Douglas SBD Dauntless
SBD Dauntless
Description
Role	Carrier/land-based dive bomber
Crew	2
First flight	1939
Entered service	1940
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft Company
Dimensions
Length	33 ft 1 in	10.08 m
Wingspan	41 ft 6 in	12.65 m
Height	13 ft 7 in	4.14 m
Wing area	325 ft²	30.19 m²
Weights
Empty	6,404 lb	2904.81 kg
Loaded	10,676 lb	4842.55 kg
Maximum takeoff	10,700 lb	4,853.44 kg
Powerplant
Engines	1x Wright R-1820-60 radial
Power	1,200 hp	894.84 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	255 mph	410.38 km/h
Combat range	773 miles	1243.8 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	25,530 ft	7,781.54 m
Rate of climb	1,700 ft/min	518.16 m/min
Armament
Guns	2 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing machineguns 2 × 0.3 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted machineguns
Bombs	1,600 lb (under fuselage)	725.75 kg
Rockets	None
Other	650 lb (wing)	295 kg

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the U.S. Navy's main scout bomber and dive bomber from mid-1940 until 1943, when it was replaced by the SB2C Helldiver. Commonly, their extremely effective dive bombing technique was known as "Helldiving", leading to their being nicknamed "Helldivers" (not to be confused with other aircraft officially designated the Helldiver, like the SB2C listed above). File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 was an engine widely used in American aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. ... The Douglas Aircraft Company was founded by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1943 (MCMXLIII) is a common year starting on Friday. ... The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was an aircraft carrier-based dive bomber produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service, and was initially strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD, and had...

The Northrop BT-1 provided the basis for the design of the SBD, which began manufacture in 1940. It was designed with a 1,000 horsepower Wright Cyclone powerplant. A year earlier, both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps had placed orders for the new dive bombers, aptly designated the SBD-1 and SBD-2 (the latter had increased fuel capacity and different armament). The former went to the Marine Corps in late 1940, and the latter went to the Navy in early 1941. The Northrop BT was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, dive bomber built by the Northrop Corporation for the US Navy. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... The horsepower (hp) is the name of several non-metric units of power. ... A powerplant can mean: An aircraft engine (usually used in countries other than the U.S.) A power plant (a large facility that uses materials to generate electricity) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... United States Marine Corps Emblem The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is the second smallest of the five branches of the United States armed forces, with 170,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2002. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

The next version, titled the SBD-3, began manufacture in early 1941. It provided increased protection, self-sealing fuel tanks, and four machine guns. The SBD-4 provided a 12-volt (from 6) electrical system, and a few were converted onto SBD-4P reconnaissance platforms. Self-sealing fuel tanks are an aviation technology developed during World War II, when it quickly became apparent that fighter aircraft lacked adequate protection. ... Mixed reconnaissance patrol of the Polish Home Army and the Soviet Red Army during Operation Tempest, 1944 Reconnaissance is the military term for the active gathering of information about an enemy, or other conditions, by physical observation. ...

The next (and most produced) variant, known as the SBD-5, was primarily produced on Douglas's plant at Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was equipped with a 1,200 hp (895 kW) engine and increased ammunition. Over 2,400 were built, and a few were shipped to the Royal Navy (although they were not used operationally). The type did see operation, from land bases, against the Japanese with 25 Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force which soon replaced them with F4U Corsairs, and against the Germans with the Free French Air Force. A few were also sent to Mexico. The final version, the SBD-6, provided many improvements, but came later and was not used as much. Nickname: “Oil Capital of the World” “Americas Most Beautiful City” T-Town Where the South Meets the West Motto: Official website: www. ... Official language(s) None Capital Oklahoma City Largest city Oklahoma City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 20th 181,196 km² 355 km 645 km 1. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the senior service of the British armed services, being the oldest of its three branches. ... The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is the air force arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. ...

The U.S. Army made its own version of the SBD, known as the A-24, which was essentially the same aircraft with a few changes (the removal of the unnecessary arresting hook and different tires). Two versions (the A-24A and A-24B) were produced and used by the Army through and after the war. The Army is the branch of the United States armed forces which has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Arrestor wires are thick steel cables fitted to the aft end of the flight deck on CTOL and STOBAR aircraft carriers. ...

