Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" - Aero Series 23

Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers, Inc.. Very Good. 1972. Paperback. 0816805865 . B&W & Color Illustrations; This is a larger than trade sized paperback book. The book is in Very Good condition and was issued without a dust jacket. There are several spots of ground-in dirt to the book covers. The book and its contents are in clean, bright condition. The text pages are clean and bright. "The Douglas TBD Devastator was an American torpedo bomber of the United States Navy. Ordered in 1934, it first flew in 1935 and entered service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the Navy and possibly for any navy in the world. However, the fast pace of aircraft development quickly caught up with it, and by the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the TBD was already outdated. The Devastator performed well in early battles, most notably in the Battle of Coral Sea, but earned notoriety for a catastrophic performance during the Battle of Midway in which 41 Devastators recorded zero torpedo hits with only six surviving to return to their carriers. Vastly outclassed in both speed and maneuverability by the Mitsubishi Zero fighters they faced, most of the force was wiped out with little consequence except to distract the Zeros from the SBD Dauntless dive bombers that sank four carriers and a heavy cruiser." (from Wikipedia) .