This is an aircraft I don't particularly love, but it was significant (over 7,000 built), and ought to be represented in IL2 as it fought extensively in the Pacific in WW2, and in the Greek Civil War 1949, and in French Indochina 1951-53.
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
There is also something compelling to me in an aircraft that is ugly, ungainly and/or generally unloved by its users, but nonetheless serves. Such an aircraft was the Helldiver, known to its users as the "Son of a Bitch 2nd Class", and the "Big Tailed Beast" - often shortened to just "The Beast". Not only was the SB2C unpopular with its aircrews, it posed logistical problems on cramped carriers due to its large size, making it unpopular with Carrier brass as well.
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was an important part of the last half of the Pacific War in WW2. Designed to replace the SBD Dauntless, it was first off the drawing board - before the Grumman Avenger - though the Avenger entered service nearly 2 years before the Helldiver, despite being designed later!
Following assessment of the prototype, the USN listed no less than 880!!! technical modifications it required prior to acceptance.
The SB2C was much faster than the SBD, and had a much more powerful engine in its Wright Cyclone R-2600-8 1,700 hp powerplant, but the corrections from the Navy's list of 880, caused a 42% weight increase, which sapped much of the SB2C's power.
It was prone to longitudinal unstability, and despite its speed increase, posessed a shorter range than the Dauntless. Its aileron response was reported to be poor. The Helldiver had poor handling characteristics below 90 mph, which was problematic in a service where the doctrine was a landing approach of 85 mph!
Cockpit (SB2C-5)
Dorsal MG Position
Bombay Detail
Wingfold Detail
Type: Shipborne Reconnaissance Bomber
Crew: 2
Engine
Wright R-2600-8 'Double Cyclone' | 1700 hp | Pistons
Dimensions/Masses
Length: 11.20 m | Width: 15.20 m | Height: 5.10 m
Weight: 4990 kg | Max. Combat Weight: 7530 kg
Performances
Max. Speed: 452 km/h | Ceiling: 7530 m | Range: 1786 km
Armament
MG: 4 x 12.7mm M2 BMG & 2 x 7.7mm Browning M2
Bombs: 454 kg of bombs (max) (inside)
The original operational Model, the SB2C-1 (200 built)
was armed with 4 x .50 cal wing mounted mgs, and a .30 cal manually aimed rear cockpit mg.
The SB2C-1C and first model to be broadly distributed ( 778 built) and therefore the first to have a significant effect had the wing .50s replaced with 2 x 20mm cannons, one in each wing. This model introduced hydraulic flaps.
SB2C-1C
The SB2C-4 was the most important WW2 variant numerically (2,145 built), and in terms of performance was improved, as it was powered by a Wright Cyclone R-2600-20 1,900 hp powerplant. The C-4 was also significant as the first Helldiver to be equipped to fire rockets.
SB2C-4
The Helldiver was also built to the tune of about 900 models to US Army specs as the A25A Shrike. This was to SB2C-1 standard, but with non-folding wings and other carrier equipment removed. The Army was not entirely enamoured with the resultant aircraft, and dealt almost half of these off to the USMC, which did not use them in combat.
A25A Shrike
Offered and trialled to the Fleet Air Arm, just 26 of the original order of 450 were received by the Fleet Air Arm before the order was cancelled.
Performance Specifications
(SB2C-1)
Type: Shipborne Reconnaissance Bomber
Crew: 2
Engine
Wright R-2600-8 'Double Cyclone' | 1700 hp | Pistons
Dimensions/Masses
Length: 11.20 m | Width: 15.20 m | Height: 5.10 m
Weight: 4990 kg | Max. Combat Weight: 7530 kg
Performances
Max. Speed: 452 km/h | Ceiling: 7530 m | Range: 1786 km
Armament
MG: 4 x 12.7mm M2 Browning MG & 2 x 7.7mm Browning M2 rear cockpit
Bombs: 454 kg of bombs (max) (inside)
(SB2C-4)
Manufacturer Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type Navy Dive Bomber
Engine Wright R-2600 Cyclone (1900HP @ takeoff power)
Wing Span 49 Feet 9 Inches
Length 36 Feet 9 Inches
Height 14 Feet 9 Inches
Gross Weight 13,674 Pounds
Max Takeoff Weightn 16,800 Pounds
Empty Weight 10,114 Pounds
Max. Speed 294 MPH
Normal Cruise Speed approx 195 MPH
Rate of Climb 1,750 Ft/min
Ceiling 25,000 Feet
Range 1,200 Miles
Crew 2 (pilot, radio operator/gunner)
Armament 2X20 MM Cannons with 800 rounds per gun
2X.30 Caliber Machine Guns with 2,000 rounds per gun
Disposable Ordnance Internal bomb bay - up 2000 lbs of bombs, depth
charges or a Mk 13-2 torpedo
Two under-wing hard points - up to 500 lbs each of bombs, depth charges or
unguided rockets
This "Beast" was an important contributor, serving at Rabaul, the Marianas, Leyte Gulf, the Philippine Sea, Taiwan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Ryoku and in the attack on Honshu - the Japanese home islands.
This aircraft deserves to fly in the unfriendly skies.
Kopfdorfer
Could this be the Gazebo in Ranwers summer home?
I hope so!
Author
Topic: How About the Beast? - the SB2C Helldiver (Read 58831 times)
