Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>SBD>HA0170

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

On April 21 1944 Lt. Cook Cleland, better known for his modified F2G Corsair racing after WWII, along with his Radioman/Gunner, W J Hisler were flying SBD-5 White 39 of VB-16 assigned to the carrier USS Lexington (CV-16). On this day near Hollandia New Guinea, Cleland downed a Sonia (Mitsubishi Ki-51 light bomber). On June 20 1944 Gunner Hisler downed a Zeke (Mitsubishi A6M Reisen) along with a second aircraft damaged. White 39 returned to the carrier with the fuel almost exhausted.

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