Aircrafttotal Encyclopedia

The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944. The SBD was also flown by the United States Marine Corps, both from land air bases and aircraft carriers. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The type earned its nickname "Slow But Deadly" (from its SBD initials) during this period, along with a rarely-used accompanying nickname of "Furious D."

Design work on the Northrop BT-1 began in 1935. In 1937, the Northrop Corporation was taken over by Douglas, and the active Northrop projects continued under Douglas Aircraft Corporation The Northrop BT-2 was developed from the BT-1 by modifications ordered in November 1937, and provided the basis of the SBD, which first entered service in mid-1939. Ed Heinemann led a team of designers who considered a development with a 1,000 hp (750 kW) Wright Cyclone engine. The plane was developed at the Douglas El Segundo, California, plant, and that facility, along with the company's Oklahoma City plant, built almost all the SBDs produced

U.S. Navy and Marine Corps SBDs saw their first action at Pearl Harbor, when most of the Marine Corps SBDs of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 232 (VMSB-232) were destroyed on the ground at Ewa Mooring Mast Field. Most U.S. Navy SBDs flew from their aircraft carriers, which did not operate in close cooperation with the rest of the fleet. Most Navy SBDs at Pearl Harbor, like their Marine Corps counterparts, were destroyed on the ground. On 10 December 1941, SBDs from USS Enterprise sank the Japanese submarine I-70. In February–March 1942, SBDs from the carriers USS Lexington, USS Yorktown, and USS Enterprise, took part in various raids on Japanese installations in the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, New Guinea, Rabaul, Wake Island, and Marcus Island.

Douglas Aircraft

Douglas SBD Dauntless "Furious D."

General Info

Crew: 2 Length: 33 ft 1.25 in (10.0902 m) Wingspan: (12.65873 m) Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m) Wing area: 325 sq ft (30.2 m²)

Powerplant

Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg)
Gross weight: (4,245 kg)
Max takeoff weight: (4,853 kg)
Fuel capacity: 260 US gal (220 imp gal; 980 L) in non-metallic self-sealing fuel tanks
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propeller

Performance

Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 kn) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h,
Range: 1,115 mi (1,794 km, 969 nmi)
Ferry range: 1,565 mi (2,519 km, 1,360 nmi)
Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 28.8 lb/sq ft (141 kg/m²)

Armament

- Guns: ** 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing synchronized Browning M2 machine guns in engine cowling
  - 2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted Browning M1919 machine guns in rear
- Bombs: 2,250 lb (1,020 kg) of bombs)

Special Links Aeromacchi Leonardo

Links to Youtube & Others

The US Navy’s primary dive-bomber at the war’s start, the bomber earned its reputation—and helped earn victory—at the 1942 Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese carriers.

Douglas SBD Dauntless
"Furious D"

Dive bombing requires precise maneuverability and accuracy to fly at steep trajectory and hit a moving target.

Youtube Link

SBD-3, Bureau Number (BuNo) 06508 was built by Douglas Aircraft Company at El Segundo, California, and is a combat veteran of the Guadalcanal Campaign

Douglas
SBD Dauntles

Douglas
SBD Dauntless

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Douglas SBD Dauntless "Furious D"

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Douglas SBD Dauntless "Furious D."