(Vought) SB2U Vindicator @·AIRCRAFTUBE

  • Vought SB2U-2 of VB-9 at the Pensacola<br>National Museum of Naval Aviation Vought SB2U-2 of VB-9 at the Pensacola<br>National Museum of Naval Aviation
    Vought SB2U-2 of VB-9 at the Pensacola
    National Museum of Naval Aviation
  • Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator of VS-1 Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator of VS-1
    Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator of VS-1
  • Vought SB2U-1 of VB-3 Vought SB2U-1 of VB-3
    Vought SB2U-1 of VB-3
  • SB2U of VS-42 over USS Ranger (December 1941) SB2U of VS-42 over USS Ranger (December 1941)
    SB2U of VS-42 over USS Ranger (December 1941)
  • Vought SB2U-1<br>Vindicator Vought SB2U-1<br>Vindicator
    Vought SB2U-1
    Vindicator
  • SB2U-1 of VB-3 on USS Saratoga, in 1938 SB2U-1 of VB-3 on USS Saratoga, in 1938
    SB2U-1 of VB-3 on USS Saratoga, in 1938
  • SB2U-1 SB2U-1
    SB2U-1
  • Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator (1937) Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator (1937)
    Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator (1937)
  • Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 over San Joaquin Valley, California, June 1938 Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 over San Joaquin Valley, California, June 1938
    Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 over San Joaquin Valley, California, June 1938
  • SB2Us of VB-3 SB2Us of VB-3
    SB2Us of VB-3
  • Vought Chesapeake Vought Chesapeake
    Vought Chesapeake
  • Vought V-156F's in aircraft carrier Béarn, in 1944 Vought V-156F's in aircraft carrier Béarn, in 1944
    Vought V-156F's in aircraft carrier Béarn, in 1944
  • Vought SB2U-1 in the NACA wind tunnel (September 1937) Vought SB2U-1 in the NACA wind tunnel (September 1937)
    Vought SB2U-1 in the NACA wind tunnel (September 1937)
  • SB2Us in the movie Dive Bomber (1941) SB2Us in the movie Dive Bomber (1941)
    SB2Us in the movie Dive Bomber (1941)
  • Vought SB2U-3 (VMSB-131, 1941) Vought SB2U-3 (VMSB-131, 1941)
    Vought SB2U-3 (VMSB-131, 1941)
  • Vought SB2U-3 (NACA) Vought SB2U-3 (NACA)
    Vought SB2U-3 (NACA)
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    Vought SB2U-3
  • On USS Ranger,<br>November 1941 On USS Ranger,<br>November 1941
    On USS Ranger,
    November 1941
  • Vindicators of VS-72 in flight, 1941 Vindicators of VS-72 in flight, 1941
    Vindicators of VS-72 in flight, 1941
  • SB2U-3 of VS-72 at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, January 1941 SB2U-3 of VS-72 at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, January 1941
    SB2U-3 of VS-72 at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia, January 1941
  • Vought SB2U-2 of VB-3 Vought SB2U-2 of VB-3
    Vought SB2U-2 of VB-3
  • Vought Chesapeake (RNAS Stretton, 1943 Vought Chesapeake (RNAS Stretton, 1943
    Vought Chesapeake (RNAS Stretton, 1943
  • Vought SB2U-1 Vought SB2U-1
    Vought SB2U-1
  • Vought SB2U-2 (1940) Vought SB2U-2 (1940)
    Vought SB2U-2 (1940)
  • The Vindicator at Naval Aviation Museum of Pensacola, Florida The Vindicator at Naval Aviation Museum of Pensacola, Florida
    The Vindicator at Naval Aviation Museum of Pensacola, Florida
  • Vought SB2U-1 Vindicators of VB-3<br>over the Sierra Nevada range, July 1938 Vought SB2U-1 Vindicators of VB-3<br>over the Sierra Nevada range, July 1938
    Vought SB2U-1 Vindicators of VB-3
    over the Sierra Nevada range, July 1938

Vought SB2U Vindicator

The Vought SB2U Vindicator is 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.

Design and development

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 was evaluated against the Brewster XSBA-1, Curtiss XSBC-3, Great Lakes XB2G-1, Grumman XSBF-1 and Northrop XBT-1. All but the Great Lakes and Grumman submissions were ordered into production. Designated XSB2U-1, one prototype was ordered on 15 October 1934 and was delivered on 15 April 1936. Accepted for operational evaluation on 2 July 1936, the prototype XSB2U-1, BuNo 9725, crashed on 20 August 1936. Its successful completion of trials led to further orders.

