Years In Service: 1940-1959
Initial Flight: May 1, 1940
A World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD was credited with changing the tactics of naval warfare, sinking more tons of Japanese shipping than all other aircraft combined. The SBD was credited with sinking 18 enemy warships including four Japanese carriers at the epic Battle of Midway and shooting down 138 Japanese planes, suffering fewer than a hundred lost to enemy fire – the lowest loss rate of any aircraft of World War II.
Aircraft Specifications
Height: 13′ 7″ Wingspan: 41′ 6″ Length: 33′ 1″ Crew: 2 Armament: Two 0.5 in machine guns, forward-firing through the propeller, with synchronizer gear Payload: Bombs 1600 lbs. Horsepower: 1,200 hp. No. of Engines: 1 Max Speed: 255 mph Ceiling: 25,530 ft.