MICHAEL KOPP DESCRIBES HOW HE CAME TO OWN AN AVENGER AND WHY HE’S BEEN GRINNING EVER SINCE. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN DIBBS
WARBIRDS GRUMMAN AVENGER
“I was struck by the number of people gawking at the Avenger versus the few milling about the Wildcat. Hmm… I left that airshow sold on acquiring an Avenger”
I became the proud owner of Ida Red, a 1945 Grumman TBM- 3E Avenger, on December 5, 2015. Back in time, almost 75 years to the day, on December 7, 1941 Grumman test flew the second prototype, XTBF-1 2540 at Bethpage, New York State.
“Why an Avenger?” with a hint of derision, was a question asked by friends, fellow pilots and quite a few volunteers at the Historic Flight Foundation, Everett, Washington State, where Ida now resides.
First, I wanted to own a World War Two combat aircraft. Second, it had to be powered by a radial engine. Third, my preference was for a Navy carrier type. For months, I was considering a Grumman Wildcat.
Then, attending an airshow where a Wildcat and Avenger were parked side-by-side, I was struck by the number of people gawking at the Avenger versus the few milling about the Wildcat. Hmm…
I really do enjoy being able to take passengers flying in these historic aircraft. I repeatedly …
