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Curtiss SBC- Helldiver |
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Aircraft of the U.S. Navy |
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Entwicklung |
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Destined to become the last combat biplane produced in America, the Curtiss SBC Helldiver paradoxically began life as a monoplane. A Navy contract, dated June 30, 1932, with the Curtiss Company produced the XF12C-1 prototype, a two-seat parasol-wing carrier-based fighter with retractable undercarriage. First flown in 1933, it was redesignated in the scout category in December that year as the XS4C-1, but one month later its role changed again to scout-bomber as the XSBC-1. Fitted originally with a 625 hp Wright R-1510-92 engine, this prototype later had an R-1820-80 and demonstrated a high speed of 217 mph, but the parasol wing proved unsuitable for the dive-bombing role and failed during tests in September 1934. A new prototype ordered in April 1935 with the same Navy serial number made its first flight on December 9 of the same year, as the XSBC-2 biplane. It reverted to the 700 hp XR-l510-12 engine and was an almost wholly new design.
Re-engined with a Pratt & Whitney R-1535-82 Wasp engine in March 1936, the prototype became the XSBC-3 and on August 29, the same year, the Navy contracted for 83 production examples with -94 engines. Deliveries began on July 17, 1937, to Navy Squadron VS-5.
Better performance, and the ability to carry a 1,000 Ib bomb, was obtained in the SBC-4. The final aircraft on the SBC-3 production contract was completed as the XSBC-4 with a single-row Wright R-1820-22, and the 174 production aircraft of this series had the -34 engine. The first production contract was placed on January 5, 1938, and deliveries began in March 1939. In 1940 the Navy diverted 50 of its SBC-4s to France, which had already placed an order for 90 of these dive-bombers; these aircraft were replaced in 1941 by the final 50 of the biplanes off the Curtiss line, which had been laid down as French aircraft. They differed from the original Navy SBC-4s in having self-sealing fuel tanks. |
Die Curtiss SBC Helldiver ist das letzte Doppel-decker Kampfflugzeug der USA und begann paradoxerweise als Eindecker. In einem Vertrag vom 30. Juni 1932 mit der US Navy wurde die Produktion eines zweisitzigen Prototypen (XF12C-1) stipuliert der über eine Einziehfahrwerk verfügte und als Hochdecker ausgebildet werden sollte. Im Dezember 1933 fand der Erstflug statt, die Maschine wurde neu als XS4C-1 in der Kategorie Scout (Aufklärung) bezeichnet. Einen Monat später seine Rolle auf Scout-Bomber verändert und die Maschine als SBC-1 bezeichnet. Ursprünglich mit einem 625 PS Wright R-1510-92-Motor ausgerüstet hatte der Prototypen später einen R-1820-80 Motor mit 217 PS. Die Tests im September 1934 zeigten, dass dich Hochdecker-Konfiguration für einen Sturzkampfbomber ungeeignet war. Ein neuer Prototyp mit der gleichen Seriennummer wurde im April 1935 bestellt, er hatte am 9. Dezember des gleichen Jahres seinen ersten Flug, als XSBC-2 Doppeldecker. Die Maschine hatte wieder den 700 PS XR-1510-12-Motor. Ummotorisiert mit Pratt & Whitney R-1535-82 Wasp Motor wurde der Prototyp im März 1936 als XSBC-3 bezeichnet. Am 29. August 1935 bestellte die US Navy 83 Maschinen und 94 Motoren. Die Auslieferung begann am 17. Juli 1937, die Navy Staffel VS-5. Mehr Leistung, und die Fähigkeit, eine 450 Kg Bombe zu tragen, wurde in der SBC-4 vereint. Die letzte SBC-3 wurde, der XSBC-4 Prototyp mit einem Wright R-1820-22 Motor. 174 Flugzeuge der Produktion hatten den -34 Motor mit mehr Leistung. Der Auftrag wurde am 5. Januar 1938 gesprochen, und die Lieferungen begannen im März 1939. 1940 leitete die US Navy 50 seiner SBC-4s nach Frankreich um, die bereits eine Bestellung für 90 dieser Maschinen gemacht hatte. 1941 wurden die letzten 50 dieser Doppeldecker von der Produktionslinie von Curtiss geliefert. Die französischen Flugzeuge unterschieden sich durch Selbstversiegelnde Tanks von denjenigen der US Navy. |
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Versionen |
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XSBC-1 |
Prototype |
XSBC-1 |
Prototyp |
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XSBC-2 |
Prototype |
XSBC-2 |
Prototyp |
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SBC-3 |
Initial production model was powered by a radial Pratt & Whitney R-1535 engine. 83 were built. |
SBC-3 |
Erste Serienversion mit einem Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Motor. 83 Maschinen gebaut. |
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SBC-4 |
Powered by a radial Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 engine. |
SBC-4 |
Version mit dem Wright R-1820 Cyclone 9 Motor. |
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Einsatzgeschichte |
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At the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor the Navy had 69 SBC-3s and 117 SBC-4s on its rooster, VB-8 and VS-8, being on board the unit, VMO-151, was also flying SBC-4s, but the -3 with Scouting Squadrons VS-3, VS-5 and VS-6, were already obsolescent. |
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Zur Zeit des japanischen Angriffes auf Pearl Harbor hatte die US Navy 69 SBC-3 und 117 SBC-4 im Dienst. Die Staffeln VB-8 und VS-8 waren die einzigen Trägergestützten Einheiten. VMO-151 flog die SBC-4 auch während des Krieges. die anderen Staffeln VS-3, VS-5 und VS-6 hatte die SBC- abgegeben. |
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Zeichnungen |
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Scout Squadrons |
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VS-2 (1939) | VS-2 (1940) | VS-3 (1937) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VS-3 (1938) | VS-3 (1939) | VS-3 (1939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VS-3 (1940) | VS-5 (1938) | VS-5 (1939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VS-5 (1940) | CAG-Yorktown (1940) | VS-6 (1938) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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VS-6 (1939) | VS-6 (1940) | VS-6 (1940) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fighter Squadrons |
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VF-6 (1937) | CAG-Enterprise (1940) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bombing Squadrons |
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VB-3 (1941) | VB-4 (1940) | VB-8 (1941) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other units |
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NARB Oakland (1940) | Fleet Tactical Unit (1940) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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