Though initially not as well-liked by her crews as the Douglas Dauntless was, the Curtiss Helldiver went on to sink more ship tonnage than any other aircraft in World War 2.
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a rather unassuming dive bomber / reconnaissance aircraft serving throughout World War 2 beginning in 1943. Originally designed in a competition to replace the aging SBC biplane series, the SB2C faced off against Brewster's entry - the XSB2A Buccaneer - with the SB2C coming out the eventual winner. The SB2C went on to replace the aging Douglas SBD Dauntless in service with the United States Navy.
The Helldiver was conceived as a metal, low-monoplane wing design fielding a crew of two seated in tandem within a long cockpit - the pilot in the forward area and the tail gunner in the aft. The SB2C, incidentally, became the third in a long line of aircraft to bear the moniker of "Helldiver" and would go on to earn a substantial combat record in the war. The aircraft was fitted with a single Wright-powered engine at the extreme forward of the fuselage powering a three-bade propeller. The fuselage sported straight wings with a tapered trailing edge and rounded tips. The torpedo-like fuselage became something of a hallmark of the series and a surely identifiable design feature. The design was specifically engineered with a large-area tail assembly for improved handling.
The US Navy Helldiver was produced with a reinforced and retractable undercarriage as well as an arrestor hook for carrier operations. The system would eventually graduate to field high-explosive, unguided rockets under the wings along with its traditional load of bombs in the arsenal. Ordnance could be held in the internal bomb bay (including a single torpedo) as well as along two underwing hardpoints. Standard armament included a pair of fixed forward-firing 20mm cannons (4 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns in earlier production models) in the wings and a pair of 7.62mm M1919 Browning air-cooled machine guns in the rear cockpit.
The one and only XB2C-1 prototype crashed shortly after its maiden flight in November of 1940, with the accident occurring in February of 1941. The system was revised with larger-area tail surfaces, increased offensive armament and self-sealing, increased-capacity fuel tanks. The new design was put into full production with the United States Navy and United States Army (with the latter as the A25-A "Shrike") but suffered from production delays. The Helldiver officially saw her first taste of combat on November 11th, 1943 from the deck of the USS Bunker Hill in strikes against Japanese targets at Rabaul. In action, the early generation SB2C-1 Helldiver left much to be desired. It would not be until the arrival of the SB2C-4 that the system would finally peak.
The US Army Air Force A-25A saw limited use and would later be transferred to some units of the US Marine Corps as a traditional land-based dive bomber / reconnaissance aircraft. These Helldivers would earn the designation of SB2C-1A and would be relegated as trainers never to see combat. The SB2C as a series would see several variants that would improve upon the former model by increasing output power, fuel efficiency and armament. By war's end, the SB2C would become a legend in its own right. Total production peaked at around 7,140 examples.
Despite the nature of the new design - proving larger, but at the same time, faster than the Dauntless it replaced - the Helldiver proved to have some tough handling characteristics that did not liken her to her crews. The aircraft earned such derogatory nicknames as "Son of a Bitch, 2nd Class" in reference to her "SB2C" designation. Regardless, the Helldiver proved a most potent mount and was able to carry a greater ordnance payload than her predecessor.
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Specifications
Curtiss Aircraft - USA / Canadian Car & Foundry; Fairchild Canada - Canada Manufacturer(s)
Australia; Canada; France; Greece; Kingdom of Italy; Portugal; Thailand; United Kingdom; United States Operators
GROUND ATTACK
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
SPECIAL-MISSION: ANTI-SHIP
Equipped to search, track, and engage enemy surface elements through visual acquisition, radar support, and onboard weaponry.
MARITIME / NAVY
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.
INTELLIGENCE-SURVEILLANCE-RECONNAISSANCE
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
36.6 ft (11.17 meters) Length
49.7 ft (15.15 meters) Width/Span
14.8 ft (4.50 meters) Height
10,580 lb (4,799 kilograms) Empty Weight
16,288 lb (7,388 kilograms) Maximum Take-Off Weight
STANDARD:
2 x 20mm Automatic cannons in the wings (fixed, forward-firing).
2 x 0.30 caliber Browning M1919 machine guns on a flexible mounting (trainable) in the rear cockpit.
OPTIONAL:
Up to 2,000lb of ordnance held in the internal bomb bay supporting conventional drop bombs or 1 x Mark 13-2 naval torpedo.
Also up to 500lb of drop ordnance across two underwing hardpoints.
2 Hardpoints
SB2C "Helldiver" - Base Series Name
Model 84 - Series Development Designation
X2B2C-1 - Prototype Series Designation; single prototype lost during testing.
SB2C-1 - Series Designation; fitted with Wright R-2600-8 Cyclone 14 radial piston engine delivering 1,700hp.
A-25A - US Army Series Designation of the base SB2C model series; limited service numbers eventually reassigned to USMC.
SB2C-1A - USMC land-based role of the former US Army A-25A models.
SB2C-1C - 2 x 20mm cannons in place of 4 x 12.7mm machine guns in wings.
SB2C-3 - Fitted with 1,900hp R-2600-20 powerplant.
SB2C-4 - Fitted with underwing rocket rails and bomb racks.
SB2C-4E - Radar-equipped Helldiver
SB2C-5 - Increased fuel capacity; 2 x 20mm cannon with 2 x 7.62mm machine guns.
SBF - Helldiver models produced by Fairchild.
SBW - Helldiver models produced by Canadian Car & Foundry.
Helldiver I - British Royal Navy designation of SBW-1B models built in Canada; 28 examples.
Images
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Image from the United States Department of Defense DVIDS imagery database.
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High-angled right side view of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver from the USS Intrepid in flight
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A flight of Curtiss SB2C Helldivers in formation
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Front left side view of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber over Tokyo, Japan in 1945
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Low-angled right side rear view of a banking Curtiss SB2C Helldiver over the USS Hornet
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Front right underside view of a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver preparing to launch from the deck of the USS Hancock
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A Curtiss SB2C Helldiver fuselage undergoing restoration at the USAF Museum in Dayton, Ohio; color
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A fleet of Curtiss SB2C Helldivers and Vought F4U Corsairs on the deck of the USS Midway circa 1946; color
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Close-up detail view of the wing fold hinge on a Curtiss SB2C Helldiver aboard the USS Antietam during 1946-1947
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Female pilots go over the days planned flight route on the wing of their Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber
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