Vought SB2U Vindicator
Vought · United States · first flew 1936 · bomber
The Vought SB2U Vindicator was a carrier-based dive bomber for the US Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in that role.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Low-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 1 × piston, nose-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fabric-covered rear fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Long greenhouse-style canopy covering pilot and rear gunner in tandem
- Fabric-covered rear fuselage
- Folding cantilever low wing with retractable tailwheel gear
A single-engined low-wing dive bomber with a long glazed canopy over two crew, a fabric-covered rear fuselage and a swing-out bomb trapeze.
Specifications
- The Vought SB2U Vindicator has a length of 10.35 m (34 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.76 m (42 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 391 km/h (243 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The XSB2U-1 first flew on 4 January 1936. Its two-blade propeller was meant to act as a dive brake, but in practice the Navy lowered the undercarriage to slow the dive instead.
Variants
The SB2U-3 had integral wing tanks for longer range and a tail of increased span. The French Navy ordered the V-156-F version, and the Royal Navy used the type as the Chesapeake.
Where you'll see it
Vindicators joined the Saratoga in December 1937, replacing Curtiss biplanes. They were still in service at Midway and were withdrawn to training units by 1943.
Related aircraft
- Vought V-141
- Vought XSB3U-1
- Vought O5U
- Vought OS2U Kingfisher
- Armstrong Whitworth A.W.29
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
- Blenheim
- Bloch MB.131
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