The Douglas SBD Dauntless was USN WW2 naval dive bomber developed from the Northrop BT, a total of 5,936 aircraft were built and served as the United States Navy's main dive bomber from it's mid-1940 introduction until late 1943, a few Douglas SBD Dauntless were supplied to Mexico where they remained the last operational aircraft until their retirement in 1959. The first action of the Douglas SBD Dauntless was during the Pearl Harbor attack when aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise arrived unarmed and low on fuel to find Pearl Harbor under the surprise attack by Japanese forces. The Douglas SBD Dauntlessess had their first major engagement during the Battle of the Coral Sea where they formed part of the attack force which sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō. Douglas SBD Dauntless Specifications: - Crew: Pilot and navigator
- Length: 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
- Wingspan: 41 ft 6 in (12.65 m)
- Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
- Empty weight: 6,404 lb (2,905 kg)
- Loaded weight: 10,676 lb (4,843 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb (4,853 kg)
- Engine: Single 1,200 hp (895 kW) Wright R-1820-60 radial engine
- Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h)
- Range: 773 mi (1,240 km)
- Service ceiling 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
- Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
Armament: - Twin 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) forward-firing engine cowl mounted Browning M2 machine guns
- Single 0.30 cal (7.62 mm) rear cockpit mounted Browning machine gun
- Up to 2,250 lb (1,020 kg) of bombs
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