United States' Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber1,2,3,4
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver: |
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver crew: |
Design
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was designed to meet a 1939 United States Navy specification.3 The plane was to carry bombs in an internal bomb bay and the aircraft had to be able to fit on an elevator 40' x 48'.4 The project engineer was Raymond C. Blaylock.4
The rear gunner had a large sheet of armor protecting him.1
Divebrakes were fitted to the wing and the trailing edge flaps were split.1
Prototype
The XSB2C-1 prototype first flew on December 18, 1940.2,3,4 Test pilot Lloyd Childs wasn't enthusiastic about the bomber after taking it for a test flight and discovering stability problems.4 In February 1941, during a test flight, the engine quit on an approach to landing.4 Flight tests didn't resume until May 1941.4
During trials one SB2C Helldiver broke apart.1
The specifications and thus the design was changed and the new production model wasn't completed until June 1942.3,4 It had a larger tail and revised rear fuselage.3 There was also more armor protection installed.3 There were around 880 other changes.3,4
Production
An initial order for 370 SB2C-1s was placed on May 15, 1939.4 This was placed well before the first prototype was completed.4
At the Columbus plant a "post production" line was setup to install modifications to finished aircraft coming of the main production line.4 These were mainly modifications to control surfaces and internal fixes.4
- XSB2C-1: 13
- SB2C-1: 9784
- SB2C-2: 2003
- SB2C-1C: 7783
- SB2C-3: 1,1123,4
- SB2C-4, SB2C-4E: 2,0453,4
- SB2C-5: 9703,4
- Production: February 1945 - 4
- A-25A/SB2C-1A: 9003
- A-25A: 9004
- Manufacturer: Curtiss (St. Louis)4
- SBF-1/3/4/4E/5: 3002,3
- Produced by Fairchild of Canada3
- SBW-1/3/4/4E/5: 8943, 9842
- Produced by Canadian Car and Foundry Co. (CCF)3
- Total: 7,1992, 7,2003
Variants
- XSB2C-1: Prototype.2,3
- XSB2C-2: The 5th production aircraft was modified to have twin floats and a ventral fin installed.4 It was destroyed in water tests and was cancelled.4
- SB2C-1: Had larger fin and rudder.2 Carried more fuel.2 Armament was four 12.7 mm MGs in the wings.2
- SB2C-1A: Redesignated A-25As taken over by US Marines.2,3
- SB2C-1C: Had two 20 mm guns in the wings.2,3
- SB2C-3: Arrived in 1944.2 Had a more powerful engine.2,3 Used Curtiss Electric propeller.4 Perforated dive brakes.4
- SB2C-3E: APS-4 radar was in a housing under the wing.4
- SB2C-4: Could carry eight 5" / 127 mm rockets or 1,000 lb / 454 kg of bombs under the wings.2,3
- SB2C-4E: Had a small pod under the wing that carried radar (APS-44).2,3,4
- SB2C-5: Carried more fuel (35 gallons4).2,3,4
- A-25A Shrike: United States Air Force version of the SB2C-1.2,3,4
- SBW-1B / Helldiver I: Canadian constructed for the Royal Navy.2,3
Usage
The SB2C was used by the Australia, Britain, and United States.3
First Use
The VB-17 conducted a raid on Rabaul on November 11, 1943.2,3
Australia
The Australians used 10 Shrikes in 1943 to 1944.3 None became operational.3
United Kingdom
Only 26 were delivered out of 450 that were ordered by 1944.1,2,4 None became operational.1,2,3,4
United States
The United States Navy used 5,516 during World War II.1
The VB-17 squadron on the USS Bunker Hill was the first ones issued the SB2C Helldiver.1
The United States Air Force used the SB2C Helldiver as a trainer and a target tower.1 These were called the A-25A and there were 900 produced.2 Many of these were taken over by the United States Marine Corps.2
| Curtiss SB2C Helldiver1,3 | Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver3 | Curtiss SB2C-2 Helldiver3 | Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver3 | Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver2 | Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Dive bomber1,3 Torpedo bomber1 |
Scout2 Bomber2 |
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| Crew | 31 | 22 | ||||
| Engine (Type) | Wright R-2600-8 Cyclone1 | Wright R-2600-8 Cyclone3,4 | Wright R-2600-8 Cyclone3 | Wright R-2600-203,4 | Wright R-2600-20 piston2,3,4 | Wright R-2600-203,4 |
| Cylinders | Radial 143 | Radial 143 | Radial2 | |||
| Cooling | Air1 | |||||
| HP | 1,9001 | 1,7003,4 | 1,7003 | 1,9003,4 | 1,9002,3,4 | 1,9003,4 |
| Propeller blades | 41 | 33,4 | 33 | 43,4 | 43,4 | 43,4 |
| Dimensions | ||||||
| Span | 49' 6"1, 49' 9"3 15.16 m3, 15.2 m1 |
49' 9"2 15.16 m2 |
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| Length | 36' 8"1,3 11.17 m3, 11.2 m1 |
36' 8"2 11.17 m2 |
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| Height | 13' 2"1,3 4.01 m3, 5.1 m1 |
13' 2"2 4.01 m2 |
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| Wing area | 422 ft2 1 39.2 m2 1 |
422 ft2 2 39.2 m2 2 |
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| Weight | ||||||
| Empty | 10,978 lb1 4,990 kg1 |
10,547 lb2,3 4,784 kg2,3 |
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| Loaded | 16,610 lb1 7,550 kg1 |
16,616 lb2,3 7,537 kg2,3 |
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| Performance | ||||||
| Speed | 294 mph1 452 kph1 |
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| Speed at sea level | 270 mph3 434 kph3 |
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| Speed @ 16,700' / 5,090 m |
295 mph2,3 475 kph3, 476 kph2 |
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| Cruising speed | 158 mph3 254 kph3 |
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| Climb | 1,800'/minute2,3 548 m/minute3, 549 m/minute2 |
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| Service ceiling | 29,100'1 7,530 m1 |
29,100'2,3 8,870 m2,3 |
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| Range | 1,200 miles1 1,786 km1 |
1,165 miles2,3 1,875 km2,3 |
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| Armament | ||||||
| Wings | 2: 20 mm1,3 | 2: 20 mm2 | ||||
| OR | 4: 0.5" MG3 4: 12.7 mm MG1 |
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| Rear cockpit | 1: 0.5" MG3 2: 7.62 mm MG1 |
2: 7.62 mm MG2 | ||||
| Bombs | 2,000 lb1 907 kg1 |
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| Bombs - internal | 1,000 lb2 454 kg2 |
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| Bombs - under wings | 1,000 lb2,3 454 kg2,3 |
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| OR | ||||||
| Rockets - under wings | 8: 5"3 8: 12.7 cm3 |
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| Bombs internal | 1,000 lb3 454 kg3 |
1,000 lb3 454 kg3 |
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| OR | ||||||
| Torpedo internal | 13 | 13 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
- Helldiver Units of World War 2, Barrett Tillman, 2000
