One, NZ5055, was lost when it crashed at Henderson Field on Gualdacanal in the Solomon Islands on 22 March. The unit later received Model SBD-5s which became NZ5046 to NZ5063 and took up operations in Bougainville, PNG in March 1944. One of these aircraft, NZ5037, was lost and it was not until 1987 the wreckage was located and eventually recovered. They were based at Pallikulo where a working up period of six weeks took place where crews became involved in area familiarisation and training missions. These were also well worn aircraft and were used for operational training. No 25 Squadron took up operational duties at Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in January 1944 where it received from the US Marine Corps 18 aircraft on loan, these becoming NZ5028 to NZ5045. The New Zealand Squadron had difficulty keeping the type airworthy as they were combat-weary aircraft and, as spares were in short supply, some aircraft were cannibalised to keep others airworthy. First lost in an accident was NZ211 which crashed on a training flight near Waiuku on 13 September 1943, thus it did not become NZ5007 when the serials of this batch were changed. On 6 January 1944 a flight of 18 aircraft flew over Auckland. Pilots underwent a 60 hour conversion course on the type but many of the aircraft were war-weary, some of them said to have been operated during the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal campaigns, and required a lot of maintenance. No 25 Squadron was equipped with the type at Seagrove in July 1943, using them for training. One (Bu Aer 28452) was lost during a ferry flight. Of the earlier models with the RNZAF, two were lost in accidents, three were returned to the US Navy, and the remaining 22 were stored at Hobsonville until 1948 when they were scrapped. No 25 Squadron RNZAF was formed to specifically operate the type. In 1944 eighteen new Douglas SBD-5s were received, becoming NZ5046 to NZ5063 followed by a further five which became NZ5064 to NZ5068, the earlier SBD-4s being returned to the US Marines after a working up period. These were all well used aircraft transferred from the US Navy in 1943 under Lend-Lease. Later again 27 Model SBD-4s were received and became NZ5019 to NZ5045. Later in November 1943 they became NZ5001 to NZ5018. A batch of Douglas SBD-3s was obtained on loan from US Marine Corps Air Group 14 in July 1943 and allotted temporary serials NZ205 to NZ222 for training purposes. The Dauntless saw extensive service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). Production ceased in July 1944 after 5,936 had been built. Last variant was the Model SBD-6, differing in having a 1,007 kw (1,350 hp) Wright R-1820-66 engine, non metallic self-sealing fuel tanks, and increased fuel capacity. The Model SBD-5, which was the variant built in the largest numbers, began production in February 1943 and had the Wright R-1820-60 engine, illuminated gunsights, increased ammunition capacity, and increased fuel capacity. The next model was the SBD-4, similar to the Model SBD-3 but with a Hydromatic propeller and a 24 volt electrical system. The Dauntless was also used extensively by the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) as the Models SBD-3A and SBD-4. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in Hawaii in December 1941, additional contracts were placed and, in the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the type was instrumental in the sinking of the Japanese aircraft carriers ‘ Kaga’, ‘Akagi’, ‘Hiryu’, and ‘ Soryu’. Self-sealing fuel tanks and armour were installed, and the Wright R-1820-32 engine replaced the R-1820-52. Following the fall of France, the US Navy was permitted to expand and placed a contract for 174 examples under the model designation SBD-3. In April 1939 Douglas received a contract for 57 Model SBD-1s and 87 Model SBD-2s, and most of these aircraft being delivered to the United States Marine Corps during the last six months of 1940. The Douglas Dauntless was a Northrop design which originated in 1938, the Northrop company subsequently being absorbed into the Douglas Aircraft Company at Santa Monica in California, the Northrop XBT-2 became the Douglas XSBD-1. Two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine-guns in engine cowling one 7.62 mm (0.30 in) machine-gun for radio-operator/gunner bomb load up to 726 kg (1,600 lb) on centre rack or two 45 kg (100 lb) or two 159 kg (350 lb) bombs or depth charges on wing racks History: Range when operating in the scouting role: 2,518 km (1,565 miles).Range when operating in the bombing role: 1,794 km (1,115 miles).Initial rate of climb: 518 m/min (1,700 ft/min).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |