replaced Douglas TBD Devastator after Battle of Midway
sharing credit for sinking IJN battleships Yamato and Musashi
TBM - TBF built by General Motors(GM)
TBF-1 - Initial production (1,526 built)
TBF-1C - TBF-1 with two 0.5 in (12.7 mm) wing guns and increased fuel capacity to 726 US gal (2,748 l). (765 built)
TBM-1 - as TBF-1 (550 built)
TBM-1C - as TBF-1C. (2336 built)
TBM-3 - as TBM-1C, double cooling intakes, engine upgrade, minor changes. (4,011 built)
Battle of Leyte Gulf [23–26 Oct 1944, Philippines] - the largest naval battle of World War II, consisting of four engagements: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle off Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar. The Japanese Navy suffered heavy losses and unable to launch a similar attack again (also lack of fuel)