On this day in aviation history, December 18, 1940, the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber made its first flight. Plagued ...

The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver would have been the U.S. Navy’s frontline carrier-based dive bomber for much of World War II, but problems with its development delayed its introduction and saddled it ...

Designed to replace the legendary Dauntless, the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver arrived with high expectations—and deep controversy.

The SB2C made her maiden flight on December 18 ... 50 caliber machine guns in pods installed on underwing hardpoints. In any event, the Helldiver was faster – by a differential of 40 mph ...

Between 1943 and 1945, over 7,000 SB2C Helldivers were built ... and the ire of pilots and aircraft commanders alike. The Helldiver was much larger than the Dauntless, and improved, in theory ...

The Curtiss-built SB2C-5 Helldiver aircraft, BuNo 83393, was originally built in early 1945 and was delivered to Naval Air Field Newport, Rhode Island. Very shortly after it was transferred to ...