SB2C Helldiver | World War Photos

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: SB2C-3 “112” of VB-7 return to USS Hancock 12 January 1945

: SB2C-1 3

: SB2C-3 training

: Floatplane Curtiss XSB2C-2 29 September 1942

: SB2C-1 with wings folded up

: Helldivers of VB-8 NAS Norfolk fly over surrounding area December 1943

: SB2Cs from USS Lexington (CV-16) over Iwo Jima on D-Day

: Helldiver 1943 color photo

: SB2C-4 20411 carrying torpedo fitted with a wooden drag ring March 1945

: Curtiss XSB2C-6 2

: SB2C-1 4

: Prototype XSB2C-1

: Curtiss XSB2C-6

: Helldiver named Grey Ghost

: Helldiver Pilot Lt David Kinzer of CAG-1

: Helldiver in color

: XSB2C-6 4

: Lt Alvin Levenson SB2C pilot who fell 1500 ft to the ocean 1945

: SB2C-1 in flight

: SB2C-3 St Louis

: SB2C-3E Helldivers flying in formation

: Helldiver takes off from USS Independence CLV-22 August 1945

: XSB2C-6 3

: SB2C-1 July 1942

: SB2C-1 rear view July 1942

: Helldiver from USS Shangri-La over Atsugi 28 August 1945

: SB2C-5 83520

: A-25 Shrike at Wright Field October 1942

: SB2Cs 103 and 107 return to USS Hancock 12 January 1945

: XSB2C-2 January 1943

: Burning Helldiver after crash landing on USS Randolph CV-15

: SB2C-1 2

: P-40 parked by A-25 Shrike 2CJ

: SB2C Helldiver after crash lands on USS Randolph 1945

: SB2C-1C of VB-15 ready for launch from carrier USS Essex – 10 May 1944

: SB2C-1 Helldiver of VB-17 crashed during recovery aboard the carrier USS Bunker Hill Caribbean on 19 July 1943

: Curtiss SB2C-5 of VB-95 on elevator of the carrier Bunker Hill, October 1945

: SB2C Helldiver aboard USS Randolph (CV-15) during operations in the Western Pacific in May 1945

: Curtiss SB2C-5 of VB-10 in flight near ships of TF-72 during operations off the China coast on 30 September 1945

: SB2C-1C from VB-1 USS Yorktown (CV-10) over Chichi Jima on July 6 1944

: VB-18 pilot makes final naviagation notes prior to manning his SB2C-3 Helldiver ‘white 70’ aboard USS Intrepid during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944

: VB-1 pilot Lt Comdr Joseph Runyan by scoreboard on his SB2C 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver of VB-8 take off from USS Bunker Hill

: XSB2C-6 Helldiver January 17, 1945

: SB2C-1 on the ground probably at the Curtiss Wright factory in Buffalo 11 January 1943

: SB2C ’43’ over the Marshall Islands on October 23, 1945

: SB2C-3 of VB-82 after going over the side of the carrier USS Charger (CVE-30) during training operations off the East Coast on 21 June 1944

: SB2C Helldivers at St. Louis Missouri ready for delivery in June 1943

: Ships in the harbor at Hong Kong under attack by Helldivers

: SB2C-5 Helldiver of VB-89 lined up for launch on the flight deck of the carrier USS Antietam 14 August 1945

: Lt. Alvin Levenson examines his flak filled SB2C Helldiver

: SB2C-1Cs of VB-8 lined up on deck of USS Bunker Hill awaiting the signal to launch for raid on Saipan in June 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-1 of VB-17 during approach for recovery aboard USS Bunker Hill Caribbean on 9 July 1943

: SB2C-1Cs of VB-1 in flight near Hawaii in 1944

: SB2C-1Cs of VB-2 near Saipan during strikes in support of the invasion

: SB2C-4E of VB-87 strikes the barricade during recovery on board the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga 10 August 1945

: SB2C-1 Helldiver #35 VB-17 USS Bunker Hill

: SB2C-3 of VB-6 pictured entagled in the barricade aboard USS Hancock

: SB2C-3 of VB-7 over ships of TF 38 following strike against Japanese shipping off the coast of French Indochina in January 1945

: SB2C-4E of VB-85 flies near TF 38 arrayed in the background on 17 August 1945

: Damaged Helldiver ‘7’ of VB-15 returns to USS Essex after Marcus Island raid May 20, 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-3 of VB-87 in flight near NAS Wildwood New Jersey on September 28, 1944

: Curtiss SB2C of VB-1 over the carrier USS Yorktown on 26 July 1944

: SB2C-4E Helldiver of VB-97 makes crash landing on aircraft carrier Shangri La

: SB2C of VB-18 from USS Intrepid blasts Japanese ship at Balanacan Harbor

: SB2C of VB-15 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hornet 2 January 1944

