Curtiss SB2C-1 HELLDIVER

[Snautzer01]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Snautzer01]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Good shot! Thanks for sharing.

 

[johnbr]

Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver: This Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver was operated by the NACA for five months during the winter oaf 1942-3.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wayne Little]

Cool shots.

 

[johnbr]

 

[michaelmaltby]

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver aircraft near completion at Canadian Car and Foundry in Fort William, Ontario (Now Thunder Bay). Prior to the American entry into the Second World War, the Curtiss Aircraft Co. increased production of SB2C Helldiver naval aircraft by licensing construction to two Canadian companies - Fairchild Aircraft and Canadian Car and Foundry. Though the first flight of the prototype did not happen until December of 1940, large-scale production had already been ordered on 29 November 1940. A large number of modifications were specified for the production model and 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 a total of 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 were produced in World War II.

 

[Old Wizard]

 

[johnbr]

Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver

 

[Wurger]

 

[johnbr]

 

[Wildr1]

 

[Wurger]

 

[johnbr]

In flight, circa 1944-45, as the SB2C's markings appear to be from that era.

 

[Wurger]

 

[johnbr]

A heavily damaged SB2C of VB-15 that somehow made it home, USS Hornet (CV-12), 2 Jan 1944.

 

[johnbr]

Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldivers strapped to the deck of the U.S. Navy escort carrier USS Kwajalein (CVE-98) during a typhoon in December 1944.