.

 

 

 

Developed directly from the Northrop BT-1 (the Northrop Corporation became a division of Douglas), the prototype of the Douglas SBD Dauntless two-seat carnerborne dive bomber was in fact a much modified production BT-1. Production orders for 57 SBD-1 and 87 SBD-2 aircraft were placed in April 1939, the former being delivered to US Marine Corps bombing and scout-bombing squadrons, and the latter to US Navy scout and bombing squadrons. The SBD-3, with two additional 12.7-mm (0.5-in) guns in the nose, self-sealing tanks and R-1820-52 engine, appeared in March 1941, and by the time of Pearl Harbor in December that year 584 SBD-3s had been delivered. Some 780 SBD-4 aircraft (with 24-volt electrical system but otherwise as the SBD-3 and produced at El Segundo, California) were built in 1942; photo-reconnaissance modifications (the SBD-1P, SBD-2P and SBD-3P) were also produced during 1941-2, A new Douglas plant at Tulsa, Oklahoma, built 2,409 SBD-5 aircraft with 894.8-kW (1,200-hp) R-1820-60 engines, following these with 451 SBD-6 aircraft with -66 engines. The USAAF took delivery of 168 SBD-3A, 170 SBD-4A and 615 SBD-5A aircraft as the A-24, A-24A and A-24B respectively, bringing the total Douglas production to 5,936 SBDs. They were unquestionably one of the USA's most important weapons in the Pacific war, and sank a greater tonnage of Japanese shipping than any other aircraft, as well as playing a key part in the great battles of Midway, the Coral Sea and the Solomons.

 

 

Specification Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless

 

Type: two-crew carrierborne scout/dive-bomber

 

Powerplant: one 894.8-kW (1,200-hp) Wright R-1820-60 radial piston engine

 

Performance: maximum speed 394 km/h (245 mph) at 4816 m(15,800 ft); initial climb rate 363 m 1,190 ft) per minute;

 

service ceiling 7407 m (24,300 ft); range 1770 km (1,100 miles)

 

Weights: empty 3028 kg (6,675 lb);maximum take-off 4924 kg (10,855 lb)

 

Dimensions: span 12.65 m (41 ft.25 in); length 10.06 m (33 ft 0 in); height 3.94 m (12 ft 11 in); wing area 30.19m2 (325.0 sq ft)

 

Armament: two fixed forward-firing 2,7-mm (0,5-in) machine-guns and two trainable 7.62-mm (0.3-m) guns in rear cockpit,

 

plus a bombload of one 726-kg ( 1,600-lb) bomb under the fuselage and two 147-kg(325-lb) bombs under the wings