Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" MIDWAY

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber became a mainstay of the Navy's Pacific Fleet and had the lowest loss ratio of any U.S. carrier-based aircraft.
Douglas delivered a total of 5,936 SBD/A-24s between 1940 and the end of production in July 1944.
The SBD Dauntless was equipped with "Swiss cheese" flaps—dive brakes with 3-inch holes—allowing it to precisely steer toward its target, release the bomb, and break a near-vertical dive.
In addition to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Army Air Forces, the Dauntless also served in New Zealand and Mexico.
The first enemy ship sunk by the U.S. Navy in World War II is attributed to a Dauntless from the USS Enterprise. The dive-bombing Dauntless destroyed 18 enemy warships, including one battleship and six aircraft carriers.
The SBD-1 and SBD-2 had two 0.30-inch cannons mounted in the cowling, plus one or two for rear defense.

Plastic model kit

• Photo-etched parts included

Scale 1:32

unbuilt / unpainted

Paint and glue not included