High Gallery
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U. S.
Military Aircraft SBD-5 DAUNTLESS Photo by Salamander |
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The Dauntless was the most successful American dive bomber of the Second World War, and could trace its origins to Northrop PT-1 scout/dive bomber, which enter service in 1938. A BT-2 was planned, but in 1940 Northrop became a subsidiary of Douglas and the improved model became the SBD. The SBD-1 entered US Marine Corps service in late 1941, and provided invaluable in the defeat of the Japanese in the battle of Midway, turning point of the pacific war. The Dauntless was phased out of carrier borne service 1944, but remained operational as a land based type to the end of the war. Total production was 5,937 including the US Army's A-24 variant. |
TECHNICAL DATA
| Description | Specifications |
| Manufacturer: Douglas | Length: 33 ft. 1.25 in. |
| First Flight: | Height: 13 ft. 7 in. |
| Model: 5 | Wing Span: 41 ft. 6.5 in. |
| Crew: Two | Wing Area: 325.0 sq. ft. |
| Nickname: Dauntless | Empty Weight: 6,404 lb. |
| Basic Role: Carrier borne & land based scout and dive bomber. | Max. Weight: 10,700 lb. |
| Other Versions: SBD-1 initial model with 1,000-hp Wright R-1820-32 radial. SBD-2 heavier armament and more fuel. SBD-3 first major model with R-1820-52 engine, heavier firepower, and self sealing fuel tanks of greater capacity. SBD-4 revised electronics. SBD-5 and British Dauntless DB.Mk I definitive model with greater power. SBD-6 1,350 R-1820-66 and increased fuel capacity. | Armament: Two 0.5-in 12.7-mm machine guns in the forward fuselage and two 0.3-in 7.62-mm machine guns in dorsal position, and up to 2,250 lb of bombs. |
| Principal User: France, Great Britain, Mexico, New Zealand, and USA. |
Propulsion |
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Performance |
Power Plant: Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone radial piston engine. |
| Range: 1,115 miles. | Horsepower: 1,200-hp. |
| Max. Speed: 255 mph. | No. Of Engines: One |
| Ceiling: 25,530 ft. | |
| Climb Rate: 1,700 ft. per minute. |