Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Two-seat carrier-borne dive-bomber

Power Plant:

(SBD-5)

One 895 kw (1,200 hp) Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone nine-cylinder single-row air-cooled radial engine

Specifications:

Armament:

Two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine-guns in engine cowling; one 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine-gun for radio-operator/gunner; bomb load up to 726 kg (1,600 lb) on centre rack; or two 45 kg (100 lb) or two 159 kg (350 lb) bombs or depth charges on wing racks

History:

The Douglas Dauntless was a Northrop design which originated in 1938, the Northrop company subsequently being absorbed into the Douglas Aircraft Company at Santa Monica in California, the Northrop XBT-2 became the Douglas XSBD-1.

In April 1939 Douglas received a contract for 57 Model SBD-1s and 87 Model SBD-2s, and most of these aircraft being delivered to the United States Marine Corps during the last six months of 1940. Following the fall of France, the US Navy was permitted to expand and placed a contract for 174 examples under the model designation SBD-3.

Self-sealing fuel tanks and armour were installed, and the Wright R-1820-32 engine replaced the R-1820-52. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in Hawaii in December 1941, additional contracts were placed and, in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the type was instrumental in the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carriers ‘Kaga’, ‘Akagi’, ‘Hiryu’, and ‘Soryu’.

The Dauntless was also used extensively by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) as the Models SBD-3A and SBD-4. The next model was the SBD-4, similar to the Model SBD-3 but with a Hydromatic propeller and a 24 volt electrical system. The Model SBD-5, which was the variant built in the largest numbers, began production in February 1943 and had the Wright R-1820-60 engine, illuminated gunsights, increased ammunition capacity, and increased fuel capacity. Some were fitted with radar. Last variant was the Model SBD-6, differing in having a 1,007 kw (1,350 hp) Wright R-1820-66 engine, non metallic self-sealing fuel tanks, and increased fuel capacity. Production ceased in July 1944 after 5,936 had been built.

The Dauntless saw extensive service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). A batch of Douglas SBD-3s was obtained on loan from US Marine Corps Air Group 14 in July 1943 and allotted temporary serials NZ205 to NZ222 for training purposes. Later in November 1943 they became NZ5001 to NZ5018. Later again 27 Model SBD-4s were received and became NZ5019 to NZ5045. These were all well used aircraft transferred from the US Navy in 1943 under Lend-Lease. In 1944 eighteen new Douglas SBD-5s were received, becoming NZ5046 to NZ5063; followed by a further five which became NZ5064 to NZ5068, the earlier SBD-4s being returned to the US Marines after a working up period.

No 25 Squadron RNZAF was formed to specifically operate the type. Of the earlier models with the RNZAF, two were lost in accidents, three were returned to the US Navy, and the remaining 22 were stored at Hobsonville until 1948 when they were scrapped. One (Bu Aer 28452) was lost during a ferry flight.

No 25 Squadron was equipped with the type at Seagrove in July 1943, using them for training. Pilots underwent a 60 hour conversion course on the type but many of the aircraft were war-weary, some of them said to have been operated during the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal campaigns, and required a lot of maintenance. On 6 January 1944 a flight of 18 aircraft flew over Auckland. First lost in an accident was NZ211 which crashed on a training flight near Waiuku on 13 September 1943, thus it did not become NZ5007 when the serials of this batch were changed. The New Zealand Squadron had difficulty keeping the type airworthy as they were combat-weary aircraft and, as spares were in short supply, some aircraft were cannibalised to keep others airworthy.

No 25 Squadron took up operational duties at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in January 1944 where it received from the US Marine Corps 18 aircraft on loan, these becoming NZ5028 to NZ5045. These were also well worn aircraft and were used for operational training. They were based at Pallikulo where a working up period of six weeks took place where crews became involved in area familiarisation and training missions. One of these aircraft, NZ5037, was lost and it was not until 1987 the wreckage was located and eventually recovered. The unit later received Model SBD-5s which became NZ5046 to NZ5063 and took up operations in Bougainville, PNG in March 1944. One, NZ5055, was lost when it crashed at Henderson Field on Gualdacanal in the Solomon Islands on 22 March.

No 25 Squadron bombing missions commenced on 24 March and the main role of the unit became bombing Japanese bases on Rabaul, New Britain. On 2 April two were lost (NZ5054 and NZ5059) and replacements were obtained. On 17 April NZ5051 crashed during an attack on Lakunai, Rabaul. Some operations were carried out in company with No 30 Squadron RNZAF which was equipped with Grumman TBF-1C Avengers. Last operation was on 17 May 1944 and after eight weeks of operations the squadron returned to New Zealand and was disbanded on 19 June that year.

The Dauntless was also used in Australia and the islands by American forces during the war, some of these being involved in accidents; eg an SBD-3 Dauntless of the US Navy crashed and was destroyed at Bankstown, NSW on 17 June 1942.

In later years wreckage of an SBD-5 serial NZ5037, which crashed on 11 February 1944, was located on the Pacific Island of Espiritu Santo. It was conveyed to the RNZAF Museum where initially it was to be restored to static display standard but this was not proceeded with and the aircraft has been placed on display amidst shrubbery in its damaged condition. The remains of Douglas SBD-4 NZ5021 have been privately salvaged and heldat Ardmore awaiting restoration.

Former RNZAF Dauntless SBD-5 NZ5062 has been airworthy in the United States as NX670AM. This aircraft (Bu Aer 28336 – c/n 3883) was built at El Segundo, California in June 1943. It was delivered to the US Navy and shipped to New Zealand as part of Lend-Lease. It operated with No 25 Squadron with the name ‘Francois’ and was flown from Piva airfield on Bougainville in March 1944 on 30 missions, including bombing missions to Rabaul. On 20 May 1944 it was passed to the US Marine Corps and shipped to the United States. Post war the fuselage was used as a wind machine at MGM Studios. At one stage the fuselage was used in a film starring Charlton Heston. In 1968 it was obtained by the Planes of Fame Museum at Chino in California and, using the wing from another aircraft obtained from Bougainville, it was restored in 1982 and made its first post restoration flight on 2 July 1987.

A number of Douglas Dauntless aircraft have survived overseas, a couple in airworthy condition. At least 13 have been retrieved from the fresh water Lake Michigan since 1994, these aircraft having operated from two aircraft carriers operating on the lake performing carrier training during World War II. Many aircraft were lost in the lake during these operations.