Curtiss SB2C
| Curtiss SB2C Helldiver | |
|---|---|
 US Navy Curtiss SB2C-3 , 1944 |
|
| Type: | Dive bombers |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
December 18, 1940 |
| Commissioning: |
1943 |
| Production time: |
1942 to 1945 |
| Number of pieces: |
7140 |
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver are single-engine and two-seat dive fighter aircraft from Curtiss-Wright , which were mainly used by aircraft carriers of the US Navy during World War II . From 1942 to 1945 7,140 machines were manufactured.
description
The Curtiss SB2C suffered from many development problems and was used in combat for the first time on November 11, 1943 - the prototype had already flown in November 1940. A few days before the attack on Pearl Harbor , it was destroyed in a crash landing. The accident, its investigation and the revision of the dive bomber concept based on the combat experience now available ensured that the first flight of the first series aircraft did not take place until 1942. 978 copies of this model (SB2C-1) were completed for the Navy , 900 copies went to the USAAF as A-25A Shrike . 26 machines went to the British Royal Navy as part of the lease and loan agreement , but were no longer used in the war; The Australian Air Force also only used the model in modest numbers.
Many pilots saw the predecessor model Douglas SBD to be replaced by the SB2C , which was particularly characterized by its high bullet resistance, as superior. Heavy and with some uncomfortable flight characteristics - especially during take-off and landing - the Helldiver was not particularly popular with its crews, who sometimes sarcastically nicknamed the machine "Son of a bitch, Second Class" (based on its model name "SB2C") ( "Second class son of a bitch") designated.
Of the total of 7,140 copies built, only six still exist, one of which is still airworthy.
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variants
- XSB2C-1
- Prototype with 1700 hp R-2600-8 engine
- SB2C-1
- first series variant with four 12.7 mm machine guns in the wings and one 7.62 mm machine gun for the gunner, 200 built.
- SB2C-1A
- original name of the A-25A Shrike of the United States Army Air Forces; 900 built, 410 A-25A were later given to the United States Marine Corps . Both branches of the armed forces only used the aircraft as trainers.
- SB2C-1C
- SB2C-1 with two 20 mm cannons in the wings and hydraulically operated flaps, 778 built.
- XSB2C-2
- Conversion of an SB2C-1 with two floats in 1942.
- SB2C-2
- Serial version of the float version, the order for 287 machines was canceled.
- XSB2C-3
- An SB2C-1 with a 1900 hp R-2600-20 engine.
- SB2C-3
- Series version with R-2600-20 and four-blade propeller, built in 1112.
- S2BC-3E
- SB2C-3 with APS-4 radar.
- SB2C-4
- SB2C-3 with eight underwing stations for 127 mm rockets or two 454 kg bombs, built in 2045.
- SB2C-4E
- SB2C-4 with APS-4 radar.
- XSB2C-5
- Two SB2C-4s converted to SB2C-5 prototypes with larger tanks.
- SB2C-5
- Series version of the XSB2C-5, built 970 (2500 canceled at the end of the war)
- XSB2C-6
- Conversion of two SB2C-1C with 2100 HP engine R-2600-22 and larger tanks.
- SBF-1
- SB2C-1 built by Fairchild-Canada, 50.
- SBF-3
- SB2C-3 from Fairchild-Canada, built 150.
- SBF-4E
- SB2C-4E from Fairchild-Canada, 100 built.
- SBW-1
- SB2C-1 built by Canadian Car & Foundry, 38.
- SBW-1B
- Canadian Car & Foundry's SB2C-1 for the Royal Navy ; 28 built, referred to as Helldiver Mk.I in Great Britain .
- SBW-3
- SB2C-3 built by Canadian Car & Foundry, 413.
- SBW-4E
- SB2C-4E built by Canadian Car & Foundry, 270.
- SBW-5
- SB2C-5 by Canadian Car & Foundry, built 85 (165 canceled at war end).
- A-25A Shrike
- Version of the USAAF without hooks and folding wings, 900 built (see SB2C-1A).
production
In addition to Curtiss, two Canadian companies built the Helldiver in series.
Acceptance of the Helldiver / A-25 by the USAAF / US Navy:
| Manufacturer | version | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curtiss, Columbus | XSB2C-1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| SB2C-1 | 50 | 150 | 200 | |||||
| SB2C-1C | 462 | 316 | 778 | |||||
| SB2C-3 | 1112 | 1112 | ||||||
| SB2C-4 | 1405 | 640 | 2045 | |||||
| SB2C-5 | 970 | 970 | ||||||
| Curtiss, St. Louis | A-25 | 1 | 585 | 314 | 900 | |||
| Canadian Car | SBW-1 | 29 | 9 | 38 | ||||
| SBW-1B | 28 | 28 | ||||||
| SBW-3 | 413 | 413 | ||||||
| SBW-4E | 47 | 223 | 270 | |||||
| SBW-5 | 85 | 85 | ||||||
| Fairchild, Montreal | SBF-1 | 1 | 49 | 50 | ||||
| SBF-3 | 150 | 150 | ||||||
| SBF-4E | 100 | 100 | ||||||
| TOTAL | 1 | 0 | 51 | 1227 | 3843 | 2018 | 7140 |
Military users
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Technical specifications
| Parameter | Curtiss SB2C-3 data |
|---|---|
| crew | 2 |
| length | 11.18 m |
| span | 15.18 m |
| height | 4.01 m |
| Empty mass | 4720 kg |
| Takeoff mass | 6380 kg |
| Top speed | 471 km / h at an altitude of 5100 m |
| Service ceiling | 8950 m |
| Max. Range | 3080 km |
| Engine | a double star engine Wright R-2600-20 Cyclone , 1,900 PS (1,397 kW) |
| Armament | two 20 mm cannons, one 12.7 mm machine gun, bombs up to 454 kg or one torpedo |
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Statistical Digest of the USAF 1946, p. 100 ff .; www.uswarplanes.net