Click to open image viewer. CC0 Usage Conditions ApplyClick for more information. Single engine, low wing, carrier based scout/dive bomber.Both sides of fuselage: "109," U. S. star and bar insignia.

On this day in aviation history, 85 years ago-May 1, 1940-the Douglas SBD Dauntless took to the skies for the first time. Designed as a carrier-based dive bomber, the SBD also served as a naval scout ...

What can be said about this iconic warbird that hasn’t already been said? The Dauntless made its maiden flight on May 1, 1940, and entered into official operational service with the U.S. Navy and U.S.

In June 1942, at the Battle of Midway, Dauntless pilots sunk four Japanese carriers in a single day. Its rugged design and pinpoint accuracy helped turn the tide of the Pacific War. And yet, few ...

The SBD made her maiden flight on April 22, 1938, and officially entered service the following year. The deadly efficacy of dive-bombing, as proven by Nazi Germany’s infamous Junkers Ju-87 Stuka ...

★ SBD Dauntless ★ The Dauntless was a dive bomber whose pilots joked that the initials SBD stood not for “Scout Bomber—Douglas” but for “Slow But Deadly.” Its top speed was a mere 255 mph, and ...

Use the controls at the bottom of the frame to navigate, zoom in and out, or view full-screen. The Douglas Dauntless dive bomber sank more enemy ships than any other Allied bomber, and is best ...