Curtiss SB2C-5 'Helldiver' for Dana (danapommet) by junge1
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Description
This Curtiss Wright SB2C-5 was built in 1944 and was given the Navy designation BuNo 83589.
The Ontario Air Museum acquired it in May 1963 and sold it to the Confederate Air Force at Harlington, Texas in 1970. It crashed after an engine failure at Harlington in August 1985, but after countless of hours put in by volunteers and more than $200,000 it was restored and flew again on September 27, 1988.
It is now owned and operated by the Commemorative Air Force (Cactus Squadron) in Graham, Texas and is classified experimental NX92879 and is the only airworthy Curtiss SB2C-5.
Background:
The Curtiss Wright SB2C 'Helldiver' was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD 'Dauntless'.
It had a reputation for having difficult handling characteristics, and neither pilots nor aircraft carrier skippers seemed to like it.
Delays marked its production and due to factors such as poor handling of the aircraft, both the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force cancelled substantial orders for the type.
The U.S. Navy would not accept the SB2C until 880 modifications to the design and the changes on the production line had been made, delaying the Curtiss Helldiver's combat depute until November 11, 1943 with Squadron VB-17 on the USS Bunker Hill.
Despite of its problems, the aircraft was flown through the last two years of the Pacific War with a fine combat record, due to the high training of its crew.
It participated in all major engagements in the Pacific, including the sinking of the 'Yamato'.(corrected)
General Characteristics:
Crew: Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner
Length: 36-ft 8-in (11.18m)
Wingspan:49-ft 9-in (15.17m)
Height: 13-ft 2-in (4.01m)
Wing area: 422 square feet (39.2 square meter)
Empty weight: 10,547lb (4,794kg)
Max takeoff weight: 16,616lb (7,553kg)
Power Plant: 1 x Wright R-2600-20 twin cyclone radial engine 1,900hp (1,417kW)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 295mph (257kts, 475 km/h)
Cruise Speed: 158 mph, (137kts, 254km/h)
Range: 1,165mi (1,013nmi, 1,876km)
Service ceiling: 29,100-ft (8,870m)
Rate of Climb: 1,800 ft/min (9.1m/s)
Armament:
Guns: 2 x 20mm (.79in) cannon in wings
2 x 0.30 (7.62mm) M1919 Browning machine guns in the rear cockpit
Bombs: internally: 2,000lb (900kg) of bombs or 1 x Mark 13-2 torpedo
On under wing hard points: 500lb (225kg) of bombs each
A total of 7,140 SB2Cs were produced between 1943 and 1945.
Postwar, SB2Cs remained in active service in the US Navy until 1947 and Naval Reserve units until 1950. Surplus aircraft were sold to the Naval Air Forces of France, Italy, Greece, Portugal, and Thailand. The last helldiver was retired in 1959 from the Italian Air Force (Wikipedia).
This picture was taken on 1 June 2012,
Sig...
Comments (29)
jocko500
wonderful shot
drifterlee
Really cool plane!!!!!!
flavia49
superb shot
casmindo
Nice really nice
Faemike55
Very cool photo and interesting specs
bobrgallegos
Great capture of this awesome plane!!
sandra46
AMAZING SHOT
junge1
@weesel: Thanks for pointing it out. I made the correction. Thanks again!
danapommet
Thanks for the dedi Sig. I am a big fan of the old WW II planes and especially the carrier planes. This is a great shot and there is no way I could have flown backwards as the gunner. As always - excellent narrative and information!
crunch01
great shot and info buddy this is one of my fav WW2 warbirds and I was blessed being on the modeling team of a combat flight sim and did this plane among a few others ... love it perfect shot!
renecyberdoc
wonderful.
whaleman
Great position for this awesome aircraft! Well done!
jayfar
This is a great shot of this lovely aircraft.
neiwil
Beautiful aircraft, so difficult to fly Curtis Wright issued a booklet for pilots called 'Pilot and Beast' What Every Young Pilot Should Know About The Helldiver....it is presented in a light hearted way with cartoon illustrations but the message is very serious.....makes fascinating reading. Great photo, the leaden sky gives real atmosphere, marvelous when zoomed.
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God Bless.
debbielove
Now THAT is a rare aircraft! As you say Sig, the only airworthy one in the world....so far! I've never seen one.. In real life that is.. lol Thanks for posting, Great dedi! Rob
farmerC
Shining shot.
bebert
nice plane, nice shot !
lyron
Great image!!
mariogiannecchini
Very interesting and beautiful shot !
Tryphon
Great shot of the aircraft taxiing, well done.
UteBigSmile
Mit so einem Flieger möchte ich auch gerne mal ne Runde drehen, jedoch mit einem leeren Magen und 2 Fallschirmen für den Notfall, das der Eine nicht aufgeht und du als Pilot - Zwinker!
starship64
Wonderful picture. I love those old warbirds.
weesel
Great shot of a fine warbird. ;)
auntietk
Excellent capture!
UVDan
Excellent photo and history!
0rest4wicked
Outstanding dedication and I have to say that I too am heavily into the WWII warbirds! Looks like they are really taking care of this beauty, immaculate image!
Briney
Always like to see carrier aircraft... thanks for the history too!
Buffalo1
Got some of old pics of this lovely bird, too. Great shot!