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Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
1. A-25A-10-CS part: 13th FS USAAF number: 41-18826 1944-1945 years. The aircraft cabin with a lantern of the old model.
2. SB2C-4E of VB-87 from the USS Ticonderoga on 29 May, 1945 with empty bombrack and rocketrails.
3. SB2C-1C Unit: VB-2, U.S. Navy Serial: 18 CV-12 USS Hornet on 3rd July 1944.
4. SB2C-4E of VB-84 during Bunker Hill Tokyo Raids of 16-23 February, 1945.
5. SB2C-5E of the Aeronavale Esc 3F in Vietnam 1954.
6. Curtiss SB2C-3 of VB-3, USS Yorktown (CV-10), February 1945.
7. SB2C-4 'Baby II' Unit: VMSB-244 'Bombing Banshees' Serial: 702 Mindanao in June, 1945.
8. SB2C-5 part: VA-11A, U.S. Navy number: 312/V CV-45 USS Valley Forge, 1947.
9. Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver of Bombing Squadron 14, VB-14,a board the carrier USS Wasp, August 1944.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
1. SB2C-3 , VB-7, USS Hancock, January 1945.
2. SB2C-3E , VB-82. USS Benningtan, February 1945.
3. Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver, carrying tactical number 714, belonged to the USMC squadron VMSB-244 "Bombing Banshees" (Marine Aircraft Group 24). During June and July 1945.
4. SB2C-4, VMSB-244, Mindanao Philippines, 1945.
5. SB2C-3 BuNo Unknown, VB-18. USS Intrepid, 1944.
6. Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver, VB-89, Autumn 1945The Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver was the final production version of the U.S. Navy's
carrier-based dive bomber that served extensively during the closing stages of World War II. Introduced in 1945.
7. SB2C-4, VB-84, USS Bunker Hill, May 1945.
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver Warpaint Special No.7 116 Pages
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was one of those aircraft that was either loved or hated- there was no middle ground. Forged in a hurry for the forthcoming war the Helldiver was designed in a hurry, built by mostly by under skilled personnel while being bombarded by the customer with their extra changes and demands. Even under this pressure Curtiss managed to produce a prototype that flew, even though it would soon reveal strength and build problems. This is what prototypes are for, however, the first production model, the Dash-1, was beset by many problems that saw one carrier captain demanding that the Helldivers be removed and the off loaded Douglas Dauntless dive bombers be reinstated. From the SB2C-3 onwards, after undergoing a full modification programme, a competent combat aircraft would emerge. Used throughout 1944/45 the Helldiver squadrons, now operating from the fast carriers, took the war to the Japanese all the way to Tokyo. Post 1945 the Helldiver would stay on active service until replaced by the Douglas AD-1 Skyraider. Overseas usage would see later build models being operated by France, Greece, Italy ,Portugal and Thailand. The Royal Navy also formed a single squadron that would never deploy on active service. Undergoing flight testing in Britain, Eric 'Winkle' Brown would declare that the Helldiver was the worst aircraft he had ever flown. Artwork and scale drawings by Sam Pearson.
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