SBD Dauntless – Erickson Aircraft Collection

The SBD Dauntless entered WWII as a mediocre dive-bomber considered to be obsolete. However, it ended the war as the most important dive-bomber flown during WWII.

The U.S. Navy used it as its principal carrier-based dive-bomber. It sank more enemy shipping during 1942 than any other aircraft combined. At Midway, SBDs sank three Japanese Carriers and put another out of action.

The SBD Dauntless entered service in 1941. By the time production ended, 5,936 were built. Today, the survivors can be found at museums and occasionally spotted at air shows.

SPECIFIC HISTORY

The Erickson Aircraft Collection’s SBD Dauntless was an A-24 Army Banshee delivered in January 1943 and used as a gunnery target tug at Lakeland Air Field in Florida. Later declared surplus, it was employed as a mosquito control sprayer by the City of Portland from 1958 until 1965. It was sold to the museum in 1994 and restored to an SBD-3 as it appears today.

Learn More: https://www.ericksoncollection.com/aircraft#/douglas-sbd-dauntless/