Diecast Aircraft Information

MetalWings Diecast Aircraft Reference by Dauntless Aviation

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series
HA0170
Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless
USN VB-16, "White 39", Cook Cleland,
USS Lexington, Battle of Philippine Sea, June 1944

Die-cast metal.
Fully assembled.
Superb detailing in 1/72scale.
Pre-painted with pad applied markings.
Weapons are not permanently attached.
Display stand included.
Option to display model with wheels up or down.
Minimum use of plastic.
Very collectable

SBD-5 Specifications

Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company

Crew: 2 (pilot, observer/gunner/radioman)

Dimensions
Length: 33’ 1”   (10.0m)
Height: 13’ 7”   (4.1m)
Wingspan: 41’ 6”   (12.6m)
Wing area: 325.0 sq. ft.   (30.0 sq. m)

Weights
Empty weight: 6,404 lb   (2,905 kg)
Gross weight: 10, 676 lb   (4,853 kg

Performance
Powerplant: 1 X Wright R-1820-60 1,200 hp
Range: 1,115 miles   (1,795 km)
Cruising speed: 185 mph   (298 km/h)   (161 kt)
Maximum speed: 255 mph   (410 km/h)   (221 kt)
Climb rate: 1,700 ft/min   (518 m/min)
Ceiling: 25,530 ft   (7,780 m)

Armament
2 X 0.50 inch MGs in upper nose
2 X 0.30 inch movable MGs rearward firing from rear cockpit
up to 2,250 lb of bombs – 1 X 1,600 lb or 1,000 center-line bomb – 2 X 325 lb under wing

On April 21 1944 Lt. Cook Cleland, better known for his modified F2G Corsair racing
after WWII, along with his Radioman/Gunner, W J Hisler were flying SBD-5 White 39 of
VB-16 assigned to the carrier USS Lexington (CV-16). On this day near Hollandia New
Guinea, Cleland downed a Sonia (Mitsubishi Ki-51 light bomber). On June 20 1944
Gunner Hisler downed a Zeke (Mitsubishi A6M Reisen) along with a second aircraft
damaged. White 39 returned to the carrier with the fuel almost exhausted.

General information about the SBD-5
The SBD-5 Dauntless was the best variant built with 2,965 aircraft being built. Even with
its upgrades there was one major stumbling block for this plane and that was its lack of
folding wings. As the USN built more and more carriers for their offensive against Japan
this problem became even larger. So after the invasion of the Marianna’s the USN SBDs
were assigned to secondary land based operations where they spent the rest of WWII.

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