Manufacturer Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type Navy Dive Bomber
Engine Wright R-2600 Cyclone (1900HP @ takeoff power)
Wing Span 49 Feet 9 Inches
Length 36 Feet 9 Inches
Height 14 Feet 9 Inches
Gross Weight 13,674 Pounds
Max Takeoff Weight 16,800 Pounds
Empty Weight 10,114 Pounds
Max. Speed 294 MPH
Normal Cruise Speed approx 195 MPH
Rate of Climb 1,750 Ft/min
Ceiling 25,000 Feet
Range 1,200 Miles
Crew 2 (pilot, radio operator/gunner)
Armament 2X20 MM Cannons with 800 rounds per gun
2X.30 Caliber Machine Guns with 2,000 rounds per gun
Disposable Ordnance Internal bomb bay - up 2000 lbs of bombs, depth charges or a Mk 13-2 torpedo
Two under-wing hard points - up to 500 lbs each of bombs, depth charges or unguided rockets
The Helldiver's performance has been maligned by many critics, frequently without regard to the facts. Some comparisons to other Navy aircraft are enlightening. The SB2C-4 had a higher cruising speed and greater range (without drop tanks) than the TBM Avenger, and a significantly higher top speed. It easily outperformed the SBD Dauntless in every category except range. Its cruising speed was only two mph slower than the F6F Hellcat. Only the F4U Corsair, among contemporary carrier-based aircraft, had a significantly superior speed. The Corsair could carry the same load as the Helldiver but over a much shorter range. Of aircraft designed in the same, immediate pre-war period, only the Corsair outlasted it in front-line Navy service.
© Copyright Commemorative Air Force, Inc., unless otherwise marked. AIRSHO and Wings Over Houston are ® registered trademarks of the Commemorative Air Force, Inc.
