Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2020 2:45 pm
I was reading about the Battle of the Philippine Sea and was amazed to read that 80% of the Curtiss SB2C Helldivers that were deliberately launched from long range were lost due to fuel starvation (45 aircraft). Of these aircraft 80% of the crews were rescued. Clearly the pilots and crew knew the risk they were taking when they departed. I am in awe of the courage required to undertake such a mission in shark infested seas.
The SB2C Hell Diver wasn't liked by crews of the ships Captains it seems.
The SB2C Hell Diver wasn't liked by crews of the ships Captains it seems.
Among its major faults, the Helldiver was underpowered, had a shorter range than the SBD, was equipped with an unreliable electrical system, and was often poorly manufactured. The Curtiss-Electric propeller and the complex hydraulic system had frequent maintenance problems. One of the faults remaining with the aircraft through its operational life was poor longitudinal stability, resulting from a fuselage that was too short due to the necessity of fitting onto aircraft carrier elevators. The Helldiver's aileron response was also poor and handling suffered greatly under 90 kn (100 mph; 170 km/h) airspeed; since the speed of approach to land on a carrier was supposed to be 85 kn (98 mph; 157 km/h), this proved problematic. The 880 changes demanded by the Navy and modification of the aircraft to its combat role resulted in a 42% weight increase, explaining much of the problem.
