By June 1942, the Japanese Navy has swept across the Pacific. In an effort to change the course of the war, a United States carrier group is positioned off the coast of Midway, tasked with springing a trap on the enemy. During this pivotal battle, the two-man crew of a U.S. Navy dive bomber is forced to ditch in the sea.

Firstly because of the filmmakers ' attention to detail historical accuracy in terms of military hardware features such as the U.S.S Enterprise, and aircraft such as the PBYs, A6M Zeros and of course the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber, which has to be the main star and namesake of the movie.

Set adrift, the men look towards their comrades for rescue; namely, the ragtag crew of a PBY Catalina, who are sent to search for survivors. Amid the vast openness of the Pacific, with days passing and the chance of rescue fading, the men are forced to face their own mortality.

Carrier-based scout and dive bomber aircraft SBD DauntlessA-24 BansheeA SBD releasing a bomb. Note the extended on the.RoleNational originUnited StatesManufacturerDesignerFirst flight1 May 1940Introduction1940Retired1959 (Mexico)Primary usersProduced1940–1944Number built5,936Developed fromThe Douglas SBD Dauntless is a naval and that was manufactured by from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ('Scout Bomber Douglas') was the 's main scout/dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944. The SBD was also flown by the, both from land. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the in June 1942. 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 excellent naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics from the perforated, good defensive armament, and ruggedness.

One land-based variant of the SBD – omitting the — was purpose-built for the, as the A-24 Banshee. Contents.Design and development Design work on the began in 1935. In 1937, the Northrop Corporation was taken over by Douglas, and the active Northrop projects continued under Douglas Aircraft Corporation. The Northrop BT-2 was developed from the BT-1 by modifications ordered in November 1937, and provided the basis of the SBD, which first entered service in mid-1939.

Led a team of designers who considered a development with a 1,000 (750 kW) Wright Cyclone engine. The plane was developed at the Douglas El Segundo, CA plant, and that facility, along with the company's Oklahoma City plant, built almost all the SBDs produced. One year earlier, both the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps had placed orders for the new dive bomber, designated the SBD-1 and SBD-2 (the latter had increased fuel capacity and different armament).

The SBD-1 went to the Marine Corps in late 1940, and the SBD-2 to the Navy in early 1941, replacing the and squadrons on US carriers. Distinctive perforated split or 'dive-brakes' had been incorporated into the BT-1 to eliminate tail buffeting during diving maneuvers.The next version was the SBD-3, which began manufacture in early 1941. It had increased, and four. The SBD-4 provided a 12-volt (up from 6-volt) electrical system, and a few were converted into SBD-4P.

Comparison of the XBT-1 and XBT-2 (SBD)The next (and most produced) version, the SBD-5, was produced mostly in the Douglas plant in. This version was equipped with a 1,200 hp (890 kW) engine and an increased ammunition supply. Over 2,400 of these were built. A few of them were shipped to the for evaluation. In addition to American service, the SBD saw combat against the Japanese Army and Navy with of the —but the RNZAF soon replaced them with the larger, faster, heavier and land-based. Some SBDs were also flown by the Free French Air Force against the German.

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SBDs were also sold to Mexico. The final version, the SBD-6, had more improvementsbut its production ended during the summer of 1944.The had its own version of the SBD, called the A-24 Banshee. It lacked the used for carrier landings, and a pneumatic tire replaced the solid tail wheel.

First assigned to the 27th Bombardment Group (Light) at, Georgia, A-24s flew in the of September 1941. There were three versions of the Banshee (A-24, A-24A and A-24B) flown by the army to a very minor degree in the early stages of the war. The USAAF used 948 of the 5,937 Dauntlesses built.Operational history U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Damaged VB-6 SBD-3 on after the attack on atU.S.

Navy and Marine Corps SBDs saw their first action at, when most of the Marine Corps SBDs of were destroyed on the ground at. Navy SBDs flew from their, which did not operate in close cooperation with the rest of the fleet. Several Navy SBDs were flying to Pearl Harbor from carriers on the morning of 7 December, and engaged with Japanese aircraft. Most Navy SBDs at Pearl Harbor, like their Marine Corps counterparts, were destroyed on the ground. On 10 December 1941, SBDs from sank the.In February–March 1942, SBDs from the carriers, and, took part in various raids on Japanese installations in the, the,. An SBD flies over Enterprise.

