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Curtiss SB2C Helldiver


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 (this plane has one other nickname more - the pilots said its by that SB2C: "Son of a Bitch of the 2nd Class":-)). But its performance was little better than that of the older SBD. Nevertheless the USN fought several major battles with it.
General characteristics SB2C-4
Primary function Dive bomber
Contractor Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Power plant One Wright R-2600-20 engine
Thrust 1,877 HP 1,400 kW
Wingspan 49.7 ft 15.16 m
Length 36.7 ft 11.18 m
Height 13.1 ft 4.01 m
Wingarea 422 sq ft 39.20 sq m
Weight empty 10,547 lb 4,784 kg
max. 16,616 lb 7,537 kg
Speed 295 mph 475 km/h
Ceiling 2,9200 ft 8,900 m
Range 1,926 miles 3,100 km
Armament 2x 20mm cannon, 2x 12.7mm machine gun, 907 kg bombs
Crew Two
Date deployed 1943
Number built over 7000


Jirka Wagner

 

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