Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver of USS Intrepid over China in 1945, from the Navy Historical Center archives
Description
Role	Carrier-based dive bomber
Crew	Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner
First Flight	December 1940
Entered Service
Manufacturer	Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Dimensions
Length	36 ft 9 in	11.2 m
Wingspan	49 ft 9 in	15.2 m
Height	14 ft 9 in	4.5 m
Wing area	422 ft²	39.2 m²
Weights
Empty	10,114 lb	4,588 kg
Loaded	13,674 lb	6,202 kg
Maximum takeoff	16,800 lb	7,600 kg
Powerplant
Engine	Wright R-2600 Cyclone
Power	1900 hp	1,400 kW
Performance
Maximum speed	294 mph	473 km/h
Combat range	1,200 miles	1,900 km
Ferry range	miles	km
Service ceiling	25,000 ft	7,600 m
Rate of climb	1,750 ft/min	533 m/min
Wing loading	lb/ft²	kg/m²
Power/Mass	hp/lb	kW/kg
Armament
Guns	2 × 20 mm cannon in wings 2 &times 0.30 in (7.62 mm) machineguns in rear cockpit
Bombs	Internal bay: 2000 lb (900 kg) Under-wing hardpoints: 500 lb (225 kg) each
Rockets	on underwing hardpoints
Torpedoes	1 × Mark 13-2 in internal bay

The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was an aircraft carrier-based dive bomber produced for the United States Navy during World War II. It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service, and was initially strongly disliked by aircrews because it was much bigger and heavier than the SBD, and had a shorter range. Opinions soon changed, however, and the SB2C sank more enemy shipping in the Pacific war than any other US or Allied aircraft. Despite its size, the SB2C was as fast as a fighter; only the Vought F4U Corsair could significantly outperform it.

Crew nicknames for the aircraft included the Big-Tailed Beast (or just Beast) and Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class (after its designation).

The first prototype flew in December 1940 but a large number of modifications and changes meant that it did not enter combat until 11 November, 1943 when they attacked the Japanese-held port of Rabaul in Papua New Guinea.

A few aircraft were acquired by the USAAF under the designation A-25.

A total of 26 aircraft (out of 450 ordered) were delivered to the British Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, where they were known as the Curtiss Helldiver I. Postwar, surplus aircraft were sold to the navies of France, Italy, Greece, Portugal and Thailand.

One SB2C Helldiver is still flying. Owned by the Commemorative Air Force, this late-production SB2C-5 built in 1945 is based in Graham, Texas and makes frequent airshow appearances. In 1982 it experienced engine failure and a hard emergency landing that caused extensive damage; volunteers of the CAF put in thousands of man-hours and in excess of $200,000 to restore the aircraft to flying condition once more.

External links

• http://www.sb2chelldiver.org/ The Commemorative Air Force's flying SB2C Helldiver