#SB2C-5

[nocternalrandomness]

1944 Helldiver giving a look at it's bomb bay during a pass at the 2016 Wings Over Houston Airshow

[usaac-official]

Another aviation milestone today with the first flight of Jim Slattery's SB2C-1A Helldiver after restoration by Westpac in Colorado Springs. They were hoping to get her done in time to make the August 17-18 Pike's Peak Airshow and it looks like she'll be able to fly there publicly as well.

With her completion there are now three airworthy Helldivers in the world; Fagen's newly completed SB2C-5 the CAF's SB2C-5, and now Slattery's SB2C-1

[derniererondeavantlanuit-blog]

SB2C-5 Helldiver en Indochine, 1954

[usafphantom2]

N92879. Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver

@ron_eisele via X

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Curtiss SB2C-5 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 and carry a considerable array of armament. It 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 XSB2C-1 prototype initially suffered development issues connected to its Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone engine and three-bladed propeller; further concerns included structural weaknesses, poor handling, directional instability, and bad stall characteristics. In 1939, a student took a model of the new Curtiss XSB2C-1 to the MIT wind tunnel. Professor of Aeronautical Engineering Otto C. Koppen was quoted as saying, "if they build more than one of these, they are crazy". He was referring to controllability issues with the small vertical tail.

The first prototype made its maiden flight on 18 December 1940. It crashed on 8 February 1941 when its engine failed on approach, but Curtiss was asked to rebuild it. The fuselage was lengthened and a larger tail was fitted, while an autopilot was fitted to help the poor stability. The revised prototype flew again on 20 October 1941, but was destroyed when its wing failed during diving tests on 21 December 1941.

Large-scale production had already been ordered on 29 November 1940, but a large number of modifications were specified for the production model. Fin and rudder area were increased, fuel capacity was increased, self-sealing fuel tanks were added, and the fixed armament was doubled to four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in the wings, compared with the prototype's two cowling guns. The SB2C-1 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 300 (under the designations XSBF-l, SBF-l, SBF-3, and SBF-4E), and Canadian Car and Foundry, which built 894 (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 and equivalent models were produced in World War II.

Initially poor handling characteristics and late modifications caused lengthy delays to production and deployment, to the extent that it was investigated by the Truman Committee, which turned in a scathing report. This contributed to the decline of Curtiss as a company. Neither pilots nor aircraft carrier skippers seemed to like it. Nevertheless, the type was faster than the Dauntless, and by the end of the Pacific War, the Helldiver had become the main dive bomber and attack aircraft on USN carriers.

By the time a land-based variant, known as the A-25 Shrike, became available in late 1943, the Western Allied air forces had abandoned dedicated dive-bombers. A majority of A-25s delivered to the US Army Air Forces were transferred to the US Marine Corps, which used the type only in one side campaign and non-combat roles. The British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force also cancelled substantial orders, retaining only a few aircraft for research purposes.

Nicknames for the aircraft included "Big-Tailed Beast" or just "Beast", "Two-Cee", and "Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class"; the latter nickname was derived from the name SB2C and the aircraft's reputation for having difficult handling characteristics.

Photo-Description:

Aircraft

Commemorative Air Force

Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver

Reg.: N92879

Code: 32

Location & Date

Wichita - McConnell AFB (IAB / KIAB)

Kansas, USA - September 25, 2010

Caption:

Photographer:

J Snyder (Oklahoma, USA)

[carbone14]

Un bombardier en piqué Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver du 10e Escadron de bombardement (VB-10) assigné au porte-avions USS Intrepid (CV-11) au-dessus de Tientsin (Tianjin) alors que la cité est réoccupée par les alliés – Chine – 5 septembre 1945

Photographe : Official U.S. Navy Photograph

©Naval History and Heritage Command - 80-G-348290

Ce jour-là, l'USS Intrepid lança 86 avions pour une démonstration de force pendant la démobilisation des forces japonaises dans le secteur.

[maptree]

WW2 Fighter planes and Coca-Cola?!

Coca-Cola has done a lot of posters with American planes. Throughout their history, posters have been a significant means of mass communication, often with striking visual effect.

We digitally restored this absolutely fantastic collection of 18 rare art from 1943! Each is a full colour detailed illustration of various WW2 era US aircraft painted by “Heaslip.”

Each illustration has white/gold luster border and we have tried to digitally restore as close to the original as possible. At the bottom of each illustration is the Coca-Cola logo and a pair of bottles. At the bottom right are captions identifying the plane with statistics. The prints will be clear as possible from the 1943 prints.

