(Curtiss) SB2C Helldiver @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
    Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
  • Curtiss XSB2C Helldiver Prototype Curtiss XSB2C Helldiver Prototype
    Curtiss XSB2C Helldiver Prototype
  • A-25A Shrike - RAAF c1943 A-25A Shrike - RAAF c1943
    A-25A Shrike - RAAF c1943
  • SB2C-3 VB-7 - Indochina 1945 SB2C-3 VB-7 - Indochina 1945
    SB2C-3 VB-7 - Indochina 1945
  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
    Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
  • Curtiss SB2C-4E - VB-74 USS Midway Curtiss SB2C-4E - VB-74 USS Midway
    Curtiss SB2C-4E - VB-74 USS Midway
  • SB2C dropping ASM-N-2 guided bomb - 1946 SB2C dropping ASM-N-2 guided bomb - 1946
    SB2C dropping ASM-N-2 guided bomb - 1946
  • SB2C-4 - NAS Kaneohe Rescue Unit SB2C-4 - NAS Kaneohe Rescue Unit
    SB2C-4 - NAS Kaneohe Rescue Unit
  • SB2C-5 - USS Tarawa 1947 SB2C-5 - USS Tarawa 1947
    SB2C-5 - USS Tarawa 1947
  • Curtiss SB2C - USS Wasp c1944 Curtiss SB2C - USS Wasp c1944
    Curtiss SB2C - USS Wasp c1944
  • Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (VB-150 - 1945) Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (VB-150 - 1945)
    Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (VB-150 - 1945)
  • SB2C-3 - VB-7 - Formosa c1944 SB2C-3 - VB-7 - Formosa c1944
    SB2C-3 - VB-7 - Formosa c1944
  • Helldivers over USS Yorktown 1944 Helldivers over USS Yorktown 1944
    Helldivers over USS Yorktown 1944
  • SB2C-5 Helldiver - Midland Texas SB2C-5 Helldiver - Midland Texas
    SB2C-5 Helldiver - Midland Texas
  • Curtiss SB2C - CVG-4 - Tinian Curtiss SB2C - CVG-4 - Tinian
    Curtiss SB2C - CVG-4 - Tinian
  • SB2C-5 crash - USS Kearsarge - 1948 SB2C-5 crash - USS Kearsarge - 1948
    SB2C-5 crash - USS Kearsarge - 1948
  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver - VB-82 USS Bennington 1945 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver - VB-82 USS Bennington 1945
    Curtiss SB2C Helldiver - VB-82 USS Bennington 1945
  • Curtiss SB2C-5 - NACA Curtiss SB2C-5 - NACA
    Curtiss SB2C-5 - NACA
  • Curtiss SB2C Helldiver 1943 Curtiss SB2C Helldiver 1943
    Curtiss SB2C Helldiver 1943
  • SB2C-5 Helldiver SB2C-5 Helldiver
    SB2C-5 Helldiver
  • CAF Curtiss SB2C Helldiver CAF Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
    CAF Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
  • USAF A-25A-5-CS Shrike USAF A-25A-5-CS Shrike
    USAF A-25A-5-CS Shrike
  • SB2C-4 - USS Yorktown - Iwo Jima SB2C-4 - USS Yorktown - Iwo Jima
    SB2C-4 - USS Yorktown - Iwo Jima
  • SB2C-1 - USS Yorktown - 1943 SB2C-1 - USS Yorktown - 1943
    SB2C-1 - USS Yorktown - 1943

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

The Helldiver was developed to replace the Douglas SBD Dauntless; it was a much larger aircraft able to operate from the latest aircraft carriers of the time and carry a considerable array of armament and featured an internal bomb bay that reduced drag when carrying heavy ordnance. Saddled with demanding requirements set forth by both the U.S. Marines and United States Army Air Forces, the manufacturer incorporated features of a "multi-role" aircraft into the design.

The Model XB2C-1 prototype initially suffered teething problems connected to its R-2600 engine and 3-bladed propeller; further concerns included structural weaknesses, poor handling, directional instability and bad stall characteristics. The first prototype flew on December 18, 1940. After the prototype crashed in February 1941, Curtiss was asked to rebuild it with revised structures and shapes. This second prototype version was also lost when in December 1941 the Helldiver pulled out of a dive and the starboard wing and tailplane failed catastrophically.

Large-scale production had already been ordered on 29 November 1940, but a large number of modifications were specified for the production model. The size of the fin and rudder was enlarged, fuel capacity was increased and self-sealing added and the fixed armament was doubled to four .50 in guns in the wings, compared with the prototype's two cowling guns. The SB2C-2 was built with larger fuel tanks, improving its range considerably.

The program suffered so many delays that the Grumman TBF Avenger entered service before the Helldiver, even though the Avenger had begun its development two years later. Nevertheless, production tempo accelerated with production at Columbus, Ohio and two Canadian factories : Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. (Canada) which produced a total of 300, designated XSBF-l, SBF-l, SBF-3 and SBF-4E, while Canadian Car and Foundry built 894 examples designated SBW-l, SBW-3, SBW-4, SBW-4E and SBW-5. These models being respectively equivalent to their Curtiss-built counterparts. A total of 7.140 SB2Cs were produced in World War II.

Operational service

The large number (literally thousands) of modifications and changes on the production line meant that the Curtiss Helldiver did not enter combat until 11 November 1943 with VB-17 on the USS Bunker Hill, when they attacked the Japanese-held port of Rabaul on the island of New Britain, north of Papua New Guinea. Even though the Helldiver entered U.S. Naval service, it still had such structural problems that the aircraft crews were forbidden to dive bomb in clean conditions (one of its main tasks). The SB2C-1 could deploy slats mechanically linked with undercarriage actuation extended from the outer third of the wing leading edge to aid lateral control at low speeds. The early prognosis of the "Beast" was unfavourable as it was strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD it replaced.

