Douglas SBD Dauntless

SBD Dauntless A-24 Banshee
A restored SBD-5 Dauntless from the Planes of Fame Air Museum
General information
Type	Dive bomber Scout plane
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Douglas Aircraft
Designer	Ed Heinemann
Primary users	United States Navy United States Marine Corps United States Army Air Forces Free French Air Force Royal New Zealand Air Force
Number built	5,936
History
Manufactured	1940–1944
Introduction date	1940
First flight	1 May 1940
Retired	1959 (Mexico)
Developed from	Northrop BT

The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944. The SBD was also flown by the United States Marine Corps, both from land air bases and aircraft carriers. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942.^[1] The type earned its nickname "Slow But Deadly" (from its SBD initials) during this period.

During its combat service, the SBD proved to be an effective naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics from the perforated dive brakes. By the middle months of 1943 the bomber was considered by pilots to be too vulnerable for service owing to its armament and slow speed, and was relegated to non-combat roles.^[2] One land-based variant of the SBD – omitting the arrestor hook — was purpose-built for the U.S. Army Air Forces, as the A-24 Banshee.