In WWII, this role was carried out in the US Navy by the Consolidated PBY Catalina and the Grumman TBF Avenger ... internally referred to as the Model G-89, which consisted of a high wing ...
During WWII, the US Navy had no purpose-built anti-submarine warfare aircraft, with pre-existing aircraft such as the Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat and the Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo ...