World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
16 Nov 2010 01:30:47 PM

Photograph of XSB2C Prototype with smaller vertical fin later. Revised prototype had a
larger vertical fin.
Modification of the engine mounts, and a one foot fuselage extension, this was done to
move the center of gravity forward.
By October 1941 2,000 Helldivers were on
order

2.  Bill says:
16 Nov 2010 01:56:30 PM

Nine hundred Helldivers were ordered by the
Army known as the A-25, the aircraft were later turned over to the Marines, when the
Army didn't need dive bombers anymore.

Also a one of a kind float plane varient was
built using two big Endo floats, but that's
as far as it went. Curtiss built about
19,000 planes between 1935 to 1945, most of
which were 13,920 P-40s.

3.  Bill says:
16 Nov 2010 02:46:54 PM

Remember those land-based Army Helldivers
the A-25s, not one was used in combat and passed on to the Marines, who didn't use them in combat, they were used training and
target tug duties.

The Helldiver was a big plane, and needed a
big engine to power it. The Wright R-2600-20
was a Air-Cooled 14 Cylinder Radial Engine
of 1,900hp.

After WWII the Navy continued to use the Helldiver, but by 1949 it was phased out of
front line duties and used for training and
research.
The Helldiver was used by Naval Reserve
Squadrons and retired in the early 1950s
Post-War Service:
Surplus Helldivers were used by the French,
Royal Thai Air Force, Greek Air Force,
Portugal and the Italian Air Force.

Today only one SB2C Helldiver, out of the
7,200 built during WWII is able to fly. It is part of the Commemorative Air Force based
Texas USA.