CURTISS SB2C HELLDIVER

Characteristics

Description

The massive Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was designed to replace the ageing Douglas SBD Dauntless and became the most famous monoplane dive-bomber built by the company. The first large order for the United States Navy was placed on 19 November 1940, three weeks before the ill-fated prototype first flew. Serious problems and subsequent design changes delayed the project, and deliveries began only in December 1942. The type did not reach operational effectiveness until November 1943, with its debut against the Japanese base of Rabaul in the south Pacific. Helldivers went on to become the mainstay of the US Navy's offensive in the Pacific, with factories in America and Canada producing over 7,000 airframes. Of these, 900 were built as A-25As for the USAAF and were transferred to the Marine Corps. Later versions of the Helldiver remained in service after the War and others were exported. Aviation historian and dive-bomber expert Peter C. Smith tells the too-often neglected story of the Helldiver from its troubled start to its successes in this informative and well-illustrated account.

The Curtiss Helldiver was the backbone of the United States Navy's offensive in the Pacific from 1943 until the Japanese capitulation. Despite early problems, it evolved into an effective and reliable airplane that was able to absorb severe punishment. Peter C. Smith tells the full story of this remarkable machine in this paperback reprint of a popular Crowood title. Packed with rare photographs, this lively and informative book describes and often neglected airplane.