Size is 30x40cms and you can choose to have it framed or not. These posters were framed and hung in bottling plant lobbies, schools, and other places. Students were instructed on the airplanes so that they knew the difference between friendly planes and enemy aircraft in preparation for bomb drills.

Vintage World War Two Coke posters of this type are some of the most desirable on the market today! These are getting harder and harder to find. So now MapTree gives you an opportunity to own these gems and create your own gallery to have a bourbon in your hands and wander back into those smoke filled skies of WW2!

DM to order these rare prints for owning or gifting or visit

All the 18 posters are READY to be ordered and owned or gifted!

Bell P-39 "Airacobra" U.S. Army - Pursuit Brewster SB2A-1 "Buccaneer" U.S. Navy - Dive Bomber Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" U.S. Army- Long Range Bomber Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina" U.S. Navy - Patrol Bomber Curtiss SB2C-1 "Hell Diver" U.S. Navy- Dive Bomber Douglas A-20 Boston Douglas B-19 "Guardian of a Hemisphere" U.S. Army - Long Patrol Bomber Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" U.S. Navy- Fighter Waco Glider CG-4 U.S. Army- Troop Transport Consolidated PB2Y-2 "Coronado" U.S. Navy - Patrol Bomber Curtiss P-40-F "Warhawk" U.S. Army - Pursuit Douglas SBD "Dauntless" U.S. Navy- Dive Bomber Grumman TBF-1 "Avenger" U.S. Navy- Torpedo Bomber Lockheed P-38 "Lightning" U.S. Army- Pursuit Interceptor Martin B-26 "Marauder" U.S. Army - Medium Range Bomber North American B-25 "Mitchell" U.S. Army-Medium Range Bomber Vought-Sikorsky F4U-1 "Corsair" U.S. Navy- Fighter Vultee Trainer- U.S. Army

[lonestarbattleship]

Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver #35 VB-17 crashes into a 5" twin mount gun of USS BUNKER HILL (CV-17). The Pilot, Ensign F. A. Houghton and passenger are uninjured.

Photographed on September 11, 1943.

Colorized by WW2 Colorised Photos: link

[airmanisr]

Douglas SBD-5 by Willard Womack Via Flickr: Photo by Charles Burcher Designed by Northrop in 1935 as the BT-1 it became a Douglas project, when in 1937 Northrop was absorbed. Douglas developed it into the SBD-1 through the SBD- 6. The SBD- 3, recognizable with it’s three small cowl flaps per side, compared to the large one piece flap on later models, and the carburetor air scoop on top of the cowling, won the Battle of Midway. The SBD- 5 was the most produced. Both the Douglas SBD (Scout Bomber by Douglas) and Vought SB2U were considered obsolete at the beginning of World War II. The Vought SB2U proved to be totally outclassed during the battle of Midway and was quickly withdrawn from combat. However the SBD proved itself by so severely damaging three Japanese carriers, in a matter of a few minutes, that they sank within a few hours. Later that day they sank the fourth carrier. The next day they heavily damaged two cruisers, one so badly that it was scuttled. Thus bringing an end to the battle which turned the tide of the war against Japan. It had long range (four and a half hours for the SBD-5), was easy to fly, maneuverable, able to withstand battle damage, and capable of defending itself. Many pilots and Commanders still preferred the SBD over it’s replacement the Curtiss SB2C. With it’s non-folding wings, slow speed, 1930’s design and the arrival of jet aircraft, it was truly obsolete by the end of the war. Those that went overseas probable never came back. Of the 5936 built there are only two SBD’s and two A-24’s (Army version) flying. According to Wikipedia there are 13 on display and four under restoration. With one of these being restored to airworthy condition. This particular SBD pictured here changed hands several times after becoming a civilian air plane in 1947. In 1951 it was purchased by Mexicana Aerofoto with the registration XB-QUC. Removing the rear seat, radios, and armament it became a photo plane with the installation of cameras. In 1966 it returned to the United States and after passing through several owners was donated to the then Confederate Air Force in 1971. Speedy-D, as it was called, flew through the seventies and eighties but needed a total restoration. In 1991 it was assigned to the Dixie Wing, of the now Commemorative Air Force, where it was restored and flew again in 1999. The restoration required building a complete rear cockpit to return it to 1943 standards. It is painted in the paint scheme of the summer of 1943 when the Navy’s SBD’s participated in the Battle of the Philippines Sea, also called the Marianas Turkey Shoot. This became the decisive Naval battle which eliminated Japanese Naval air power. After this battle the SBD’s were removed from carriers and replaced with the Curtiss SB2C, but continued to be flown by the Marines until the end of the war. Over it’s lifetime it picked up several nicknames. “Barge“, “Clunk“, “Speedy-D” and “Speedy-3“. But the one that fits the best and most remembered is “Slow But Deadly”. A name it truly earned by sinking more ships than any other combat plane.

