Hobby Master 1/72 SkyMax Flying Heroes
SM8012
TBD-1 Devastator "Battle of Midway" black 1, Lt Cdr EE Lindsey, VT-6, USS Enterprise, 4th June 1942 
 
General Background
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 Devastator’s 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.