Editing Grumman TBF Avenger (section)

{{Short description|American naval torpedo bomber}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox aircraft
 |name = TBF/TBM Avenger
 |image = File:TBM3 Avenger - Chino Airshow 2014 (14344070442).jpg
 |caption = General Motors TBM-3E Avenger in flight, 2014
 |type =[[Torpedo bomber]]
 |national_origin = United States
 |manufacturer = [[Grumman]]
 |builder= [[Eastern Aircraft Division|GM Eastern Aircraft Division]]
 |designer =
 |first_flight = 7 August 1941
 |introduction = 1942
 |retired = 1960s
 |status = Retired
 |primary_user = [[United States Navy]]
 |more_users = [[Royal Navy]] <br>[[Royal Canadian Navy]] <br>[[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]
 |produced =
 |number_built = 9,839
 |variants =
}}

The '''Grumman TBF Avenger''' (designated '''TBM'''<ref>Under the [[1922 United States Navy aircraft designation system]] in use at the time, the TB in the designation refers to its role as a torpedo bomber, F was assigned to aircraft built by Grumman, and M to those built by General Motors, G having already been assigned to the [[Great Lakes Aircraft Company]] previously.</ref> for aircraft manufactured by [[General Motors]]) is an American [[World War II]]-era [[torpedo bomber]] developed initially for the [[United States Navy]] and [[United States Marine Corps|Marine Corps]], and eventually used by several air and [[naval aviation]] services around the world.

The Avenger entered U.S. service in 1942, and first saw action during the [[Battle of Midway]]. Despite the loss of five of the six Avengers on its combat debut, it survived in service to become the most effective submarine killer<ref>{{cite web |title=The Grumman TBF Avenger: The Bomber That Changed the War |url=https://visitpearlharbor.org/grumman-tbf-avenger-bomber-changed-war/ |website=Pearl Harbor Visitors Bureau |access-date=27 October 2020 |archive-date=5 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210305073938/https://visitpearlharbor.org/grumman-tbf-avenger-bomber-changed-war/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{bsn|date=April 2024}} and most widely-used torpedo bomber of World War II, sharing credit for sinking the super-battleships {{ship|Japanese battleship|Yamato||2}} and {{ship|Japanese battleship|Musashi||2}}  and being credited for sinking 30 submarines. Greatly modified after the war, it remained in use until the 1960s.<ref name="The Hamlyn Guide to Military Aircraft Markings">Wheeler 1992, p. 53.</ref>

From 1942-on, production of the Avenger (in fact nearly three quarters of its the total production) was subcontracted to a purposely established division of General Motors: the [[Eastern Aircraft Division]].