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

There were 260 examples of all Vindicator variants produced, and a single example is preserved at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

Operational history

U.S. Navy

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.

U.S. Marine Corps

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.

French Navy

Based on the SB2U-2, the V-156-F incorporated specific French equipment. Briefly after the deliveries started in July 1939, V-156-F crews were trained for carrier operations aboard the French carrier Béarn, but when the war broke out the old carrier was declared too slow for operational service. As a result, V-156-F-equipped units escadrilles AB 1 and AB 3 were based ashore when the Battle of France started. AB 1 sustained heavy losses while attacking bridges and German ground targets in Northern France, as well as providing air cover for the Evacuation of Dunkirk. AB 3's V-156-Fs were briefly engaged against the Italians, during which time they were credited with possibly sinking one submarine off Albenga. By the time of the Armistice, there were only a handful of remaining Voughts in French hands, and the type was phased out of service.

Royal Navy

France had placed an order for a further 50 V-156-Fs in March 1940, with delivery planned from March 1941. Following the defeat of France, this order was taken over by the British government for use by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, who named the aircraft the Chesapeake. The British required several modifications to the Chesapeake, including the additional fuel tank fitted to the SB2U-3, additional armor and heavier forward firing armament, with four rifle caliber machine guns replacing the single forward-firing Darne machine gun of the French aircraft. Fourteen Chesapeakes were used to equip a reformed 811 Naval Air Squadron on 14 July 1941 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. The squadron, whose crews referred to it as the "cheesecake", intended to use them for anti-submarine patrols, and they were earmarked for the escort carrier HMS Archer.

By the end of October that year, it had been decided that the Chesapeakes were underpowered for the planned duties and would not be able to lift a sensible payload from the small escort carriers. Accordingly, they were withdrawn from 811 Squadron in November 1941 for use as training aircraft and the unit was re-equipped with the biplane Fairey Swordfish.

Variants

  • XSB2U-1 : Single prototype, powered by a 750hp R-1535-78 engine.
  • SB2U-1 : Initial production version powered by an 825hp R-1535-96 engine, 54 built.
  • SB2U-2 : Same as SB2U-1 but with minor equipment changed, 58 built.
  • XSB2U-3 : Single prototype of the extended-range version with twin floats, converted from the SB2U-1.
  • SB2U-3 : Similar to the SB2U-2 but fitted with an 825hp R-1535-102 engine, crew armor and two 0.5in guns, 57 built
  • V-156F-3 : Export version for the French Navy, 40 built.
  • V-156B-1 : Export version similar to the SB2U-3 and powered by a 750hp R-1535-SB4-G engine for the British Royal Navy. Designated Chesapeake Mk.I; 50 built.
  • V-167 : The V-156 company demonstrator was fitted with a more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engine and redesignated V-167. It remained a one-off.

Operators

  • United States Navy.
  • United States Marine Corps.
  • French Navy.
  • Royal Navy.

Surviving aircraft

Only one known survivor exists today: SB2U-2 Vindicator, Bureau Number 1383, is on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola, Florida.

Vought SB2U Vindicator

  • Role : Dive bomber.
  • National origin : United States.
  • 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.

    • Specifications (SB2U-2)

  • Crew : Two, pilot and gunner.
  • Length : 34 ft 0 in (10.36 m).
  • Height : 10 ft 3 in (3.12 m).
  • Wingspan : 42 ft in (12.80 m).
  • Wing area : 305 ft2 (28 m2).
  • Wing loading : 21 lb/ft2 (103 kg/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).
  • 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).
  • Powerplant : One Pratt & Whitney R-1535-96 Twin Wasp Jr radial engine.
  • Power : 825 hp (616 kW).
  • Power/mass : 0.13 hp/lb (0.21 kW/kg).
  • Armament :
    • One forward firing 0.30 in (7.62 mm) M1919 Browning machine gun in starboard wing (Browning (12.7 mm M2 machine gun in SB2U-3).
    • One .30 in (7.62 mm) machine gun in flexible mount for tail gunner (.50 in (12.7 mm) in SB2U-3).
    • Bombs : One 1,000 lb (454 kg) or 500 lb (227 kg) bomb

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