Curtiss SB2C Helldiver – White 62, VB-18, US Navy, USS Intrepid, Musashi Sinking, October 1944

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA2215: Curtiss SB2C Helldiver White 62 of VB-18, US Navy, USS Intrepid, Musashi Sinking, October 1944. Production run of 500 models. With superbly accurate extended etched dive brakes.

Length 6.25 inches Wingspan 8.25 inches

On October 24 1944 one of a fleet of 29 Japanese ships steaming toward Leyte Gulf was the huge battleship Musashi. The plan was to destroy the US ships that were there supporting troops that had landed ashore. Once detected; the USN launched air-strike after air-strike in an attempt to stop the fleet. One of the first groups launched was VB-18 from the USS Intrepid who sent 12 SB2C-3s along with Avengers and Hellcats. It took 6 strikes throughout the day and a combination of bombs and torpedoes to sink the Musashi. This was one of the most ever sustained air attacks on a ship at sea. At the end of the day the Japanese had lost one battleship, one cruiser and many other damaged ships. VB-18 had lost 5 of their 12 SB2C-3s.

Designed to replace the US Navy’s Douglas SBD Dauntless, the SB2C Helldiver was first flown on December 18, 1940. The Helldiver was larger and faster than the Dauntless and was capable of operating from the most advanced aircraft carriers of its time. It carried an impressive armament but was underpowered and had a reputation for difficult handling characteristics, which earned it the nickname “Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class.” Most of its problems were resolved with the SB2C-4 variant, which changed many pilots’ minds about the Helldiver; in their eyes, its ability to sortie over long distances and carry a heavier bomb load redeemed many of its remaining faults.