Greatest Carrier-Born Dive Bomber of WW II...

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

I would go for the SBD, but was the Helldiver responsible for the most Axis shipping sunk in the Pacific?

Or is that wrong information I have in my head?



Edit: I found something from Warbird Alley.

Warbird Alley: Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

History: The Curtiss Helldiver, despite a reputation for being difficult to handle at low speeds, was responsible for the destruction of more Japanese targets than any other aircraft. The Curtiss SB2C single-engine dive-bomber joined the fleet late in 1943, joining the Douglas Dauntless as the primary attack/bombing planes for the US Navy. The two-man Helldiver had a top speed of 295 mph and good range, making it an essential tool in the far reaches of the Pacific war.

With underwing and bomb attachments, the Helldiver could carry 1,000 pounds of bombs or an internal torpedo; later improvements included an up-rated Wright Cyclone engine and rocket hard-points. It carried two fixed forward 20mm cannon and machine guns in the rear cockpit.

Only 26 of the 7,000 Helldivers built found their way to the other services; the plane was so valuable in the Pacific theater that the Navy absorbed nearly every plane. Postwar, the Helldiver found further use with the French, Italian, Greek and Portuguese Navies and the Royal Thai Air Force. Only one airworthy Helldiver remains -- with the Commemorative Air Force in Texas -- but at least one more is under restoration to airworthy status.

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I suppose even if it did sink the most, it still might not be the best aircraft.

[Gnomey]

SBD for above mentioned reasons.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Dauntless...

[trackend]

Originally Posted by plan_D

I was always under the impression that the secret Pz.Kpfw VII 'Maus' was landed on Iceland and blasted the Hood from the shore.

Oh I stand corrected PD, I always thought it was Von Ribbentrop on an amphibious Glockenspiel. He attacked disguised as a sea born Eine Keine Naccht Musik recital and launched a devestating armour piercing Bratwurst attack.


SBD is my choice really superb kill tonnage ratio, probably the best of the war.

[plan_D]

All these stories about the Hood, the plot thickens. Someone's lying...

[lesofprimus]

I thought the Hood sank cause someone fogot to put the drain plug in...

[plan_D]

Probably, after all that was the major cause of loss for British submarines.

[delcyros]

I voted for the Aichi B7a, but only for technical reasons.
I am aware that the plane did not fly carrier operations just because her carrier was sunk few days before beeing fitted out. However, with the japanese experience with the B4 Kate, the B5 Tenzan I believe that the B7a at least would not have been a carrier disaster.
The B7a flew combat missions from landbases and prooved to be difficult to intercept due to her agility, speed and untypically high ruggedness.

If I had to vote for carrier operated planes only, my vote would belong to the SB2C, the SBD in my eyes -like the D3a- had the best combat record but were technically obsolete by 1941.

[Lucky13]

The Slow But Deadly Dauntless for the reasons already mentioned by you gentlemen.
About the Curtiss Helldiver or Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class as it was also lovingly known as wasn't popular with the Captain of USS Yorktown CV-10....
He said something about using the Helldiver as anchors instead. He quickly changed his SB2C to SBD-5 before heading for the Pacific.

The Helldiver Song

"Oh Mother, dear mother, take down that blue star.
Replace it with one that is Gold.
"Your son is a Helldiver driver; he'll never be 30 years old.
"The people who work for Curtiss are frequently seen good and drunk.
"One day with an awful hangover, they mustered and designed that old
clunk.
"Now the wings are built with precision, the fuselage so strong it won't
fail.
"But who were the half-witted people who designed the cockpit and tail?
"The skipper hates Helldiver drivers and he doesn't think much of that
clunk.
"Each time we fly aboard his carrier, he prays his ship won't be sunk.
"My body lies under the ocean; my body lies under the sea.
"My body lies under the ocean wrapped up in an a SB2C!"

[HealzDevo]

I would go Douglas SBD Helldiver for the reason that these aircraft were flying through hell in the Pacific Midway etc. and yet still delivered their bombs to take out the majority of the Japanese carriers that were at Pearl Habour.

[FLYBOYJ]

The SBD was the Dauntless, the SB2C was the Helldiver...

[Glider]

I personally went for the B7, it was a superb plane that didn;t get the chance to prove itself. That said for what they achieved the Dauntlass would have to be the choice.

[renrich]

I believe by the end of the war, the best dive bomber the navy had was the F4U1D. It could bomb as accurately as the Dauntless and it could carry as big an ordnance load as the Helldiver and double as a fighter or strafer and it only needed one man as a crew.

[syscom3]

Originally Posted by renrich

I believe by the end of the war, the best dive bomber the navy had was the F4U1D. It could bomb as accurately as the Dauntless and it could carry as big an ordnance load as the Helldiver and double as a fighter or strafer and it only needed one man as a crew.

I dont believe the F4U could dive bomb like the Dauntless or helldiver could.

No dive brakes!

[renrich]

On the contrary, the Corsair did have dive brakes. The landing gear was designed to be lowered and used as a dive brake. If you see combat films of the battle for Okinawa you can see Corsairs divebombing with the gear extended.