Curtiss SB2C-3 Helldiver
VB-18, USS Intrepid (CV-11)
Sinking Musashi, October 1944
(Hobby Master HA2202)
- Engine: One 1,900 h.p. Wright R-2600-20 Cyclone radial
- Span: 49 ft 9 in
- Length: 36 ft 9 in
- Height: 14 ft 9 in
- Weight: 10,114 lb empty / 13,674 lb loaded
- Crew: Two
- Max Speed: 294 mph at 13,800 ft
- Service Ceiling: 25,000 ft
- Max Range: 1,200 miles
- Armament: Two 20 mm cannon (one in each wing) and two .30 in machine guns in rear cockpit; one 1,000 lb bomb or two 500 lb bombs or equivalent
- Notes: The SB2C was designed to replace the SBD Dauntless. When the Helldivers were first delivered they were so poorly manufactured that some broke in half on landing and wings fell apart in a dive. Some countries cancelled orders and the USAAF never used the 900 they received. Eventually after over 800 modifications and technical changes the Helldiver went on to become one of the most effective dive bombers of WWII. Most people referred to the plane as "The Big Tail Beast" or just "The Beast".
On October24, 1944 a fleet of 29 Japanese warships heading toward Leyte Gulf were detected by the US Navy. The USN launched air-strike after air-strike in an attempt to stop the fleet. One of the first groups sent was VB-18 with 12 SB2C-3s from the USS Intrepid along with her Avengers and Hellcats. It took six strikes throughout the day to sink the battleship Musashi, one cruiser and damage many other ships. When the day ended VB-18 had lost five of their twelve SB2C-3s.
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