Hobby Master HA2201 SB2C Helldiver USS Bunker Hill 1943

The first production SB2C-1 flew June 30, 1942 and in 1943 replaced the SBD Dauntless as the USN’s main dive-bomber. Four years after it was first ordered there still wasn’t one plane manufactured and when the planes finally started to arrive they were so poorly made that some would break in half upon landing, some would lose tail-wheels or some wings would fail in dives. The aircraft were refused by Great Britain and several other countries because of these problems and poor performance. The aircraft under went improvements, MOD II saw over 800 technical changes to each plane. After many MODS and variants the Helldiver became an effective plane and was nicknamed “The Big Tail Beast” referring to its over sized tail that was needed to correct control problems. Some referred to it as “sum bitch second class”. This is an airplane that never would have gone into full production if WWII hadn’t necessitated doing so. Even the USAAF cancelled their order and the planes that they did receive never saw battle. The captain of the “Yorktown” refused to sail with the Helldiver and went to sea with the Dauntless. Only after hundreds of changes and modifications did the SB2C go on to become one of the most effective dive-bombers of WWII.