: A formation of Curtiss SB2C-4E dive bombers on a training flight. over Ft. Lauderdale Florida 18 May 1945

: SB2C-3 of VB-98 in formation near NAAS Ventura County on 23 September 1944

: SB2C-3 of VB-17 maneuvers into position for launch from the carrier Hornet (CV-12) on February 16, 1945

: Assembly line at the Curtiss Wright plant in Columbus 13 September 1943

: Formation of SB2C-1 of VB-17 in flight 26 June 1943

: Helldivers of VB-87 and TBM Avengers of VT-87 operating off the carrier USS Randolph (CV-15) in flight off the coast of Venezuela on December 4, 1944

: SB2C-4 of VB-12 coming in high during a recovery on board USS Randolph (CV-15) in 1945

: SB2C-3 Helldiver of VB-19 on the flight deck of the carrier USS Lexington (CV-16) after returning from a combat mission in the Pacific on August 20, 1944

: SB2C-1s of VB-5 pictured on the flight deck of USS Yorktown in 1943

: SB2C-1 Helldiver on the ground

: Curtiss SB2C white 114 flying over aircraft carrier

: SB2C-1C white 35 with tail hook extended

: Curtiss XSB2C-1 Helldiver

: XSB2C-1 Helldiver in flight

: Curtiss SB2C-4E of VB-85 aboard the carrier USS Shangri-La (CV-38) on March 13, 1945

: A-25 Shrike 41-18774 in flight over Wright Field

: SB2C-1 Helldiver over carrier deck

: Curtiss SB2C-4 of VJ-17 in flight near Guam 6 June 1945

: Curtiss SB2C-5 974 in flight

: SB2C of VB-8 during a training flight 27 December 1943

: SB2C-1C of the VB-18 on Peleliu, Fall 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-3 on USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) 1944

: Helldivers return to carrier USS Yorktown (CV-10) after Raid on Guam July 1944

: Helldivers bomb installations at Omura Kyushu 1945

: Curtiss XSB2C-2 seaplane 29 September 1942

: U.S. Army Air Force A-25A-30-CS Shrike 42-80194 with lowered bomb bay doors

: Helldivers blast japanese ships at Haha Jima 1944

: Lt Kenneth Anderson pilot of CAG 80 from USS Ticonderoga (CV-14)

: Overhead view of SB2C-1 Helldiver on the ground 1942/1943

: Crashed SB2C-3 white 108 onboard USS Ticonderoga January 1945

: Curtiss SB2C-3 white 3 of VB-20 USS Enterprise (CV-6)

: SB2C from VB-7 attacks Japanese Mogami class cruiser Leyte Gulf

: SB2C Helldivers and F4U in flight over aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42)

: Curtiss SB2C-1C white 68 Pagan Islands

: SB2C-3 of VB-7 USS Hancock during flight operations in 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-1C of VB-15 after recovery aboard the carrier USS Essex 20 May 1944

: SB2C over Japan 1945

: Curtiss SB2C-3 of VB-87 in flight 12 October 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-1C V43 BuNo 18251 in flight

: SB2C of VB-7 flying over USS Hancock off Formosa on 13 October 1944

: Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver September 8, 1942

: Curtiss XSB2C-1 Helldiver 1941

: Helldivers and Avengers during Saipan Invasion

: Crashed Curtiss SB2C-3 aboard USS Ticonderoga CV-14 1944

: Helldivers in flight over Ranger (CV-4) on April 12, 1945

: SB2C Helldiver from USS Franklin (CV-13) flying over Palau Island 1944

: Curtiss XSB2C-1 BuNo 1758

: SB2C-1 Helldiver dive bomber in flight

: Curtiss A-25A-1 Shrike serial 41-18774 delivered for use by USAAF

: Curtiss SB2C aboard an escort carrier 1944 PTO

: Curtiss SB2C-5 of VB-150 from USS Lake Champlain (CV-39) in flight 23 June 1945

SB2C Helldiver/A-25 Shrike was a carrier-based scout-dive bomber aircraft produced for the U.S. Navy during World War II. The prototype XSB2C-l made its first flight on December 18, 1940.