The carrier Saratoga is in the distant background near the top of the photo.The first major use of the SBD in combat was at the where SBDs and sank the Japanese light aircraft carrier (CVL) and damaged the Japanese fleet carrier. SBDs were also used for anti-torpedo (CAP) and these scored several victories against Japanese aircraft trying to attack Lexington and Yorktown.Their relatively heavy gun armament with two forward-firing and either one or two rear flexible-mount machine guns was effective against the lightly built Japanese fighters, and many pilots and gunners took aggressive attitudes to the fighters that attacked them. SBD pilot was attacked by three fighters; he shot down two of them and.The SBD's most important contribution to the American war effort came during the in early June 1942.

Four of Navy SBD dive bombers attacked and sank or fatally damaged all four Japanese fleet carriers present, disabling three of them in the span of just six minutes (, ) and, later in the day,. They also caught two straggling of the Midway bombardment group of four, heavily damaging them, with eventually sinking.At the Battle of Midway, Marine Corps SBDs were not as effective. One squadron, VMSB-241, flying from, was not trained in the techniques of dive-bombing with their new Dauntlesses (having just partially converted from the ). Instead, its pilots resorted to the slower but easier technique.

This led to many of the SBDs being shot down when they became vulnerable during their glide, although one survivor from these attacks is now on display at the and is the last surviving aircraft to fly in the battle. On the other hand, the carrier-borne squadrons were effective, especially when they were escorted by their teammates. The success of dive bombing was due to one important circumstance:Unlike American squadrons that attacked shortly before one at a time, allowing defending Japanese Zero fighters to concentrate on each squadron to shoot them down or drive them away from the carriers, three squadrons totaling 47 SBDs (VS-6, VB-6, and VB-3), one squadron of 12 TBD torpedo aircraft (VT-3), and six F4F fighters (from VF-3) all arrived simultaneously, with two of the SBD squadrons (VS-6 and VB-6) arriving from a different direction from the other squadrons. Without central fighter direction, the approximately 40 Zeros concentrated on the TBDs, with some fighting the F4Fs covering the TBDs, leaving the SBDs unhindered by fighter opposition in their approach and attack (although most of the TBDs were shot down). A VB-5 SBD from over, early October 1943SBDs played a major role in the, operating off both American carriers and from on.

SBDs attacked Japanese shipping throughout the campaign, and proved lethal to Japanese shipping that failed to clear by daylight. Losses inflicted included the carrier, sunk near the on 24 August. Three other Japanese carriers were damaged during the six-month campaign.

SBDs sank a cruiser and nine transports during the decisive.During the decisive period of the, the SBD's strengths and weaknesses became evident. While the American strength was dive bombing, the Japanese stressed their 2 'Kate', which had caused the bulk of the damage during the.In the the SBD saw action during, the Allied landings in North Africa in November 1942. The SBDs flew from and two.

Eleven months later, during, the SBDs saw their European debut when aircraft from Ranger attacked Nazi German shipping around,. A VB-4 SBD-3 near, 4 October 1943By 1944 the U.S. Navy began replacing the SBD with the more powerful.During the in June 1944, a long range twilight strike was made against the retreating Japanese fleet, at (or beyond) the limit of the attacking airplanes' combat radius. The force had about twenty minutes of daylight over their targets before attempting the long return in the dark. Of the 215 aircraft, only 115 made it back. Twenty were lost to enemy action in the attack, while 80 more were lost when one by one they expended their fuel and had to ditch into the sea. In the attack, however, were 26 SBDs, all of which made it back to the carriers.The was the last major engagement where SBDs made up a significant part of the carrier-borne bomber force.

Marine squadrons continued to fly SBDs until the end of the war. Although the Curtiss Helldiver had a more powerful engine, a higher maximum speed and could carry nearly a thousand pounds more in bomb load, many of the dive bomber pilots preferred the SBD, which was lighter and had better low-speed handling characteristics, critical for carrier landings.The Dauntless was one of the most important aircraft in the, sinking more enemy shipping in the War in the Pacific than any other Allied bomber. In addition, Barrett Tillman, in his book on the Dauntless, claims that it has a 'plus' score against enemy aircraft, meaning it was credited with more victories over enemy planes than losses due to enemy action. This is considered to be a rare event for a nominal 'bomber'.A total of 5,936 SBDs were produced during the War. The last SBD rolled off the assembly lines at the Douglas Aircraft plant in El Segundo, California, on 21 July 1944. The Navy placed emphasis on the heavier, faster, and longer-ranged SB2C.

From Pearl Harbor through April 1944, SBDs had flown 1,189,473 operational hours, with 25 percent of all operational hours flown off aircraft carriers being in SBDs. Its battle record shows that in addition to six Japanese carriers, 14 enemy had been sunk, along with six, 15 transports or cargo ships and scores of various lesser craft. United States Army Air Forces.

