Copyright 2011 by Brandon Cope

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Vought SB2U Vindicator naval scout bomber

The SB2U was the US Navy's first monoplane carrier dive bomber, which had an important secondary scouting role (a common feature of naval dive bombers). The SB2U-3 was the final version of the plane, but was flown by the Marines, not the Navy. It had been equipped with additional fuel tanks (unprotected, in the wings) and some armor protection for the crew..

The SB2U-1 and -2 had been replaced in USN service by 1942 and was only used in combat by the French during the battle of France and by the USMC at the Battle of Midway; in both cases it performed poorly. By this time the planes were badly outclassed in modern combat and in somewhat rickety condition; US pilots referred to them as “Vibrators” and “Wind Indicators”. They were not good dive bombers, as their dive brakes were ineffective and even with landing gear lowered in a dive, it was hard to pull out of a steep dive. Total production was 260 planes.

The Vindicator had a crew of two: pilot, and observer/gunner. The SB2U-3 uses 27.7 gallons of aviation fuel per hour.

Subassemblies: Medium Fighter Body +3, Heavy Fighter Wings with STOL and Folding options +3, three retractable wheels +0
P&P: 616 kW aerial HP gasoline engine w/616-kW aerial propeller, 130 gallons aviation gasoline in self-sealing fuel tanks [Wings]
Occ: 2 CS Cargo: None.

Armor

All: 2/3

Pilot: FU +0/20

Gunner: B +0/20

Weaponry
4xLong Aircraft HMG/Browning M-2 [Wing:F] (200 rounds each)
Aircraft HMG/Browning M-2 [Body:R] (500 rounds)

Equipment
Body: long range radio transmitter and receiver, bombsight, navigational instruments, arrestor hook, 1.000-lb hardpoint. Wings: 250-lb hardpoint each

Statistics

HT: 8
HP: 120 [body], 120 [each wing]; 12 [each wheel]

Stall: 54 mph. -2 mph per loaded hardoint

Design Notes
Design speed was 244 mph (w/empty hardpoints). Wing cost, weight and HP were divided by two. Loaded weight was increased 4%. The historical wing area (305 sq/ft)  have been used. Loaded weight and performance statistics assumes one 1,000 lb bomb and 130 gallons of fuel.. With unloaded hardpoints and maximum fuel, aSpeed 243, aAccel 6, aMR 7.5, aDecel 30, Stall 49

Variants:
The SB2U-1 (1937) was the first production version, with 54 built. It lacked any armor. The 58 SB2U-2 (1938) were the same in game terms. Both had a Browning M-1919 MG (Aircraft LMG) in the right wing, instead of the .50-cal M-2, and a similar gun in the rear gunner position. Speed was 250 mph.

The V-156-F3 were 40 planes built for the French Navy similar to the -2. Most were expended against ground targets during the Battle of France, as the French carrier was deemed too slow for combat by 1940.

The V-156-B1 were 50 improved planes built for the French but taken over by the British, similar to the -3, but with four forward-firing .303 Brownings (Aircraft LMGs). In British service it was officially known as the Chesapeke Mk I but unofficially referred to as the “Cheesecake”. It proved unsuitable for operations from escort carriers and was instead used for training.