Sky Max 1/72 SM8009 TBD-1 Devastator Battle of Midway T-16 flown by LCDR John C. Waldron VT-8 USS Hornet 4th June 1942

The Douglas TBD-1 Devastator was designed as a torpedo bomber for the USN and entered service in 1937. The TBD Devastator marked a lot of firsts for the USN. It was the first widely- used carrier-based monoplane, first all metal USN aircraft, first completely enclosed cockpit that stretched almost half the length of the fuselage, first hydraulic folding wings. When bombing the bombardier would lie under the pilot seat and look through a window in the floor to doing his sighting.

TBD Devastator T-16 was c/n 1506 and was flown by LCDR John Waldron of VT-8 aboard the USS Hornet during the Battle of Midway. On June 4, 1942 the leader of Air Group 8, Stanhope Ring departed the carrier with Wildcats along with VT-8 Devastators to attack Japanese carriers. Upon departure LCDR Waldron realized the assigned group heading was incorrect and tried to get the Wildcats to change direction but was unsuccessful so Waldron got his group of TBDs to follow him. VT-8 found the Japanese carriers but without the Wildcat cover only one crewman survived.