Hobby Master Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver, VB-17, USS Bunker Hill, Rabaul, November 11, 1943 HA2201

Home > Airplanes > Hobby Master > SB2C Helldiver >

Hobby Master 1/72 Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver, VB-17, USS Bunker Hill, Rabaul, November 11, 1943 HA2201

Hobby Master Curtiss SB2C-1 Helldiver, VB-17, USS Bunker Hill, Rabaul, November 11, 1943 HA2201

Pre Production Photos

Part # HA2201

List Price: $47.95
Our Price: $42.95
You Save $5.00

Stock Status: In Stock

Availability: Usually Ships in 1 to 2 Business Days
Product Code: HA2201

Qty:

Features

Technical Specs

Learn More

The first production SB2C-1 flew June 30, 1942 and in 1943 replaced the SBD
Dauntless as the USN�s main dive-bomber. Four years after it was first ordered
there still wasn�t one plane manufactured and when the planes finally started to
arrive they were so poorly made that some would break in half upon landing,
some would lose tail-wheels or some wings would fail in dives. The aircraft were
refused by Great Britain and several other countries because of these problems
and poor performance. The aircraft under went improvements, MOD II saw over
800 technical changes to each plane. After many MODS and variants the
Helldiver became an effective plane and was nicknamed �The Big Tail Beast�
referring to its over sized tail that was needed to correct control problems. Some
referred to it as �sum bitch second class�. This is an airplane that never would
have gone into full production if WWII hadn�t necessitated doing so. Even the
USAAF cancelled their order and the planes that they did receive never saw
battle. The captain of the �Yorktown� refused to sail with the Helldiver and went
to sea with the Dauntless. Only after hundreds of changes and modifications did
the SB2C go on to become one of the most effective dive-bombers of WWII.

VB-17 was the first unit to take the new SB2C-1 MOD III into combat on board
USS Bunker Hill. MOD III seemed to fix the weak fuselage structure that formerly
would buckle or break on landing. CO LCDR James �Moe� Vose was a veteran
and was assigned B-4 aircraft. On November 11, 1943 as part of Task Force 38
the USS Bunker Hill was directed to strike the main Japanese base at Rabaul.
This would be VB-17s first combat mission and test under fire for the Helldiver.
Vose led 23 SB2C-1s and when the force arrived at Rabaul they were greeted
by Zeroes. Immediately the escorting Hellcats engaged the Zeroes allowing the
Helldivers to attack the Japanese ships maneuvering to avoid them. After 20
minutes it was time to return to the Bunker Hill but not before the SB2Cs
damaged a cruiser and three destroyers with one destroyer being sunk. VB-17
lost 4 Helldivers that day, one crashed on take off and one was jettisoned after
landing because it was so battle damaged.