How to utilise the TBF Avenger?

[Fred98]

The TBF Avenger has a very short range. I don’t want my air combat TF to get that close to an enemy air combat TF.

How then can I utilise the TBF Avenger?

[Mr.Frag]

It really depends on the situation:

I try to sucker the Jap CV's into a standoff at their max range while I rest all my aircraft except cap at 90%.

Once they toss away 70 aircraft against my cap, the odds are much better and I change my CV's directly at them to get into range with the TB's.

This serves 2 purposes, 1) You have a chance & 2) The TBs have a far better chance against the depleted CAP

Otherwise, they are just dogfood to make the enemy fighters more skillfull Ground them unless you are going after transports.

[Admiral DadMan]

Originally posted by Joe 98
The TBF Avenger has a very short range. I don’t want my air combat TF to get that close to an enemy air combat TF.

How then can I utilise the TBF Avenger?

TBF? Are you sure you don't mean the TBD Devastator?

[pasternakski]

He must mean the TBD, Admiral. The TBF's range is superior to that of the SBD, making it one of the most valuable aircraft types in UV.

It is also a pretty tough airplane and does serious damage to IJN carriers and surface units on a regular basis (although, like all torpedo planes, it is susceptible to significant losses from AA. Sufficient escorts reduce losses to CAP and improve attack efficiency).

After I get my TBDs replaced with TBFs, I use a percentage of my TBF squadrons for naval search (20 percent when I have a lot of carriers, as much as 40 percent when I don't) and put my SBDs back on full naval attack duty.

[Fred98]

There is a screen shot on page 18 of the manual – TBF Avenger. I don’t have the game handy at present

I am currently playing a scenario with a start date of May 1942 and the US carriers have a torpedo bomber with a very short range - I assumed it was this aircraft.

[rcwkent]

In the early summer of 1942 the USN has the short TBD.
This upgrades to the TBF in a couple months.

[Odin]

I my last Carrier Battle my TF Commander used them as as targets for Zero shooting training...from 70+ Avengers and and 35 Dive Bombers, only 8 of the Avengers and no Dive Bombers reached target...no wonder with their 8 Wildcat-Escort running in a 110 Zero-Cap:D

Effective way of use, but surely not for me:D

[NorthStar]

I can see why you don't want to get withing TBD range of the Japanses, but consider the following:

Japanese aircraft have longer ranges than the SBD. This means that if you stand off at max normal SBD range, you are still well within Japanese Aircraft range. ALL Japanese aircraft

Thus, by staying outside TBD range, you are cutting your offensive firepower by about 30% (15 TBDs out of a combined 51 attack planes) for a typical US CV. Yet, you are still exposed to the FULL offensive firepwer of the Japanese group.

Plus, IRL, having a mixed group of Dive and Torpedo bombers increased the efficency of both as the CAP had to split its attention between the two at markedly different altitudes. This is, to some degree at least, modeled in the game.

When this dawned on me, I figured the US was much better off closing as fast as possible to bring full weight of number to bear.

Although, I still think its best for the US to avoid a Carrier battle if possible for as long as possible.