NAS GROSSE ILE

CURTISS SB2C HELLDIVER

Photo furnished by Gerald F. Clement Jr.

Carrier based dive bomber. The SB2C was designed to combine a powerful engine and a large weapons load in a small airframe, as required for carrier operations. The SB2C was compact and dense,  and its fuselage was inordinately small compared with the large wings and tail. The bad handling characteristics earned this dive bomber uncomplimentary nicknames. Its performance was little better than that of the older SBD. Nevertheless the USN fought several major battles with it, and over 7000 were built.

The Helldiver was designed as a carrier based bomber.  It was designed compact enough so two plane could be loaded on a carriers elevator at one time.  Because of this it had a rather short body for a plane carrying a 2000 horse class engine.

Type SB2C-4
Function dive bomber
Year 1943 
Crew 2
Engines 1  Wright R-2600-20
Wing Span 15.16m
Length 11.18m
Height 4.01m
Wing Area 39.20m2
Empty Weight 4784kg
Max.Weight 7537kg
Speed 475km/h
Ceiling 8900m
Range 3100km
Armament 2*g20mm, 2*mg12.7mm, 907kg


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Revised: June 30, 2010