Our Douglas TBD-1 Devastator model aircraft is modeled and handcrafted using various high-quality grade materials by our renowned master craftsmen. Our Douglas TBD-1 Devastator model aircraft is uniquely designed and manufactured using the latest innovations and techniques applied in the over-all manufacturing and operation process procedures. The model airplane’s parts including the fuselage, wings and glass cockpit are extremely accurate and precise based on the original. This model aircraft will fascinate anyone, aviation enthusiast and model aircraft collectors alike for its remarkable and exceptional quality. This elegant Douglas TBD-1 Devastator model aircraft is definitely the perfect gift and collectible you would want to give to your friends and family. Douglas TBD-1 Devastator History: The Douglas TBD-1 was the Navy's first widely-used monoplane shipboard plane. Designed to carry a heavy torpedo below the fuselage, it was necessarily a large aircraft and its 900-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1830 "Twin Wasp" radial engine could drive it to a maximum speed of slightly over 200 miles per hour. The XTBD-1 first flew in April 1935 and 129 production TBD-1s were delivered in 1937-39, rapidly replacing biplanes in the Navy's carrier torpedo squadrons. Manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company, the TBD-1 Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy. TBD Devastator first flew on April 15, 1935. The TBD-1 Devastator entered service and was delivered to the US Navy 2 days after the aircraft was first flown. At that point, it was the most advanced plane flying for the US Navy and possibly for any navy in the world. However, the fast pace of aircraft development caught up with it, and by the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the TBD was already outdated. It performed well in some early battles, but in the Battle of Midway the Devastators launched against the Japanese fleet were almost totally wiped out. In 1941, it became obsolete -- so obsolete, indeed, that it should not have achieved the successes it did and suffered heavy losses. A total of 129 planes of the type were build. The Devastator's failure was partially to the Mk-13 torpedo it carried, but with a maximum speed of 105 miles when lugging a torpedo, it had quite some time to go until overtaking a fleeing enemy; and likely, it would not if the enemy had a chance to evade, since every turn of 90° would give him an enormous time advantage. Together with the Mk-13, requiring a drop from 50ft at 100mph, the Devastator was a sitting duck during its attacking run. Three crewmen were carried when executing bombing runs, vice torpedo attacks.