear mounted machine gun. Engine details such as pushrod housings and cylinder head cooling fins can be seen inside the engine cowling. Releases in this series feature a variety or ordnance configurations such as a removable torpedo and wing mounted bombs.

Info: TBD-1 Devastator - USN VT-6, Black 1, EE Lindsey, USS Enterprise, Battle of Midway, June 4th 1942