Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

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The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a carrier-based dive bomber aircraft produced for the United States Navy during World War II.

It replaced the Douglas SBD Dauntless in US Navy service.

Despite its size, the SB2C was much faster than the SBD it replaced.

Crew nicknames for the aircraft included the Big-Tailed Beast (or just the derogatory Beast), Two-Cee and Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class (after its designation and partly because of its reputation for having difficult handling characteristics)

Neither pilots nor aircraft carrier skippers seemed to like it.

Delays marred its production—by the time the A-25 Shrike variant for the USAAF was deployed in late 1943, the Army Air Forces no longer had a need for a thoroughbred dive bomber.

Another factor also hampered its service introductions[clarification needed]—due to the poor handling of the aircraft, both the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force cancelled substantial orders.

The Truman Committee investigated Helldiver production and turned in a scathing report, which eventually led to the beginning of the end for Curtiss.

Although production problems persisted throughout its combat service, it was reported that some pilots soon changed their minds favorably about the potency of the Helldiver,[4] and in spite of its problems, the aircraft was flown through the last two years of the Pacific War with a fine combat record, due to the high level of training of its crews.

General characteristics

Crew: Two, pilot and radio operator/gunner
Length: 36 ft 8 in (11.18 m)
Wingspan: 49 ft 9 in (15.17 m)
Height: 13 ft 2 in (4.01 m)
Wing area: 422 ft² (39.2 m²)
Empty weight: 10,547 lb (4,794 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 16,616 lb (7,553 kg)

Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-2600-20 Twin Cyclone radial engine, 1,900 hp (1,417 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 295 mph (257 knots, 475 km/h) at 16,700 ft (5,090 m)
Cruise speed: 158 mph (137 knots, 254 km/h)
Range: 1,165 mi (1,013 nmi, 1,876 km) with 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb load
Service ceiling: 29,100 ft (8,870 m)
Rate of climb: 1,800 ft/min (9.1 m/s)

Armament

Guns: **2 × 20 mm (.79 in) Mk.2 cannon in the wings
2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine guns in the rear cockpit
Bombs: in internal bay: 2,000 lb (900 kg) of bombs or 1 × Mark 13-2 torpedo
on underwing hardpoints: 500 lb (225 kg) of bombs each