The litany of faults that the Helldiver bore included the fact that it was underpowered, had a shorter range than the SBD, was equipped with an unreliable electrical system and was often poorly manufactured.

An oddity of the SB2Cs with 1942 to 1943-style tricolor camouflage was that the undersides of the outer wing panels carried dark topside camouflage because the undersurfaces were visible from above when the wings were folded.

Postwar, surplus aircraft were sold to the navies of France, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Thailand.

Non-naval service

Built at Curtiss' St. Louis plant, 900 aircraft were ordered by the USAAF under the designation A-25A Shrike. The first ten aircraft had folding wings, while the remainder of the production order deleted this feature. Many other changes distinguished the A-25A including larger main wheels, a pneumatic tail wheel, ring and bead gunsight, longer exhaust stubs and other Army specified radio equipment. By later 1943 when the A-25A was being introduced, the USAAF no longer had a role for the dive bomber. After offering the Shrike to Australia, only ten were accepted before the Royal Australian Air Force rejected the remainder of the order, forcing the USAAF to send 410 to US Marines. The A-25As were converted to SB2C-1 standard but the Marine SB2C-1 variant never saw combat, being utilized primarily as trainers. The remaining A-25As were similarly employed as trainers and target tugs.

A comparable scenario accompanied the Helldiver's service with the British. A total of 26 aircraft (out of 450 ordered) were delivered to the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, where they were known as the Helldiver I. After unsatisfactory tests that pinpointed "appalling handling", none of the British Helldivers were used operationally.

Variants

  • XSB2C-1 : Prototype powererd by a 1700hp R-2600-8 engine.
  • SB2C-1 : Production version for United States Navy with four 0.5 wing guns and one 0.3in dorsal gun, 200 built.
  • SB2C-1A : Original designation for United States Army Air Corps version which became A-25A later used for 410 A-25As transferred to the United States Marine Corps.
  • SB2C-1C : SB2C-1 with four 20mm wing cannons and hydraulically operated flaps, 778 built.
  • XSB2C-2 : One SB2C-1 fitted with twin floats in 1942.
  • SB2C-2 : Production float plane version, 287 cancelled and not built.
  • XSB2C-3 : One SB2C-1 re-engined with a 1900hp R-2600-20.
  • SB2C-3 : As SB2C-1 re-engined with a 1900hp R-2600-20 and four-bladed propeller, 1112 built.
  • S2BC-3E : SB2C-3s fitted with APS-4 radar.
  • SB2C-4 : SB2C-1 but fitted with wing racks for eight 5-inch rockets or 1000lb bombs, 2045 built.
  • SB2C-4E : SB2C-4s fitted with APS-4 radar.
  • XSB2C-5 : Two SB2C-4s converted as prototypes for -5 variant.
  • SB2C-5 : SB2C-4 with increased fuel capacity, 970 built (2500 cancelled).
  • XSB2C-6 : Two SB2C-1C fitted with 2100hp R-2600-22 engine and increased fuel capacity.
  • SBF-1 : Canadian built version of the SB2C-1, 50 built by Fairchild-Canada
  • SBF-3 : Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 150 built by Fairchild-Canada.
  • SBF-4E : Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 100 built by Fairchild-Canada.
  • SBW-1 : Canadian built version of the SB2C-1, 38 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
  • SBW-1B : Canadian built version for lend-lease to the Royal Navy as the Helldiver I, 28 aircraft built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
  • SBW-3 : Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 413 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
  • SBW-4E : Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 270 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
  • SBW-5 : Canadian-built version of the SB2C-5, 85 built (165 cancelled) by the Canadian Car & Foundry company.
  • A-25A Shrike : United States Army Air Corps version without arrester gear or folding wings and equipment changed, 900 built.
  • Helldiver I : Royal Navy designation for 28 Canadian-built SBW-1Bs.

Operators

Australia, Royal Australian Air Force, in France : Aviation Navale, in Greece : The Hellenic Air Force, in Italy : the Aeronautica Militare, Portugal : The Portuguese Naval Aviation (until 1952) and the Portuguese Air Force (after 1952), Thailand : Royal Thai Air Force, United Kingdom : Fleet Air Arm, United States : United States Army Air Force, United States Marine Corps, United States Navy.

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This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Curtiss SB2C Helldiver of Wikipedia ( authors )

Specifications (SB2C Helldiver)

  • Crew : Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner.
  • Length : 36 ft 9 in (11.2 m).
  • Height : 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m).
  • Wingspan : 49 ft 9 in (15.2 m).
  • Wing area : 422 ft² (39.2 m²).
  • Empty weight : 10,114 lb (4,588 kg).
  • Loaded weight : 13,674 lb (6,202 kg).
  • Max takeoff weight : 16,800 lb (7,600 kg).
  • Maximum speed : 294 mph (473 km/h).
  • Range : 1,200 miles (1,900 km).
  • Service ceiling : 25,000 ft (7,600 m).
  • Rate of climb : 1,750 ft/min (8.9 m/s).
  • Powerplant : One Wright R-2600 Cyclone radial engine.
  • Power : 1,900 hp (or 1,400 kW).
  • Armament : Two 20 mm cannon in the wings, two .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns in the rear cockpit. Internally, 2,000 lb (or 900 kg) of bombs or a Mark 13-2 torpedo. 500 lb (or 225 kg) of bombs under each underwing hardpoints.

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This text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License
Source : Article Curtiss SB2C Helldiver of Wikipedia ( authors )
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver : Your comments on this subject
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