Not possessed of outstanding performance, and retained in production long after it was technically obsolete, thanks to prolonged problems with the SB2C, the Douglas Dauntless was nevertheless one of the pivotal aircraft of World War II, thanks to the actions of six SBD squadrons on one afternoon in June 1942, off Midway.
The SBD's design actually predated the "old" Northrop firm becoming the Douglas El Segundo Division, and stemmed from Northrop's BT-1 dive bomber.
Variants SBD-1: Initial production Dauntless version, deliveries of which to USMC squadrons began in 1939.
SBD-2: Extra fuel, self-sealing tanks, carrier-capable.
SBD-3: The -3 model originated from an export order from France; as the French had been learning from early combat over the continent, they specified self-sealing tanks, armor, and two-gun aft station. France fell before the order could be delivered, but these first really combat-ready Dauntlesses found a ready home with the USN.
SBD-3A: A-24 for the USAAF
SBD-4: As the -3, but with a 24-volt electric system.
SBD-4A: A-24A for the USAAF
SBD-5: Tulsa-built aircraft with R-1820-60; 2,409 built.
SBD-5A: A-24B for the USAAF
SBD-6: 451 aircraft with R-1820-66
Dauntless Bibliography: Review: Walk Around: SBD Dauntless by Richard S. Dann, 2004 Includes scrap view drawings of the Mk III and Mk VIII gun sights, AN-N4 gun camera, a large 3-view drawing of the SBD-3; color profiles include SBD-1 1741 of VMB-2, SBD-2 2108 of VB-2, an SBD-3 Coral Sea veteran of VS-5, RNZAF SBD-3 NZ5003, a VC-22 SBD-4, and an SBD-5 in the Atlantic ASW scheme
Paul Eden, Soph Moeing Aircraft Anatomy of World War II: Technical Drawing of Key Aircraft 1939-1945 p.44-47: SBD-3 cutaway, large color artwork of a Marine SBD-1 of VMB-1 in prewar high-visibility colors
Ad for Pesco, with color artwork showing an SBD attacking a Japanese battleship Aviation February 1943 p.213
"Coming in on a wing...and Douglas Dependability" Aviation December 1943 p.298 Douglas Aircraft ad - artwork shows a damaged SBD on a carrier deck
Dauntless cutaway drawing Flying May 1944 p.63
Gaither Littrell "The Dauntless" includes photos of the XBT-1, BT-1 with tricycle gear, and the XBT-2 Flying January 1945
"Carrier Classic" Scale Modeler May 1969 building Monogram's 1/48 Dauntless kit - includes a large color profile of an SBD-3 from Scouting Two at Coral Sea
Peter Smith "The Pensacola Eight" FlyPast February 1998 Details SBDs recovered from Lake Michigan for the NMNA.
Steve A. Evans "Dependable Dive-bomber" Scale Aviation Modeller International December 2004 building the 1/48 Dauntless kit from Hasegawa. Also included is a walk around photo article.
Color profiles, including an SBD-1 from VMSB-232, an SBD-3 from VS-6, Chilean and Mexican A-24s, and a RNZAF SBD-5 Scale Aviation Modeller January 2005
Jay Laverty "Undaunted" Model Airplane International September 2006 Build article on Trumpeter's 1/32 scale Dauntless kit
Peter Straka "Sixty years After the War" Scale Aviation Modeller International June 2009 Building Hasegawa's -1 Dauntless as a submerged wreck
Robert Macri "Slow But Deadly" Skymodel 20/09 p.14-19 building the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 SBD-3 kit
Philip Gore "Detail a Dauntless" FineScale Modeler March 2015 p.47-51 building the Merit 1/18 SBD-3 as a Coral Sea aircraft
Don Robson "Quickbuild - Douglas Dauntless" Scale Aviation Modeller international January 2017 The 1/48 Eduard SBD-5 kit as a RNZAF aircraft.
David Mondey The Hamlyn Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II p.125-127: Color profiles include a VMSB-232 SBD-1, VS-41 SBD-3 during Operation Torch, a VSB-6 SBD-3, VMSB-243 SBD-4, RNZAF SBD-5, 312th BG (Dive) A-24B, French A-24B, and SBD-5s of the French Aeronavale and Mexican Air Force.
David Donald, editor American Airplanes of World War II ISBN 0-7607-2274-9 p.118-121: SBD-3 cutaway illustration, color profile of a VMSB-243 SBD-4, color 3-view of a VS-41 SBD-3 with Operation Torch markings.
Phil Butler Air Arsenal North America: Aircraft for the Allies 1938-1945 - Purchases and Lend-Lease p.126 picture of a Mexican Air Force RA-24B; p.200-201 photos of aFleet Air Arm SBD-3 and an RNZAF A-24, serial number data for Lend-Lease aircraft.
Dana Bell Air Force Colors Vol.1 1926-1942 p.87 photo: Formation of 27th BG A-24s.
Barrett Tillman SBD Dauntless Units of World War 2 includes a 1/72 scale SBD-3 5-view drawing
Robert Lawson, Barrett Tillman Carrier Air War in Original WWII Color p.22: color photo of an SBD-1 of VMB-2
Walter A. Musciano Warbirds of the Sea p.156: scale 3-view of a VS-2 SBD-3
Aircraft Anatomy of World War II: Technical Drawings of Key Aircraft 1939-1945 Paul Eden, Soph Moeing, editors p.44-47: SBD-3 cutaway, large color artwork of a prewar VMB-1 Dauntless
