Curtiss SBC Helldiver
Curtiss / Curtiss-Wright · United States · first flew 1935 · bomber
The Curtiss SBC Helldiver was the last biplane to serve in combat with the US Navy, a single-engine scout-bomber that entered service in 1937. Despite being technically obsolescent, it equipped US Navy carrier squadrons at the time of Pearl Harbor.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 8.57 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Last US Navy combat biplane
- Single-engine biplane dive bomber with fixed undercarriage
- Wright R-1820 or Pratt & Whitney R-1535 radial engine
Identifiable as a large, well-proportioned single-bay biplane with a prominent radial engine, wheel pants on the fixed undercarriage, a large single centremine rack under the fuselage, and the characteristic Curtiss cowling treatment.
Specifications
- The Curtiss SBC Helldiver has a length of 8.57 m (28 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 10.36 m (34 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 378 km/h (235 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The XF12C-1 prototype began as a monoplane fighter before being converted to a biplane dive bomber configuration, first flying in the SBC form in 1935. It equipped Navy scouting and bombing squadrons through the late 1930s, and a number were sent to France under export contract in 1940, though they arrived too late to be used operationally before the French capitulation.
Variants
The SBC-3 used the Pratt & Whitney R-1535 engine; the SBC-4 switched to the more powerful Wright R-1820 Cyclone. Small numbers were exported to France (Cleveland) before the war.
Where you'll see it
Served with US Navy carrier squadrons from 1937 and was still aboard fleet carriers in late 1941, being rapidly retired in early 1942 as monoplanes took over all combat roles.
Related aircraft
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