Air Power Series>1:32 die-cast display model>SBD>HA0209

General Background

The Douglas “Dauntless” was the workhorse for the US Navy during the WWII. This “Slow but Deadly” dive-bomber was the only plane that had fight in every major Pacific conflicts. Although it had been considered obsolete in 1941 already, the Dauntless was used until 1944 and undertook the last major conflict in the Battle of Philippine Sea. A total of 5,936 SBDs were produced in WWII.

The Aircraft

Originally Douglas SBD-2 BuNo 2106 belonged to VB-2 aboard USS Lexington. It survived the Pearl Harbor attack and in April 1942 was reassigned to VMSB-241. On June 4, 1942 VMSB-241 launched sixteen SBDs to attack Japanese carriers. Only eight SBDs returned and 2106, riddled with 219 bullet holes was one of them. The aircraft was repaired and sent to a training unit in Illinois. On June 11, 1943 the aircraft was ditched into Lake Michigan, in 1994 salvaged, restored and on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

Specifications :

Dimensions:
Length:	32 ft., 8 in.
Height:	13 ft., 7 in.
Wingspan:	41ft., 6 in.
Weights:
Empty:	6,345 lb.
Gross:	10,400 lb.
Powerplant:	One 1,000 horsepower Wright R-1820-52 engine
Performance:
Maximum Speed:	250 M.P.H.
Maximum Range with Bomb Load:	1,345 miles
Service Ceiling:	27,100 ft.
Crew:	Pilot and gunner/radio operator
Armament:	Two fixed forward-firing .50-in. guns, two flexible-mounted rear-firing .30-in. guns, 1,200 lb. of ordnance