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Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>SBD>HA0162

Douglas SBD-5 Flotille (Squadron) 4.F. "French Navy"
HA0162
General Background
The SBD-5 Dauntless was the best variant built with 2,965 aircraft being built. Even with its upgrades there was one major stumbling block for this plane and that was its lack of folding wings. As the USN built more and more carriers for their offensive against Japan this problem became even larger. So after the invasion of the Mariannas the USN SBDs were assigned to secondary land based operations where they spent the rest of WWII.
The Aircraft
This SBD-5 of the French Navy belonged to the 4FB which was established in Morocco in late 1944 together with the 3FB.

It retained the standard American three tone Navy color with its own national insignia. After WWII they operated briefly from the carrier Arromanches.
Specifications :
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
Crew: 2 (pilot, observer/gunner)

Dimension:

 

Length: 33'1" 10.0m)
Height: 13'7" (4.1m)
Wingspan: 41'6" (12.6m)
Wing area: 325.0 sq. ft. (30.0 sq.m)
Weight:
Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg)
Gross weight: 10,676 lb (4,853 kg
Performance:
Powerplant: 1 X Wright R-1820-60 1,200 hp
Range: 1,115 miles (1,795 km)
Cruising speed: 185 mph (298 km/h) (161 kt)
Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h) (221 kt)
Climb rate: 1,700 ft/min (518 m/min)
Ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Armament: 2 X 0.50 inch MGs in upper nose
2 X 0.30 inch movable MGs rearward firing from rear cockpit
up to 2,250 lb of bombs – 1 X 1,600 lb
or 1,000 center-line bomb – 2 X 325 lb under wing