Greetings all, I generally post in the 206/246 section, but very much enjoy following your activities in this forum. I thought this might be of interest: "By TERRENCE PETTY, Associated Press Writer Terrence Petty, Associated Press Writer – Thu Mar 25, 10:12 pm ET PORTLAND, Ore. – Loggers working near the Oregon coast discovered the wreckage of a World War II-era warplane in woods not far from a naval air station decommissioned in 1948, military and police officials said Thursday. Investigators said human remains may be in the aircraft. The origins of the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, a U.S. Navy dive bomber, are a mystery. The crash site is not far from two naval air stations that were active during World War II. "There are so many different air stations they could have been flying from," said Christian Gurling, curator at the Tillamook Air Museum, site of the now-defunct Naval Air Station Tillamook. A U.S. Navy team worked at the scene along with the Oregon State Police and the Tillamook County Sheriff's Office. Also involved in the investigation is the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing In Action Accounting Command, a Hawaii-based military joint command that tries to account for Americans missing in action. State police bomb technicians checked the site Wednesday afternoon and found no sign of unexploded ordnance. A logging company discovered the wreckage on March 18 in a heavily wooded area and notified law enforcement officials, who then notified the U.S. Navy. Officials have found a wing, a tail section, landing gear and other debris spread out over about 200 yards, state police said. Gurling said the Tillamook station was originally an airfield for blimps guarding the Pacific Coast, but airplanes were also there in later years. The SB2C Helldiver, which operated off aircraft carriers, replaced the Douglas SPD Dauntless. Gurling said it carried two crew members — the pilot and a radio operator, who was also the gunner. The Helldiver, also known as "the Beast," was a formidable warplane, but Gurling said it was also "plagued by problems." "In the earlier planes, the pilots were told to not dive for fear the planes would fall apart," said Gurling. "Which wasn't good for a dive bomber." ___ Associatd Press writers Abby Haight and Tim Fought contributed to this report." Cheers, Coop Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
There are a few in the bottom of Lake Washington off the end of NAS Sand Point. I believe parts of one was raised but was in very bad shape.
They were in bad shape when they were rolled out. As bad or worse of an airplane than the Brewster Buffalo. Switches
Here's another Helldiver that was just recovered. http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/aug/20/world-war-ii-helldiver-bottom-lower-otay-lake/ A long-forgotten Warbird will live again. Coop
One of my school mates was killed in one of these and not from enemy action and he predicted it. The official designation was SB2C. The enlisted Navy terminology was Sonova ***** 2nd Class. Miserable airplane.
I'm sure Bob could tell you better than I could, but I think the answer is yes, yes, and yes! I always thought that the Avenger looks faaar better, too. I love that plane!
From photos that I saw of the recovered wreckage it appears that the engine was running when it hit. The prop blades show that. The answers above are correct, I think. The airplane was bigger, heavier, faster, and carried more ( internally) than the SBD( Slow But Deadly), but the SB2C( Sonuva B 2nd Class) was an aerodynamic and systems nightmare. Its performance in spite of all the power was a marginal improvement over the SBD and never really replaced the old but good Douglas design. Curtiss electric props had a bad reputation up to and including the Boeing B-50. My high school buddy was scared to death of the airplane and it eventually got him.
