The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was supplanted, although not entirely replaced, by the SB2C Helldiver.
SBD Dauntless in Days of Infamy[]
The Dauntless was first used against the Japanese Navy during the invasion of the Hawaiian Islands, and with only one bomb, they managed to damage Kaga so she couldn't operate planes. The diver bomber was used again, in the first attempt to retake the islands, where they managed to severely damage the Zuikaku and wound the Akagi. The Japanese pilots called them Hell Divers and thought the planes to be very good.
When the US made its second attempt to retake the islands, the Dauntless returned, and this time, sank they Akagi and crippled Shokaku to the point of abandonment. After the battle, they were used to support the Marines in their fight with the Japanese Army.
SBD Dauntless in The War That Came Early[]
The Dauntless was the front line dive bomber for the Navy in 1941. The dive bombers were first used successfully against artillery positions of the Japanese garrison on Wake Island.
References[]
| |||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||