History

Its first major use was in the Battle of the Coral Sea, when SBDs and TBDs sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Shoho. However, its most important contribution to the American war effort probably came during the Battle of Midway (early June 1942), when it sank four of the Japanese aircraft carriers (the Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu), also heavily damaging two Japanese cruisers (the Mikuma and the Mogami, one of which was later scuttled by a Japanese destroyer). Combatants United States, Australia Japan Commanders Frank Jack Fletcher Shigeyoshi Inoue Strength 2 large carriers, 3 cruisers 2 large carriers, 1 small carrier, 4 cruisers Casualties 1 large carrier, 1 destroyer, 1 oil tanker, 543 personnel 1 small carrier, 1 destroyer, 1,074 personnel The Battle of the Coral Sea... The Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. ... Shoho (Japanese: 祥鳳 shōhō, meaning auspicious phoenix) was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the lead ship of her class. ... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Frank J. Fletcher Raymond A. Spruance Chuichi Nagumo Isoroku Yamamoto Strength Three carriers, about 50 support ships Four carriers, about 150 support ships Casualties 1 carrier, 1 destroyer sunk; 307 killed 4 carriers, 1 cruiser sunk; 2,500 killed The Battle of Midway took place... Look up June in Wiktionary, the free dictionary June is the sixth month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with a length of 30 days The month is named after the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and equivalent to the Greek goddess Hera. ... This article is about the year. ... The Akagi (Japanese: 赤城, meaning red castle, a volcano in the Kanto region of Japan) was an aircraft carrier serving with the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. // Description Akagi was laid down as an Amagi class battlecruiser at Kure, Japan. ... Kaga (Japanese: 加賀, the ancient Kaga Province, in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture) was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Soryu (Japanese: 蒼龍 sōryū, meaning blue (or green) dragon) was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Hiryu (Japanese: 飛龍, meaning flying dragon) was a Soryu-class aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... USS Port Royal, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, launched in 1994. ... Mogami was the first in a class of four heavy cruisers that sailed in the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. Three of the four Mogami-class ships, Mogami, Suzuya, and Kumano, were sunk in the Pacific Ocean in 1944. ... USS Lassen, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers (originally torpedo boats, later submarines and aircraft). ...

SBD Dauntless

However, they were not utilized to the best of their ability. One squadron of Marine SBDs, operating off Midway Island, was not trained in the "Helldiving" technique; instead, they were forced to use the slower but easier glide bombing technique, which led to heavy losses. The carrier-borne squadrons, on the other hand, were much more effective, combined with their F4F Wildcat fighter escorts. It should also be mentioned that the success of dive bombing was due to two important circumstances: First and foremost, the fact that the Japanese carriers were at their most vulnerable: Readying bombers for battle, with full fuel hoses and armed ordnance strewn across their flight decks. Secondly, that the valiant but doomed assault of the TBD Devastator squadrons from the American carriers had drawn the Japanese fighter cover down nearly to sea level, making it all but impossible for them to intercept the Dauntlesses. Dauntless divebomber at the Battle of Midway, Public Domain, US government photo This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Dauntless divebomber at the Battle of Midway, Public Domain, US government photo This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... The Grumman F4F Wildcat was the standard carrier-based fighter of the United States Navy for the first year and a half of World War II. An improved version built by General Motors (the General Motors FM Wildcat) remained in service throughout the war, on escort carriers where newer, larger... A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for attacking other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed to attack ground targets, primarily by dropping bombs. ... The Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. ...

Next, SBDs participated in the Guadalcanal Campaign, both from American carriers and Henderson Field on Guadalcanal Island. It contributed to the heavy loss of Japanese shipping during the campaign. Dauntlesses eventually sank the Japanese carrier Ryujo near the Solomon Islands (in late 1942), damaging three others. They proceeded to sink one cruiser and nine transports during the decisive Battle of Guadalcanal. Battle of Guadalcanal Conflict World War II, Pacific War Date August 7, 1942 - February 9, 1943 Place Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands Result Allied victory The Battle of Guadalcanal was one of the most important battles of World War II. The assault on the Japanese-occupied island of Guadalcanal by... Several airports have been named Henderson Field, most famously on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, where control of the airstrip was the focus of months of fighting in the Battle of Guadalcanal during World War II. It was renamed to Honiara International Airport in 2003, but the name lives on... Guadalcanal, a 2,510 square mile (6,500 km²) island in the Pacific Ocean and a province of the Solomon Islands, is largely a jungle. ... Combatants United States, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands Japan Commanders Frank Fletcher (tactical commander) Alexander Vandegrift (ground force commander) Hyakutake Haruyoshi (ground forces) Gunichi Mikawa (naval forces) Strength 29,000 (November 12) 30,000 (November 12) Casualties 1,492 killed, 4,500 wounded 15,000 KIA, 9,000...

