Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless

A state of the art low wing monoplane with multi-cellular wing. This revolutionary development allowed for no external wing braces or stays. Because multi-cellular wings could not fold, the SBD was made very compact. New dive brakes with perforated flaps allowed for a high angle of dive with controlled speed. SBD’s carried a center mounted 1,000 lb. bomb on a trapeze that swung the bomb down and forward to clear the prop.

The most famous US Navy bomber of WWII, the SBD sank more tons of Japanese shipping than all other aircraft combined. Sinking the carrier Shoho and disabling the Shokaku during the Battle of Coral Sea stopped the Japanese from taking Port Moresby, New Guinea and advancing into the Pacific.

Prior to their attack on Midway, the Japanese believed the Yorktown was sunk along side the Lexington at Coral Sea and the Hornet and Enterprise were out of range. The Imperial Japanese Navy would never recover from the loss of four carriers sunk by SBD’s during the Battle of Midway.

This SBD was used by the MGM Studios as a wind machine. Acquired and restored by Yanks in 1984.