Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation had never built an offensive aircraft before designing the replacement for the TBF-1 Avenger. TheXTBF-1, which first flew in August 1940, was a sound machine with a tough airframe, wings with skewed hinges that allowed them to fold alongside the fuselage, an internal bay for torpedo or other ordnance, plenty of fuel, and a powered dorsal turret. Eastern Aircraft was awarded a successive contact, delivering nearly identical models known as TBM in March 1942. Most of the Avengers produced were Eastern's TBM-3 model, noted for it powerful R-2600 engine, strengthened wings for increased gross weights, and reinforcement for carrying a radar scanner or rockets. During the war Eastern developed numerous, special-purpose TBM versions, used for photoreconnaissance, transport, or night reconnaissance with early-warning equipment installed. Other significant models were the 3E, which was the first specialized antisubmarine warfare aircraft to carry modern sensors and to operate from a carrier, and the 3W, which was the first aircraft to carry an early warning radar in service.
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