[pinturasdeguerra-1945-1985]

1954 Indochina, Dien Bien Phu - Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver  Aéronavale Flotille 3  - Stan Hajek

[imsickoutmymind]

Indochina 1954 Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver 🇫🇷 Haven't had the time to draw since awhile. Feels sloppy. Practice, practice, practice, I guess...

[m4a1-shermayne]

SB2C-5 Helldiver and F4U Corsair aircraft of US Navy squadrons VB-89 and VF-89 aboard USS Antietam, 1945; notice USS Highbee in background.

[usaac-official]

A hearty Bravo Zulu to the team at Fagen Fighters for the first flight of their SB2C-5 Helldiver. It's been a long time coming and now there's finally a second Helldiver back in the air to join the CAF one.

WestPac has nearly finished their SB2C restoration as well and they hope to get her airborne in time for the August airshow.

[maptree]

WW2 Fighter planes and Coca-Cola?!

Coca-Cola has done a lot of posters with American planes. Throughout their history, posters have been a significant means of mass communication, often with striking visual effect.

We digitally restored this absolutely fantastic collection of 18 rare art from 1943! Each is a full colour detailed illustration of various WW2 era US aircraft painted by “Heaslip.”

Each illustration has white/gold luster border and we have tried to digitally restore as close to the original as possible. At the bottom of each illustration is the Coca-Cola logo and a pair of bottles. At the bottom right are captions identifying the plane with statistics. The prints will be clear as possible from the 1943 prints.

Size is 30x40cms and you can choose to have it framed or not. These posters were framed and hung in bottling plant lobbies, schools, and other places. Students were instructed on the airplanes so that they knew the difference between friendly planes and enemy aircraft in preparation for bomb drills.

Vintage World War Two Coke posters of this type are some of the most desirable on the market today! These are getting harder and harder to find. So now MapTree gives you an opportunity to own these gems and create your own gallery to have a bourbon in your hands and wander back into those smoke filled skies of WW2!

DM to order these rare prints for owning or gifting or visit

All the 18 posters are READY to be ordered and owned or gifted!

Bell P-39 "Airacobra" U.S. Army - Pursuit Brewster SB2A-1 "Buccaneer" U.S. Navy - Dive Bomber Consolidated B-24 "Liberator" U.S. Army- Long Range Bomber Consolidated PBY-5 "Catalina" U.S. Navy - Patrol Bomber Curtiss SB2C-1 "Hell Diver" U.S. Navy- Dive Bomber Douglas A-20 Boston Douglas B-19 "Guardian of a Hemisphere" U.S. Army - Long Patrol Bomber Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" U.S. Navy- Fighter Waco Glider CG-4 U.S. Army- Troop Transport Consolidated PB2Y-2 "Coronado" U.S. Navy - Patrol Bomber Curtiss P-40-F "Warhawk" U.S. Army - Pursuit Douglas SBD "Dauntless" U.S. Navy- Dive Bomber Grumman TBF-1 "Avenger" U.S. Navy- Torpedo Bomber Lockheed P-38 "Lightning" U.S. Army- Pursuit Interceptor Martin B-26 "Marauder" U.S. Army - Medium Range Bomber North American B-25 "Mitchell" U.S. Army-Medium Range Bomber Vought-Sikorsky F4U-1 "Corsair" U.S. Navy- Fighter Vultee Trainer- U.S. Army

[usafphantom2]

Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver (Commemorative Air Force).Photo: Kogo GFDL

[dprowe87]

Big Tailed Beast makes a flyby at the 2023 Good Neighbor Day Air Show at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK). The Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver is a part of the Commemorative Air Force’s West Texas Wing. 14May22 #dekalbpeachtreeairport #dekalbpeachtreeairshow #goodneighbordayairshow #curtiss #sb2chelldiver #caf #commemorativeairforce #cafwesttexaswing wwiiaircraft #warbirds #warbirdphotography #aviation #airshow #aviationgeek #airshowphotography #aviationlover #aviationlovers #avgeek #avgeeks #avgeekphoto #aviationdaily #aviationworld #instagramaviation #instaaviation #aviation_lovers #aviationphoto #aviationphotography #aviationspotters #planepics #planespotting (at PDK - Dekalb Peachtree Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeXdtGxMdh3/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=