Time Period: World War II
Country of Origin: United States
Type: Bomber Aircraft, Scout Aircraft
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
Douglas SBD Dauntless Aircraft Overview
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a carrier-based dive bomber that was used extensively by the United States Navy and Marine Corps during World War II. The aircraft was designed and built by the Douglas Aircraft Company in the mid-1930s as a replacement for the earlier Douglas TBD Devastator.
The SBD Dauntless was a single-engine, low-wing monoplane with a crew of two. It was powered by a Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engine, which gave it a top speed of around 250 mph. The aircraft was armed with two .50 caliber machine guns in the nose and two more in the rear cockpit, as well as a bomb load of up to 2,250 pounds.
The SBD Dauntless saw action in many of the major battles of the Pacific theater, including the Battle of the Coral Sea, the Battle of Midway, and the Battle of Guadalcanal. It was particularly effective as a dive bomber, with its pilots able to accurately drop bombs on enemy targets from high altitude dives.
The SBD Dauntless played a key role in many important battles and was instrumental in turning the tide of the war in the Pacific. It is often credited with sinking more Japanese ships than any other aircraft in the U.S. Navy. The aircraft was eventually replaced by the newer Curtiss SB2C Helldiver in the later stages of the war.
Douglas SBD Dauntless (SBD-5) Specifications
- Crew: 2
- Length: 33 ft 1.25 in (10.0902 m)
- Wingspan: 41 ft 6.375 in (12.65873 m)
- Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
- Wing area: 325 sq ft (30.2 m2)
- Airfoil: root: NACA 2415; tip: NACA 2407
- Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg)
- Gross weight: 9,359 lb (4,245 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb (4,853 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 260 US gal (220 imp gal; 980 l) in non-metallic self-sealing fuel tanks
- Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
- Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propeller
Douglas SBD Dauntless (SBD-5) Performance
- Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 kn) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
- Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 kn)
- Range: 1,115 mi (1,794 km, 969 nmi)
- Ferry range: 1,565 mi (2,519 km, 1,360 nmi)
- Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
- Wing loading: 28.8 lb/sq ft (141 kg/m2)
- Power/mass: 0.128 hp/lb (0.210 kW/kg)
Douglas SBD Dauntless (SBD-5) Armament
- Guns: ** 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing synchronized Browning M2 machine guns in engine cowling
- 2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted Browning M1919 machine guns in rear
- Bombs: 2,250 lb (1,020 kg) of bombs.
