How good was the Dauntless dive bomber?
During its combat service, the SBD proved to be an excellent naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics from the perforated dive brakes, good defensive armament, and ruggedness.
Who was the best dive bomber of ww2?
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was sturdy enough for pilots to dive at a near-vertical 80 degrees. The US Navy’s primary dive-bomber at the war’s start, the bomber earned its reputation—and helped earn victory—at the 1942 Battle of Midway, sinking four Japanese carriers.
How many Dauntless dive bombers are still flying?
The aircraft remains airworthy and is only one of a handful of A-24B/SBD-5s flying today out of a total of 3,640 built (USN 2,965; USAAF 675).
How many dive bombers survived Midway?
three
One TBF and two B-26s crash-landed on Midway afterward, and only six of the TBDs made it back to the carriers; only three of the aircraft were flyable. Of the 99 men in the 42 torpedo planes that were lost, only three survived the battle.
What did SBD stand for?
The SBD (“Scout Bomber Douglas”) was the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps scout plane and dive-bomber from 1940 to 1944.
Was dive bombing effective in ww2?
Dive bombing was most widely used before and during World War II; its use declined during the war, when its vulnerability to enemy fighters became apparent.
What does SBD stand for Dauntless?
Scout Bomber Douglas
The Dauntless played a starring role in the war in the Pacific. The SBD (“Scout Bomber Douglas”) was the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps scout plane and dive-bomber from 1940 to 1944.
Was the SBD Dauntless a good plane?
How does a dive bomber work?
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target simplifies the bomb’s trajectory and allows the pilot to keep visual contact throughout the bomb run.