Curtiss SB2C "Helldiver" The Beast "Son of a Bitch, 2nd Class" | |
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General Historical Information | |
Place of origin | USA |
Designer | Donovan Reese Berlin |
Manufacturer | Curtiss Fairchild Canadian Car & Foundry |
Produced In | 1943 – 1945 |
Speed | 475 km/h |
Category | Dive Bomber |
General Ingame Information | |
Debut | V0.6 |
Used by | USA |
Crew in‑game | 2 |
Guns | 2 x 20 mm AN-M2 cannons (240 HE + APT Rounds) |
Bombs | 2 x 500 kg |
Seat 2 | 2 x M1919A4 Browning (375 7.62mm T + Ball rounds) |
Historical Picture | |
A carrier-based dive and torpedo bomber, the Helldiver was designed to replace the Douglas SBD Dauntless. SB2Cs were large aircraft due to the requirement of an internal bomb bay; Helldivers were built to carry a 900 kg pound bomb internally, or two smaller 700 kg weapons, or a torpedo. SB2Cs first went to War with VB-17 on the USS Bunker Hill in November 1943 and the Navy used the platform in every major surface action as an integral part of its carrier air groups until the end of the war. The bane of Navy pilots because of reliability problems and difficult handling characteristics, the Helldiver picked up the derogatory nickname The Beast and "Son of a Bitch, 2nd Class" (after its designation). However, it was responsible for the destruction of more Japanese targets than any other aircraft.
Some of the SB2C and the Yokosuka D4Y "Suisei" which are without bombs have the unique ability in the mod to function as a mobile spawn point for friendly aircraft when it is above a certain altitude.
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