The US Navy built new, more modern aircraft carriers, such as the Ranger launched in 1934. It therefore sought to bring good-quality aircraft into service and commissioned prototype torpedo bombers to Great Lakes and Douglas. The Douglas XTBD-1 was developed from 1934 and completed its initial flight in April 1935. Flight tests continued for two years. In June 1937, Devastator's first production came into service on the USS Saratoga as the first series monoplane adopted by the US Navy.
The TBD-1 was the Navy's first low-wing all-metal aircraft. Equipped with hydraulically foldable wings and a semi-retractable landing gear, the TBD-1 was propelled by a more powerful engine than the prototype and was characterized by a raised canopy. It was probably also the most modern torpedo-boat on its way out.
At the beginning of the war in Europe, the Devastator equipped the aircraft carriers USS Lexington, Yorktown, Enterprise, Ranger, and Wasp. By December 1941, the Navy had a hundred of these planes and 69 were on the front line. The Devastator took part in the first naval battle of the Pacific War and sank a Japanese aircraft carrier during the Battle of the Coral Sea. A Midway, on the other hand, suffered terrible losses (37 lost on 41 aircraft) because it proved too slow compared to the A6M Zero, while its defective torpedoes had no result.
The production of this apparatus amounted to 130 specimens. He was left shortly after the front line to be replaced by the Avenger. Those who survived were assigned to training or communication tasks. They continued to disappear slowly because of numerous accidents.
Specifications of the TBD-1 Devastator :
Length: 10.69 m
Wing span: 15.24 m
Height: 4.59 m
Drive: 1 × 14-cylinder twin-engine Pratt & Whitney R-1830-64 "Double Wasp" with 900 hp (671 kW)
Maximum speed: 331 km / h at 2438 m altitude
Maximum range: 700 km (with torpedo), 1152 km (with 454 kg of bombs)
Crew: 3 men
Height of service: 5945 m
Empty weight: 2804 kg
Flying weight: 4623 kg
Armament: 1 × Mk-13 torpedo (diameter 533 mm, length 4.57 m, weight 544 kg) or 454 kg bombs
1 × rigid MG caliber 12.7 mm forward and 1 × flexible MG caliber 7.62 mm to the rear
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