SBD-3

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RANK 5 FRANCE
Somua SM PACK
SBD-3
sbd-3.png
SBD-3
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Purchase:6 300 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

GarageImage SBD-3.jpg


The SBD-3 Dauntless is a Rank I American dive bomber with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB/SB) and 2.0 (RB). It was in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

General info

Flight Performance

Stat card

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed
(km/h at 4,500 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
418 407 5,700 26.8 27.4 6.6 7.7 291
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 4,500 m)
Max altitude (meters) Turn time (seconds) Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run (meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
456 439 5,700 24.3 25.5 14.3 9.8 291
A trio of Dauntlesses in formation.

Details

Features
Combat flap Take-off flap Landing flap Air brakes Arrestor gear
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flap
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
700 450 520 ~11 ~11
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h)
Rudder
(km/h)
Elevators
(km/h)
Radiator
(km/h)
< 350 < 350 < 380 > 250
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
1,324 m 950 hp 1,000 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
4,777 m 800 hp 842 hp

Engine performance

Engine
Engine Name Number present
Wright Cyclone R-1820-52 9-cylinder 1
Engine characteristics
Weight (each) Type Cooling
907 kg Radial Air
Engine power (Stock)
Mode Max Take-off
Arcade 889 hp 939 hp
Realistic/Simulator 879 hp 930 hp
Engine power (Upgraded)
Mode Max Take-off
Arcade 1,023 hp 1,074 hp
Realistic/Simulator 950 hp 1,000 hp
WEP Duration
Arcade Realistic/Simulator
25 seconds Infinite

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main article: Browning M2 (12.7 mm)

The SBD-3 is armed with:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (180 rpg = 360 total)

Suspended armament

Main article: Bombs

The options available for the SBD-3 are:

  • 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs + 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb
  • 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, wing-mounted (340 rpg = 1360 total)

Defensive armament

Main article: Browning (7.62 mm)

The SBD-3 has a defensive armament with:

  • 2 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, dorsal turret (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

Usage in the battles

This plane is good at what it was designed for: Dive Bombing. Start at a high altitude at around 4-5,000 feet, fly directly above the target, invert the plane, cut throttle and deploy airbreaks (h key by default), dive, at 1,000-700 feet release bombs, pull nose up, retract air brakes, push throttle to full, then pitch up in a climb.

Do not rely on fighter support, and if you do get into a firefight with fighter planes, stay at treetop level, so they cannot get to your weak underbelly. If you are caught at high altitude, go into a steep dive until you are at the deck, there is a good chance you may out dive them. If you are in realistic battles, do the same and throw the plane into high G turns while on the deck, it's very likely that your wings will stay intact due to the high G tolerance of the SBD but the fighters attempting to follow, will either break their wings or be forced to break off the attack. At this point, the twin .50 caliber guns in the engine cowling may come in handy.

The small bomb load requires you pick your targets carefully and make your bombs count, choose to attack artillery positions or bases, where you have a higher chance of hitting due to their stationary position. Ships are also prime targets (it is what it was designed for), as the 1000lb bomb is plenty to sink a small ship.

Simulator mode procedures
Hands-off carrier take-off (Auto engine control): Start engine, flaps: raised, elevator trim: 15%, aileron trim: 11%, rudder trim: 6%, WEP throttle, hands off controls until you lift off the carrier.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Automatic pitch
Controllable Not controllable Combined Controllable Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • It has two powerful machine guns compared to its peers, meaning you can effectively hunt down low-tier bombers and in most situations, be a quasi-fighter aircraft.
  • Its bombs are powerful enough to destroy packed enemy ground vehicles.
  • Its maneuverability is good enough to attack enemy bombers.
  • Tail gunner has excellent coverage, almost a perfect 180 degrees on a horizontal plane.
  • Can "pullout" from a 60 degree dive quite effectively.
  • Tail gun also has plenty of ammunition.
  • Can be used as a fighter when needed.
  • Can mount two dual .50 Cal gunpods instead of bombs for increased firepower, giving it comparable armament to U.S fighters.

Cons:

  • It is still a dive bomber, so it's maneuverability is still poor by definition.
  • Low ammo capacity for the nose-mounted machine guns.
  • The tail gunner won't do so much, because he is too exposed and the 2x7.62 aren't powerful enough to destroy planes of its tier.
  • Limited selection of bombs, only one payload is available to choose from.
  • Slow acceleration.
  • Poor climb rate.
  • Poor energy retention.
  • Slow.

History

Media

Skins for the Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless from live.warthunder.com.
Images of the Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless from live.warthunder.com.

Read also

[Profile] SBD-3 Dauntless - Slow But Deadly

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • page on aircraft encyclopedia;
  • other literature.


USA bombers
Dive  SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 · SBD-3 · SB2C-1C · SB2C-4
Torpedo  TBD-1 · PBY-5 Catalina · PBY-5A Catalina · TBF-1C · BTD-1
Medium  B-10B · B-18A · B-34 · PV-2D · B-25J-1 · B-25J-20 · A-26C-45 · A-26C-45DT · B-26B
Heavy  B-17E · B-17E/L · B-17G-60-VE · PB4Y-2 · B-24D-25-CO · B-29A-BN
Hydroplanes  OS2U-1 · OS2U-3 · PBM-1 "Mariner" · PBM-3 "Mariner" · PBM-5A "Mariner"