Q&A · 11:13-12:28

What could replace the TBD Devastator before the Avenger?

A counterfactual replacement for the TBD Devastator points toward a licensed British carrier aircraft before the Avenger was ready.

Question

What could the US Navy have used to replace the TBD Devastator in 1941 before the Avenger was available?

Short answer

A licensed British carrier aircraft, probably a later Swordfish variant, is the most plausible available substitute.

Notes

The Grumman Avenger was not yet ready for a 1941 replacement decision. Buying a Japanese carrier aircraft would be politically impossible for both governments. That leaves a licensed British type as the practical route for putting a proven torpedo aircraft into American production. A later enclosed-cockpit Swordfish is offered as the most plausible expedient because it was available and suited to carrier operations.