Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>SBD>HA0173

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

Aircraft BuNo. 4687 from the USS Enterprise (The Big E) (CV-6) was flown by the Lt. Richard H. Best, commanding officer of VB-6. On June 4, 1942 while flying Black B-1 from Bombing Six, Best and Murray took part in two sorties that day. The first mission took place in the morning against the IJNS Akagi and Kaga. In the afternoon they helped with the sinking of IJNS Hiryu. During the operation Best inhaled caustic fumes from a faulty oxygen bottle damaging his lungs and forcing him into early retirement from active duty.

Specifications :

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