Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf

Consolidated Aircraft · United States · first flew 1941 · bomber

The Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf was a carrier-based torpedo bomber ordered by the US Navy alongside the Grumman TBF Avenger to hedge against production shortfalls, but manufacturing delays meant it never reached combat before the war ended.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	1 × piston, nose-mounted
F — Fuselage	11.23 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Carrier torpedo bomber that competed with Grumman TBF Avenger
Produced in small numbers and never saw combat
Folding wings for carrier operations

Broadly resembles the TBF Avenger — mid-wing torpedo bomber with a Wright Cyclone radial engine, folding wings, and rear gun positions — but with a more rounded fuselage and different nacelle shaping.

Specifications

The Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf has a length of 11.23 m (37 ft).
It has a wingspan of 17.32 m (57 ft).
Its maximum speed is 480 km/h (298 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Designed by Vought as the XTB4U and transferred to Consolidated for production, the TBY first flew in 1941. Production difficulties at the Consolidated plant meant deliveries trickled in too slowly and too late; by the time 180 aircraft had been completed, the war was virtually over.

Variants

Only the TBY-2 production standard was built in quantity; the earlier prototypes differed in detail. No combat-capable sub-variants were developed.

Where you'll see it

Delivered to the US Navy from 1944 but never assigned to a fleet carrier air group for combat; declared surplus and scrapped at war's end. Its entire career was spent in training and evaluation.

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