Author Topic: We Need The helldiver the Curtiss Sb2 (Read 678 times)

simshell · « **on:** January 29, 2004, 06:10:53 PM »

HELLDIVER - THE CURTISS SB2
Class: Dive Bomber
Stations: Pilot, Rear Gunner
Weapons: [Fixed] 2 Wing-mounted 20 mm Cannon
2 Rear-mounted .30 caliber Machine Guns
[Payload] 2000 lbs. of Bombs
6-5? Rockets
Ammunition: [MGs] 2000 rd/gun
[Cannon] 400 rd/gun
Firing Rate: [MGs] 825 rd/min (approx. 145 seconds of fire)
[Cannon] 450 rd/min (approx. 53 seconds of fire)
Span: 49? 8.6?
Length: 36? 8?
Wing Area: 39.2 sq. meters
Engine: Wright Cyclone GR-2600-8
Max HPwr: 1700
Ceiling: 24,200 ft
Cruise Speed: 137 kts
Max. Spd: 244 kts
Stall Spd: 77 kts [Level Flight]
Std Fuel: 320 gal
Max Fuel: 566 gal

now this is a VERY USEFUL dive bomber better then the TBM at jabo roll

and the CANNON 20mms

now plz understand that i got this info from 1942 T H E PAC I F I C air war

very old still fun game this is were i found out about the HELLDIVER

brady · « **Reply #1 on:** January 29, 2004, 08:00:31 PM »

This plane was notiours for being a pos. A much Better plane that would work in it's stead would be a Grace.

As to the Helldiver as a plane:Quotes from Bombers of WW2 ISBN # 1-56799-683-3:

"the only thing wrong was the aircraft itself.To a man the US Navy prefered the old SBD, which simply kept on in the forfront of the battle"

"The other mass-produced Curtiss of WW2 was the SO3C Seamew, and it is doubtful if two less-successful aircraft have been ever built in numbers."

" The experance played a magor part in the decline of the once pre-ement names of Curtis and Wright in the imediate post war era"

"Structural weakness, generaly poor handeling, shockingly inadequate stabality(espichaly in yaw and pitch) and unexceptable stall characteristics."

" crashes, inflight breakups and carier landing accidents continued at the very top of the league table"

" To everyone in the US Navy this aircraft was The Beast"

Rafe35 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 29, 2004, 08:39:28 PM »

I love SBD

:aok

Sikboy · « **Reply #3 on:** January 29, 2004, 09:14:19 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by brady
A much Better plane that would work in it's stead would be a Grace.

beat me too it!

-Sik

Shiva · « **Reply #4 on:** January 29, 2004, 11:31:25 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by brady
This plane was notiours for being a pos. A much Better plane that would work in it's stead would be a Grace.

" To everyone in the US Navy this aircraft was The Beast"

There's a reason why the SB2C Helldiver was referred to as the 'Son of a B*tch, Second Class'...

brady · « **Reply #5 on:** January 30, 2004, 12:14:20 AM »

lol, never heard that one:)

hogenbor · « **Reply #6 on:** January 30, 2004, 01:28:16 AM »

Read Eric Brown, he hated it and indeed rated the Dauntless as being a better aircraft.

No doubt someone will come up now with rock solid evidence that the Helldiver was God's gift to American aviation in WWII...

brady · « **Reply #7 on:** January 30, 2004, 01:36:12 AM »

I have Eric Browns book, Wings Of the Luftwaffe, I know he wrote some articles for perodicals but was not aware he had another book....

Hap · « **Reply #8 on:** January 30, 2004, 11:00:07 AM »

i wish the divebombers had a more practical role. but they don't. jug with 2500 lbs and a 275 mph cruising speed well makes em obsolete. as do other jabos.

helldiver is kinda a cool looking plane with that wierd tail.

Angus · « **Reply #9 on:** January 30, 2004, 11:16:24 AM »

Well, although a flying pig, the Helldiver could be ok on ground attack jobs in AH. From CV I mean.

frank3 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 30, 2004, 11:29:50 AM »

Sb2? surely would be appreciated (by me) But I'm afraid it will untrone the Sbd with having 20mm's, same rear gunnery and a much larger bombload!

I mean...who would fly the sbd if we can have the sb2?

Maybe the J2FC-Duck would be a nice addition (among with other seaplanes)

brady · « **Reply #11 on:** January 30, 2004, 11:37:00 AM »

Realy for the MA, why not just take a C hog up, if on a CV, for the CT and any event, their are lot of other Navy planes we realy nead, no mater how you slice it the Helldiver is prety low on the priourity list imo.

Ecliptik · « **Reply #12 on:** January 30, 2004, 11:52:15 AM »

Hap's right. Divebombers get no use except for the Stuka, and that's only because of the low-yield tactical nuke it carries.

Shiva · « **Reply #13 on:** January 30, 2004, 12:08:35 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by brady
lol, never heard that one:)

It's mentioned on several websites that I found with a quick search:

http://www.warbirdalley.com/sb2c.htm
http://www.geocities.com/copeab/Vehicles/Helldiver.htm
http://rwebs.net/dispatch/output.asp?ArticleID=24
http://www.acepilots.com/planes/helldiver.html

frank3 · « **Reply #14 on:** January 30, 2004, 12:16:10 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Ecliptik
Hap's right. Divebombers get no use except for the Stuka, and that's only because of the low-yield tactical nuke it carries.

ROFL

but yes, like the sbd, it's more effective to dive bomb with a lanc I would say...