During this decisive time of the Pacific Campaign, the SBD's strengths and weaknesses became evident. Interestingly, while the American strength was dive bombing, the Japanese preferred their Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bombers, which caused the bulk of the damage at Pearl Harbor. Finally, the Dauntless was also very steady while diving. The Pacific Theater of Operations (PTO) is the term used in the United States for all military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, in World War II. Pacific War is a more common name, around the world, for the broader conflict between the Allies and Japan... The Nakajima B5N (Japanese: 中島 B5N, Allied reporting name: Kate) was the Imperial Japanese Navys standard torpedo bomber for the first years of World War II. Although, like its Allied counterparts the TBD Devastator and Fairey Swordfish, the type was obsolescent by 1939, B5Ns were flown nearly throughout the... A torpedo bomber is a bomber aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with torpedoes, but they could also carry out conventional bombings. ... Combatants United States of America Empire of Japan Commanders Husband Kimmel (USN) Walter Short (USA) Chuichi Nagumo (IJN) Strength 8 battleships, 8 cruisers, 29 destroyers, 9 submarines, ~50 other ships, ~390 planes 6 aircraft carriers, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers, 9 destroyers, 8 tankers, 23 fleet submarines, 5 midget submarines, 441...

In 1944, the Dauntless undertook its last major action during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, although the Marines utilized them until the end of the war. It had already been replaced by the SB2C Helldiver in the U.S. Navy, much to the dismay of the pilots, many of whom believed that the "Silent But Deadly" Dauntless was a better aircraft than the Helldiver, which gained the nickname "Son of a Bitch 2nd Class." The Dauntless was one of the most important aircraft in the Pacific Theatre of World War II, with dozens of ships sunk or heavily damaged by Dauntlesses. 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Battle of the Philippine Sea was an air-sea battle of the Pacific campaign of World War II fought between the US Navy and the Imperial Japanese Navy on June 19 and June 20, 1944, off the Mariana Islands. ... The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was an aircraft carrier-based dive bomber produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service, and was initially strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD, and had...

Operators

• France, Mexico, New Zealand, United States (Army Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy),

Related content

Designation sequence

• Navy sequence: SBC - SB2C - SB3C - SBD - XSB2D - SBU - SB2U
• Army sequence: A-21 - A-22 - A-23 - A-24 - A-25 - A-26 - A-27

Related development

• Northrop YA-13
• Northrop A-17
• Northrop BT
• Douglas A-1 Skyraider

Similar aircraft

• Aichi D3A
• Fairey Barracuda

Related lists

• List of attack aircraft
• List of military aircraft of the United States

See also

External links

• Warbird Alley: SBD
• The SBD Shipborne Dive Bomber
• Aero-Web.org: SBD-5 Dauntless

The Curtiss SBC was a two-place scout bomber built by the Curtiss Wright Corporation. ... The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was an aircraft carrier-based dive bomber produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service, and was initially strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD, and had... The Curtiss XSB3C was to be an enlarged version of the SB2C Helldiver aircraft carrier-based dive bomber with tricycle landing gear. ... The Vought SB2U Vindicator (known as the Chesapeake in Royal Navy service) was a carrier-based dive bomber developed for the US Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role. ... The Stearman Model X-100 was a competitor in an Army Air Corps competition for a twin-engined attack aircraft which (after redesigns) lead to the A-20 Havoc, A-22 Maryland and B-25 Mitchell. ... The Martin A-22 Maryland was designed as a light bomber, first flying in 1939. ... The Martin A-23 Baltimore was a proposed enlarged version of the A-22 Maryland. ... The Curtiss A-12 Shrike was the United States Army Air Corps first monoplane attack aircraft, and its main attack aircraft through most of the 1930s. ... First flown in 1942, the Douglas A-26 Invader (after 1948, the B-26, and after 1966, the A-26A) was a twin-engined light attack bomber aircraft built during World War II and seeing service in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. ... The North American NA-69, an attack version of the T-6 Texan, was ordered by Thailand as a light attack aircraft. ... The YA-13 was an attack version of the Northrop Gamma 2 type aircraft. ... The Northrop A-17 was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, attack bomber built in 1935 by the Northrop Corporation for the US Army Air Corps. ... The Northrop BT was a two seat, single engine, monoplane, dive bomber built by the Northrop Corporation for the US Navy. ... The Douglas AD (later A-1) Skyraider, nicknamed the SPAD after early American fighter ace Eddie Rickenbackers mount of choice, was a US single-seat attack bomber of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s, a propeller-driven anachronism in the jet age with a remarkably long and successful career. ... The Aichi D3A (99式艦上爆撃機, Allied code name Val) was a World War II dive bomber produced by the Aichi company in Japan. ... The Fairey Barracuda was a British carrier-borne torpedo- and dive-bomber used during World War II, the first of its type to be fabricated entirely from metal. ... This list of military aircraft of the United States includes prototype, pre-production and operational types. ...