[Mark E Horan]

Larry & Alex;

I have been in many Avengers - a true Grumman Tarpon, and many TBMs of different models. From the TBF-1 on there were four crew positions:

Pilot: Front seat
Observer: Second seat (between pilot and turret)
Gunner: Third (Turret) seat
Bombardier: lower rear fuselage seat

The Bombardier cabin connects to the center (second seat) via a short ladder and tunnel, passing under, and to the side, of the turret seat. Every model I have seen had a seat in each position, and a fold down table in the center seat. My Tarpon flight manual indicates such. On torpedo strike missions, a bombardier was not needed, so he could sit in the ceter seat as an observer OR man the tunnel gun in the bombardier's cabin. On a bombing mission, the bombardier would have to be in the cabin to change anything on the bombs, else he had the same choices as above.

It sounds like initially they wanted the bombardier to be in the fuselage with the tunnel gun but changed to having him sit up top as an extra set of eyes. As long as the turret was posityioned fore and aft, he coul;d quickly go below to man the tunnel gun if the formation was intercepted.

Hope this helps.

Mark E. Horan