Variants and serials

XSB2C-1 – (Model 84, BuNo 1758) prototype powered by a 1700 hp (1268 kW) R-2600-8 engine, made its first flight on 18 December, 1940
SB2C-1 – (Model 84, BuNo 00001-00200) first production version for US Navy with 4 x 0.50 in (12.7 mm) wing guns and one 0.30 in (7.62 mm) dorsal gun, 200 built. First flight was on 30 June, 1942.
SB2C-1A – 410 A-25As transferred to the USMC (BuNo 75218-75588, 76780-76818).
SB2C-1C – (Model 84A) identical to the SB2C-1 except for the substitution of two 20 mm wing-mounted cannon in place of the four 12,7 mm machine-guns.SB2C-1 and hydraulically operated flaps. 778 built (BuNo 00201-00370, 01008-01208, 18192-18598).
XSB2C-2 – (Model 84C) one twin-float seaplane.
SB2C-2 – (Model 84D) planned float plane version, 350 cancelled and not built.
XSB2C-3 – (Model 84E, BuNo 00008) one SB2C-1 re-engined with a 1900 hp (1417 kW) R-2600-20.
SB2C-3 – (Model 84E) R-2600-20 engine and four-bladed propeller, 1112 built (BuNo 18599-19710).
SB2C-3E – SB2C-3 fitted with APS-4 radar.
SB2C-4 – (Model 84F) fitted with wing racks for eight 5 in (127 mm) rockets or 1000 lb (454 kg) bombs and improved by perforating the surfaces of the trailing-edge dive flaps. 1985 built (BuNo 19711-21191, 64993-65286, and 82850-83127).
SB2C-4E – fitted with APS-4 radar for night operations.
XSB2C-5 – (Model 84G, BuNo 65286) one SB2C-4 converted as prototype for SB2C-5 variant.
SB2C-5 – (Model 84G) with increased fuel capacity, frameless sliding canopy, tailhook fixed in extended position, and deletion of the ASB radar, 970 built (BuNo 83128-83751, 89120-89465).
XSB2C-6 – (Model 84H) Two SB2C-3s (18620 and 18621) fitted with 2100 hp (1566 kW) R-2600-22 engine and increased fuel capacity. XSB2C-6 had their fuselages lengthened and wingtips squared in an attempt to overcome directional stability problems.
XSBF-1 – Canadian prototype
SBF-1 – Canadian built version of the SB2C-1 (BuNo 31636-31685), 50 built by Fairchild-Canada
SBF-3 – (BuNo 31686-31835) Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 150 built by Fairchild-Canada.
SBF-4E – (BuNo 31836-31935) Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 100 built by Fairchild-Canada.
SBW-1 – Canadian built version of the SB2C-1, 40 built (BuNo 21192-21231) by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
SBW-1B – Canadian built version for lend-lease to the Royal Navy as the Helldiver I, 26 aircraft built by Canadian Car & Foundry company.
SBW-3 – Canadian built version of the SB2C-3, 413 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company (BuNo 21233-21645).
SBW-4E – Canadian built version of the SB2C-4E, 270 built by Canadian Car & Foundry company (serials 21646-21741 and 60036-60209).
SBW-5 – Last Canadian built version of the SB2C-5, 86 built by the Canadian Car & Foundry company (BuNo 60210-60295).
A-25A Shrike (Model 84B)- Army version without arrester gear or folding wings and radio equipment changed. Shrike also used larger wheels and revised armour. 900 built (10 for RAAF as A69-1 – A69-10)
USAAF serials:
A-25A-1-CS 41-18774 – 41-18783
A-25A-5-CS 41-18784 – 41-18823
A-25A-10-CS 41-18824 – 41-18873 and 42-79663 – 42-79672
A-25A-15-CS 42-79673 – 42-79732
A-25A-20-CS 42-79733 – 42-79972
A-25A-25-CS 42-79973 – 42-80132
A-25A-30-CS 42-80133 – 42-80462
Helldiver Mk I (JW100- JW125) – FAA designation for 26 SBW-1Bs

Bibliography

Robert Stern, Don Greer: SB2C Helldiver in action – Squadron/Signal Publications Aircraft No. 54
Barrett Tillman, Tom Tullis: Helldiver Units of World War 2 – Osprey Combat Aircraft 3
SBD Dauntless, SB2C Helldiver – Famous Airplanes of the World 40 (japan)
Bert Kinzey: SB2C Helldiver in detail & scale 52
Peter C. Smith: Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, Crowood Press
Aerodata International – U.S. Navy Carrier Bombers of World War II: TBD Devastator SBD Dauntless SB2C Helldiver TBF/TBM Avenger – Squadron/Signal Publications 6205
Peter M. Bowers: Curtiss Aircraft 1907-1947
Phil H. Listemann: The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver in French Service – Allied Wings No 12
David Doyle: SB2C Helldiver in Action Squadron/Signal Publications 10235
Harold Andrews: The Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver, Aircraft Profile No. 124
John M. Elliott – The Official Monogram U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Aircraft Color Guide, Vol 2: 1940-1949
Thomas E. Doll – US Navy Aircraft Camouflage & Markings 1940-1945, Squadron/Signal Publications 6087
Thomas E. Doll, Barkley R. Jackson: Navy Air Colors: United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard Aircraft Camouflage and Markings, Vol. 1, 1911-1945 – Squadron/Signal Publications 6159