The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War Two

[Art]

Barrett Tillman lays out the operational history of the SBD in World War two from Pearl Harbor until the Dauntless was phased out of carrier service in mid 1944 and replaced by the SB2C Helldiver. There is also a "tip of the hat" to post 1944 Dauntless operations from land bases.

The book was published by the Naval Institute Press in 1976 so it is heavy on accounts of the men who flew the aircraft. Research has clarified some facts in the intervening nearly half century, but all in all an excellent account of the aircraft and the men who flew it.

[RCS]

There was also an Army version called the A-24 used for land based airfields, Shipped to the
Philippines before the Japanese invasion and then (still in crates) shipped to Australia

Reassembled and used against Jap shipping where most were shot down or damaged

Improved A-24 was better in the South pacific

[PWC]

SBD has always neen my favorite WWII plane. 1960 I built a 1/72 scale Hawk plastic model and won 2nd place in a hobby shop contest. Helldiver was uglier, but could fold wings.

[RCS]

Curtiss Hawk model

I built this AMC 1/4 inch Curtiss Hawk model many years ago, bought Micro decals for
the export Hawk 75 sold to the French just before WW2. Decals and color scheme from
North Africa 1942 P1010049_0045_045.jpgP1010040_0036_036.jpgP1010035_0031_031.jpg

[Art]

SBD has always neen my favorite WWII plane. 1960 I built a 1/72 scale Hawk plastic model and won 2nd place in a hobby shop contest. Helldiver was uglier, but could fold wings.

The Helldiver was also faster, somewhat longer ranged and carried a heavier payload; in fact it was capable of carrying a torpedo in a pinch. It was also overbudget and didn't come on line until two years after its projected entry into service, in fact the cost and delays were so excessive that a congressional investigation was launched into Curtis' handling of the contract. In addition it was very unforgiving. Its pilots and crews often referred to the Helldiver as the S.O.B 2nd Class.

[High Plaines Doug r]

My Dad flew the Douglas Banshee A-24s, the USAAC version of the SBD Dauntless out of Charters Towers, Australia and Port Morsby, PNG early in the war; Jan through May 1942. It was pulled from service in May due to losses when the RAAF P-40s could no longer fly cover for their raids on Lae and Salamoa. The dive bomber squadrons were replaced by B-25s Mitchell and A-20 Havoc strafers as they became available.

[fguffey]

The Navy considered replacing dive boomers with Corsairs.

F. Guffey

[fguffey]

When testing the Corsair the instrument panel would looked familiar to Wiley Post.

F. Guffey