Rear gunner position on A-24 displayed at theThe sent 52 A-24 Banshees in crates to in the fall of 1941 to equip the 27th Bombardment Group, whose personnel were sent separately. However, after the, these were diverted to and the 27th BG fought on the as infantry. While in Australia the aircraft were reassembled for flight to the Philippines but their missing parts, including solenoids, trigger motors and gun mounts delayed their shipment.

Plagued with mechanical problems, the A-24s were diverted to the 91st Bombardment Squadron and designated for assignment to instead.Referring to themselves as 'Blue Rock Clay Pigeons' (after a brand of targets), the 91st BS attacked the enemy harbor and airbase at and damaged or sank numerous ships around. After the Japanese downed two A-24s and damaged three so badly that they could no longer fly, the 91st received orders to evacuate Java in early March.The A-24s remaining in Australia were assigned to the of, to defend. On 26 July 1942, seven A-24s attacked a convoy off, but only one survived: the Japanese shot down five of them and damaged the sixth so badly that it did not make it back to base. Regarded by many pilots as too slow, short ranged and poorly armed, the remaining A-24s were relegated to non-combat missions. In the U.S., the A-24s became training aircraft or towed targets for aerial gunnery training. The more powerful A-24B was used later against the Japanese forces in the.

From December 1943 until March 1944, the 531st Fighter Squadron of the 7th Air Force flew A-24Bs from in the Gilbert Islands against Japanese controlled islands in the. The A-24Bs were then withdrawn from combat.The A-24B (U.S. Navy SBD-5) arrived in 1943 powered by the 1,200-hp Wright R1820-60 engine. The 407th Bomb Group, assigned to the 11th Air Force, flew A-24Bs against the Japanese held island of, Alaska, during July and August 1943.The B model was similar to the previous A-24 model but had a more powerful engine than either the A-24 or A-24A. As a result, A-24B could fly slightly faster and higher than the earlier models. The A-24B lacked the small air intake on the top of the engine cowling present on the earlier models and that is an easy way to distinguish the B model.A handful of A-24s survived in the inventory of the USAAF long enough to be taken over by the when that service became independent of the Army in September 1947. The USAF established a new designation system for its aircraft, eliminating the 'A-' (for attack) category; all of the single-engined 'A-' aircraft were given 'F-' (for fighter) nomenclature (or were determined to be obsolete and scrapped); thus the few remaining A-24 Banshees became known as F-24 Banshees, soldiering on in a reserve role until 1950 when they were scrapped.

French Air Force and Naval Aviation (Aeronavale) The first production Dauntless sent into action was the 'SBD-3', which was produced for the. A total of 174 Dauntlesses were ordered by the, but with the fall of France in the spring of 1940 that production batch was diverted to the U.S. Navy, which ordered 410 more.The received about 80 SBD-5s and A-24Bs from the United States in 1944. They were used as trainers and close-support aircraft. Free French squadrons received 40 to 50 A-24Bs in Morocco and Algeria during 1943. French Naval Aviation (Aeronautique Navale) received 32 in late 1944 for Flotilles 3FB and 4FB (16 SBD-5s for each).Squadron I/17 Picardie used a few A-24Bs for coastal patrol. The most combat-experienced of the Banshee units was GC 1/18 Vendee, which flew A-24Bs in support of Allied forces in southern France and also experienced how deadly German flak was, losing several aircraft in 1944.

This squadron flew from North Africa to recently liberated Toulouse to support Allied and French resistance troops. Later, the unit was assigned to support attacks on cities occupied by the Germans on the French Atlantic coast.

In April 1945 each SBD-5 averaged three missions a day in the European theater. In 1946 the based its A-24Bs in Morocco as trainers.French Navy Dauntlesses were based in Cognac at the end of 1944. The French Navy Dauntlesses were the last ones to see combat, during the, flying from the carrier Arromanches (the former Royal Navy carrier Colossus). In late 1947 during one operation in the Indochina War, Flotille 4F flew 200 missions and dropped 65 tons of bombs. By 1949, the French Navy removed the Dauntless from combat status although the type was still flown as a trainer through 1953.Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force received 18 SBD-3s and 23 SBD-4s, and RNZAF 25 Squadron used them successfully in combat over the.Under the original plan, four Squadrons (25, 26, 27 and 28 Sqn) of the RNZAF were going to be equipped with the Dauntless, but only 25 Sqn used them.

