Vought SB2U Vindicator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vought_SB2U_Vindicator

The Vought SB2U Vindicator was an American carrier-based dive bomber developed
for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role.
Obsolete at the outbreak of World War II, Vindicators still remained in service
at the time of the Battle of Midway, but by 1943, all had been withdrawn to
training units. It was known as the Chesapeake in Royal Navy service.

In 1934, the United States Navy issued a requirement for a new Scout Bomber for
carrier use, and received proposals from six manufacturers. The specification
was issued in two parts, one for a monoplane, and one for a biplane. Vought
submitted designs in both categories, which would become the XSB2U-1 and XSB3U-1
respectively. The biplane was considered alongside the monoplane design as a
"hedge" against the U.S. Navy's reluctance to pursue the modern configuration.

The XSB2U-1 was of conventional low-wing monoplane configuration with a
retractable conventional tailwheel landing gear, the pilot and tail gunner being
seated in tandem under a long greenhouse-style canopy. The fuselage was of steel
tube construction, covered with aluminum panels from the nose to the rear
cockpit with a fabric-covered rear fuselage, while the folding cantilever wing
was of all-metal construction. A Pratt & Whitney R-1535 Twin-Wasp Junior radial
engine drove a two-blade constant-speed propeller, which was intended to act as
a dive brake during a dive bombing attack. A single 1,000 lb (450 kg) bomb could
be carried on a swinging trapeze to allow it to clear the propeller in a steep
dive, while further bombs could be carried under the wings to give a maximum
bombload of 1,500 lb (680 kg).

The SB2U is prominently featured in the 1941 film Dive Bomber.


Role
Dive bomber

Manufacturer
Vought

First flight
4 January 1936

Introduction
1937

Retired
1945

Primary users
United States Navy
United States Marine Corps
French Navy
Royal Navy

Number built
260

Vindicators served on the carriers Lexington, Saratoga, Ranger, and Wasp from
December 1937-September 1942. Air Group Nine, destined for Essex, trained in
Vindicators aboard the escort carrier Charger, but they transitioned to the
Douglas SBD Dauntless before Essex joined the war.

During the attack on Pearl Harbor, seven Vindicators from the U.S. squadron
VMSB-231 were destroyed at Ewa Field.

VMSB-131 and VMSB-241 were the only two USMC squadrons that fielded the
Marine-specific SB2U-3 between March 1941 and September 1943. VMSB-241's
Vindicators saw combat at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Airmen with
experience in more modern aircraft spoke disparagingly of SB2Us as "vibrators"
or "wind indicators" in their later combat assignments. Captain Richard E.
Fleming piloted a SB2U-3 Vindicator in an attack on the Japanese cruiser Mikuma
on 5 June 1942, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Specifications (SB2U-2)

General characteristics
Crew: Two, pilot and gunner
Length: 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m)
Wingspan: 42 ft in (12.80 m)
Height: 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m)
Wing area: 305 ft² (28 m²)
Empty weight: 4,713 lb (2,138 kg)
Loaded weight: 6,379 lb (2,893 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 7,332 lb (3,326 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-1535-96 Twin Wasp Jr radial engine, 825 hp
(616 kW)

Performance
Maximum speed: 251 mph (404 km/h)
Range: 630 mi (1,014 km)
Service ceiling: 27,500 ft (8,382 m)
Rate of climb: 1,340 ft/min (6.8 m/s)
Wing loading: 21 lb/ft² (103 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg)

Armament

Guns:
1 × forward firing 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun in starboard
wing (0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun in SB2U-3)
1 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun in flexible mount for tail gunner (.50 in (12.7
mm) in SB2U-3)

Bombs: 1 × 1,000 lb (454 kg) or 500 lb (227 kg) bomb



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