Douglas SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber sank more Japanese aircraft carriers than any other weapon in history, delivering the decisive blows at the Battle of Midway in 1942 that sank four Japanese fleet carriers in a single day. Its distinctive perforated dive brakes, mounted on both the wings' leading and trailing edges, let it dive almost vertically onto a target while keeping its speed under control, a technique that demanded real skill and nerve from its pilots. Despite its outdated fixed landing gear and modest speed compared with newer aircraft by war's end, it remained in frontline carrier service throughout the Pacific war due to its remarkable accuracy and reliability. A small number of restored Dauntlesses remain airworthy today.
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Did you know?
The SBD Dauntless is recognisable by its perforated dive brakes on both wing edges, letting it dive almost vertically while controlling speed.
Specifications
| Length | 10.1 m (33 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 12.7 m (42 ft) |
| Height | 4.1 m (14 ft) |
| Persons on board | 2 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 4.9 t |
| Range | 773 NM (1,432 km) |
| Maximum speed | 217 kt (402 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 25,530 ft (7,782 m) |
| Rate of climb | 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s) |
| Engines | 1x Wright R-1820 (radial) |
| Units built | 5,936 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Douglas SBD Dauntless starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Douglas, the SBD Dauntless family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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