MovieChat Forums > Against the Sun (2015) Discussion > the Douglas TBD crew positions..

the Douglas TBD crew positions..

posted 8 years ago by pfarnell
2 replies | jump to latest

well, there is a first...never saw a TBD featured in a movie b4..unless you count Midway.

Anyways, I always assumed the middle crew member must be the radio operator, but looks like it was the job for the rear gunner..middle guy must have been navigator? as well as bombardier ?? He swings around to face forward, and there is the DF loop etc..

Can't really figure why a single-engined plane even needs a bombardier, you would imagine the pilot can aim and drop the weapons.

Compare Swordfish/Albacore , Fairy Battle (not a torpedo plane but still a contemporary three-seat attack plane) Grumman TBM, and Barracuda..

and needless to say TBD's Japanese counterpart, the B5N Kate..

Jesus, they were all brave men..three men hunched in that glasshouse, in a plane with no defensive firepower to speak of, one .30 I think, and when loaded with torpedo or large bomb, probably barely capable of 120 kts if that much..and then along come enemy fighters.
I don't think you would get me into one of them at gunpoint.

[–] patriotx29 8 years ago

The TBD had a three man crew. Pilot, Bombardier and Radioman/Gunner. The bombardier was used when the aircraft was employed in level bombing. The bombardier would sight the target using a Norden Bombsight (same one that was used in the B-17). He would actually release the bomb not the pilot.

While the TBD's primary role was as a torpedo bomber, they also were used as level bombers against both land and ship targets. At the time she was accepted into the Navy, the main Armor Piercing bomb weighed 1600 lbs., and was too heavy to be carried by dive bombers. It had to be dropped from 10,000 feet to achieve maximum penetration. As an alternative, the TBD could carry two 500 lb. bombs or twelve 100 lb. bombs for land attack.

All the aircraft you mentioned also have three man crews. The TBD normally carried all three on attack and patrol missions, though at the Battle of Midway all three torpedo squadron skippers elected to leave their bombardiers behind. The TBDs were used for anti-sub patrols, and on those missions the extra set of eyes was critical.

Yep, though just before Midway, the skipper of Torpedo 8 (LCDR Waldron) managed to get the engineering section on Hornet to install the same twin .30 mounts as were on the SDB Dauntlesses.

[–] pfarnell 8 years ago

though at the Battle of Midway all three torpedo squadron skippers elected to leave their bombardiers behind.

at least that reduced the loss of lives somewhat..