#Douglas SBD

[dronescapesvideos]

Douglas SBD Dauntless piloted by American Lt. George Glacken with his gunner Leo Boulange. New Guinea, April, 1944

[usafphantom2]

October 1943

Deck crew spot-checking Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bombers of bombing squadron VB-12 on the flight deck of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3)

OPERATION SHOESTRING 2

After participating in combined fleet exercises off Espiritu Santo between the 7th and 10th of October 1943, VF-12, now part of

Carrier Air Group 12, departed Espiritu Santo aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) on October 31,1943; along with Air Group

23 aboard the USS Princeton (CVL-23), to form backbone of TaskForce 38. Here USS Saratoga is underway off Espiritu Santo in October 1943.

As part of Operation Shoestring 2, Task Force 38 was assigned to raid the Japanese airfields on Buka and Bonis Islands off the northern tip of Bougainville, in order to cover the landings being made at Cape Torokina and Empress Augusta Bay. For the first two days in November 1943, the Saratoga, and Princeton made

vicious assaults on the Buka and Bonis Islands airfields, approaching so close to shore (13 miles south east of the islands (06* 25’ S 154* 53’ E) that the twin fields were almost visible from the ships. (vbf-12.com)

(U.S. Navy Photograph, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration)

(Colourised by Benjamin Thomas)

[admiralgiggles]

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless taxiing for takeoff

[stone-cold-groove]

They packed the attack... Douglas Aircraft Company ad - 1944.

[nocternalrandomness]

"Diving in the Dauntless"

[carbone14]

Le Capitaine John F. Adams du Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 231 (VMSB 231) sur son Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless – Guerre du Pacifique – Ile Dalop – Atoll de Majuro – Iles Marshall – Août 1944

©National Archives and Records Administration - 80-G-401047

[madkot]

Dauntless

[dark0ta]

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Taken: 11/10/24

[theworldatwar]

A US Navy Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless of bombing squadron VB-8 on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) during the Battle of Midway in 1942 CREDIT : Royston Leonard

[dronescapesvideos]

U.S. Marine Corps Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless of Marine Scouting Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241) in flight over Midway

➤➤ BATTLE OF MIDWAY VIDEO: https://youtu.be/joqaga0tpyg

[madkot]

Dauntless

[usafphantom2]

Happy 249th Birthday to the United States Marine Corps!

In honor, here's a photo of a @USMC Douglas SBD-5 on bombing mission against Japanese targets on Rabaul, April 22nd, 1944.

Although, as far as I know, this isn't a photo of my grandfather, who served as an SBD gunner, he served as a Marine with the VMSB-244 at this time, but I haven't been able to find the units War Diary’s for the month of April.

Marine aviators flying the SBDs pioneered many new tactics during these years. The most impressive of which, in my opinion, were Close Air Support missions attacking target just outside the perimeter of their own airfield, supporting the Marines on the ground protecting the airfield.

@tcamp202 via X

[admiralgiggles]

It’s not great, but I kind of like it.

It’s giving “Strangers in the Night” vibes. 😂

[alex99achapterthree]

Northrop BT-1 torpedo bombers on board USS ENTERPRISE (the other one) circa 1940.

54 BT-1s entered service with the Navy during 1938. It was deemed unsuitable for carrier use due to handling difficulties and withdrawn from front-line service in late 1940. Despite being retired from front-line units, BT-1s went on to serve in non-combat roles with the USMC and at various coastal Naval Air Bases through 1942 and were totally retired in 1943.

Northrop was a subsidiary of Douglas at the time, and the BT-1 would be the basis for the later Douglas SBD DAUNTLESS.

I loved the brilliant between-wars paint schemes.

[madkot]

Dauntless

Slow But Deadly. Oshkosh 2023

[nocternalrandomness]

Dauntless in action - 1942