The RNZAF soon replaced them with F4U Corsairs.Variants. Mounted on a SBD for testing, 1944 XBT-2 prototype, airframe was a production Northrop BT-1 heavily modified and redesignated as the XBT-2. Further modified by Douglas as the XSBD-1. SBD-1 Marine Corps version without self-sealing fuel tanks; 57 built.

SBD-1P, converted from SBD-1s. SBD-2 Navy version with increased fuel capacity and different armament but without self-sealing fuel tanks, starting in early 1941; 87 built. SBD-2P reconnaissance aircraft, converted from SBD-2s. SBD-3 began to be manufactured in early 1941. This provided increased protection, self-sealing fuel tanks, and four; 584 were built.

SBD-4 provided a 24-volt (up from 12 volt) electrical system; In addition, a new propeller and fuel pumps rounded out the improvements over the SBD-3. SBD-4P reconnaissance aircraft, converted from SBD-4s. SBD-5 The most produced version, primarily produced at the Douglas Aircraft plant in. Equipped with a 1,200-hp engine and an increased ammunition supply. A total of 2,965 were built, and a few were shipped to the for evaluation. In addition to American service, these saw combat against the Japanese with No. 25 Squadron of the which soon replaced them with, and against the Luftwaffe with the Free French Air Force.

A few were also sent to. SBD-5A as A-24B, for USAAF but delivered to USMC; 60 built. SBD-6 The final version, providing more improvements, including a 1,350 hp (1,010 kW) engine, but production ended in the summer of 1944; 450 built. A-24 Banshee (SBD-3A) USAAF equivalent of the SBD-3 without arrestor hook; 168 built.

A-24A Banshee (SBD-4A) USAAF equivalent of the SBD-4; 170 built. A-24B Banshee (SBD-5A) USAAF equivalent of the SBD-5; 615 built. Operators. One of nine SBD-5s supplied to the. operated A-24B Banshees.

Moroccan Desert Police. received aircraft for evaluation from the nine originally tested by the Fleet Air Arm. received nine former United States Navy SBD-5s for evaluation.Notable accidents. On 7 December 1943, during a joint – simulated exercise near, the pilot of a U.S. Navy SBD-5, BuNo 36045 of squadron VB-10, initiated a slight right-hand turn and deployed dive brakes in preparation for a bomb run, but his aircraft was struck by a second VB-10 SBD-5, 36099, that did not have dive brakes deployed. Both aircraft crashed, and a bomb knocked loose from 36045 fell in the midst of a group of Marines and detonated, killing 20 and seriously injuring 24.

Both SBD pilots parachuted to safety, but both SBD gunners died, one after an unsuccessful bailout attempt. The collision was attributed to poor judgment and flying technique by both pilots.

Aviation Archaeology Investigation & Research gives the date of this accident as 6 December.Surviving aircraft For surviving aircraft, hyphenated numbers are original U.S. Army Air Forces Serial Numbers (AAF Ser. No.); four or five digit numbers are original U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) Bureau Numbers (BuNo).

SBD-2, BuNo 2106, a veteran, later returned to United States as a carrier qualification training aircraft. Ditched in Lake Michigan while attempting to land aboard, 1943; recovered from Lake Michigan, 1994. Totally restored and placed on display at the in 2001. New Zealand On display SBD-4. 06853 – in.United States Airworthy A-24A. 42-60817 – based at the Erickson Aircraft Collection in as an SBD-3.A-24B. 42-54682 – based at the in as an SBD-5.SBD-4.

10518 – based at the in. 10694 – privately owned in.SBD-5. Valkyria chronicles remastered steelbook. 28536 – based at the in. 54532 – based at the – Dixie Wing inOn display A-24B. 42-54582 – at in. 42-54654 –, adjacent to,.SBD-2.

02106 – at,. Veteran of the and the. 02173 – at.SBD-3. SBD-3 on display at the.

06508 – in. 06583 – at,. 06624 – in. It is on loan from at. 06694 – museum in.

It is on loan from at.SBD-4. 06833 – at, in its recovered condition in a simulated underwater exhibit. 06900 – in. It is on loan from the at.

10575 – Battle of Midway Memorial at in.SBD-5. 36173 – at the Naval and Maritime Museum in. 36176 – in.SBD-6. 54605 – in.

54654 – in.Under restoration or in storage A-24B. 42-54643 – in storage at the Golden Hill Storage Facility of in.SBD-1. 01612 – for display at the in.SBD-4. 10508 – for display at the at the former in.Specifications (SBD-5).