TBD-1

TBD-1

B-18A

TBD-1

B-18A

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.0	1.0	1.7

Class:

Bomber

Naval aircraft

Torpedo bomber

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Show in game

Description

The TBD-1 Devastator is a rank I American torpedo bomber with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB) and 1.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.53 "Firestorm".

The TBD-1 is the first usable bomber in the U.S. aircraft line up. While the likes of the OS2Us and the SB2Us are capable of bombing, they cannot do what the TBD-1 can do and that is to carry a torpedo or optionally upwards of 1,600 lbs (725 kg) of bombs. The Devastator is adept at bombing either naval or land-based targets. On maps with naval ships, torpedoes require the little naval bomber to release from a very low altitude, a maximum of 340 ft ( 104 m) or 820 ft (250 m) depending on the torpedo used. For those pilots who prefer utilizing bombs, they can be just as easily used on ships as on land-based vehicles except to ensure greater accuracy; this requires the aircraft to be quite low to the ground.

The lone offensive machine gun does not offer much, but can be effectively used to pick off damaged ground targets or even getting a luck shot on an enemy fighter. The lone rear-facing dorsal machine gun is not a miracle worker, though it does a good job of making it difficult for enemy fighters to sit on the TBD-1’s tail. The aircraft is quite manoeuvrable and can quickly whip around to attempt a second bombing run on a target if there are any bombs left over. Though state-of-the-art when developed, this bomber was quickly outdated, but that did not stop it being utilised at the beginning of World War II. While in War Thunder this bomber might seem to be an easy target for new pilots, those with some practice under their belt can utilise this as a very effective early bomber, racking up destroyed ground vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery targets.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Torpedo runs are a speciality of the TBD-1.

A TBD-1 setting up for a torpedo run against Japanese warships in the Pacific.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 2,500 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
298	287	6000	19.8	20.5	4.3	4.3	150
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 2,500 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
327	312	6000	18.3	19.0	8.3	6.1	150

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		212	~8	~2

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 465	< 400	< 380	> 323

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,620 m	900 hp	963 hp

Survivability and armour

• 12.7 mm steel - behind the engine
• 12.7 mm steel - behind the pilot

Armaments

Offensive armament

A TBD-1 blitzing ground artillery with a mix of 100 and 500 lb bombs.

The TBD-1 is armed with:

• 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

Suspended armament

The TBD-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 12 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,200 lb total)
• 1 х Mk.13 torpedo
• 1 х Mk.13/44 torpedo
• 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 6 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total)

Defensive armament

The TBD-1 is defended by:

• 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, dorsal turret (600 rpg)

Usage in battles

A TBD-1 scoring a direct torpedo hit on a Japanese ship.

The first thing a pilot will notice about the TBD in gameplay is its "rubber-banding" tendency to return to a stable speed of about 250 km/h. The aircraft has mediocre energy retention, especially in a turn or when coming out of a dive. However, it is a stable and easy plane to fly, even in Realistic Battles. Strangely enough, the TBD has awesome acceleration from a standing start. The acceleration peters off after about 140 km/h (just above its stall speed) but makes it a nice plane to take-off, especially from carriers. The armament on this plane is very bad and will get shot down if engaged with a fighter. The TBD is a very attractive target for fighters so climb to an altitude of 5000 meters. When dropping bombs, decrease your throttle to 50% as the bombs are more accurate when flying slow.

This aircraft is best used in a ground strike role, carpet bombing ground targets with a large quantity of smaller bombs available out of the box, and in this role, it performs respectably. It features a single 12.7 mm MG attached to the starboard side of the engine, with a generous ammo load, but although the TBD has a good turning radius it is not recommended to engage as a fighter. A rear gunner also wields a 7.7 mm MG, and although its horizontal coverage is laughable, it is a welcome addition to a low-flying pilot with the ability to keep his enemies in his gunner's (or main gun's) sights.

It is important to note that the TBD suffers from extremely fragile flaps and gear, at least in Realistic and Simulator Battles; even combat flaps will break off at any speed above about 210 km/h, while the gear rip at about 180.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Turret 7 mm	ITC mk.III
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs (turret)	Improved torpedo
III	Wings repair	Engine		Offensive 12 mm	SBC mk.I
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 12 mm MGs

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Low stall speed
• Has a bombsight
• Has an arrestor hook for carrier landing
• Very stable and easy to fly
• Very manoeuvrable for a bomber
• Very good turn and roll rate
• Carries a decent quantity of bombs without requiring any research
• Great standing acceleration
• Cockpit offers somehow decent visibility

Cons:

• Armaments are extremely underwhelming, with a single 12.7 mm in front and a 7.62 mm in the rear
• Low sustainable "cruise" speed (200-250 km/h)
• Slow
• Very bad energy retention
• Bombs are mounted on external pylons
• A dive bomber without any air brakes
• Poor overall armament with limited defensive coverage
• No gun sight in cockpit other than a scope with an extremely limited (and very shaky) field of view
• Doesn't come with its Navy Blue camouflage unlike other US Navy planes
• Fragile flaps and gear
• Gunner has no armour

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === Encyclopedia Info ===, also if applicable).

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.

Douglas Aircraft Company
Strike Aircraft	A-20G-25 · A-26B-10 · A-26B-50 · AD-2 · AD-4 · A-1H
Bombers	TBD-1 · B-18A · SBD-3 · BTD-1 · A-26C-45 · A-26C-45DT
Turboprops	A2D-1
Jet Aircraft	F3D-1 · F4D-1
A-4 Skyhawk	A-4B · A-4E Early
Export	▄Havoc Mk I · ▄Boston Mk I · ▄DB-7 · ▂A-20G-30 · ▄AD-4 · ▄AD-4NA
A-4 Skyhawk	A-4H · A-4E Early (M) · Ayit · A-4E
	The Douglas Aircraft Company merged with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas.