Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Warpaint Special No.7
Author: Kev Darling
Publisher: Guideline Publications
ISBN: 978-1916759282
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 112
The Curtiss Helldiver occupies an interesting place in history, taking that unique place in US naval history where restrictions on board the carriers conflicted with requirements for attack aircraft and advances in aviation technology. The result was a plane that entered service late, was overweight, and was overly complicated, but still managed to take part in all the major naval battles in the latter half of the war in the Pacific. In addition to the Navy, the Helldiver also flew for the Marines and Air Force, as well as several foreign nations well into the post-war years. With this extensive service and convoluted development, telling the story of the Helldiver needs more than a standard Warpaint title, which is why this one made its way to Warpaint Special No 7.
To tell as complete a story of the Helldiver, this book starts out with a chapter on the origins of Curtiss and how it branched out into different areas of aviation, from aircraft to engines to propellers. This leads into the next chapter, which documents the design and development of the Helldiver. This was a long process, and the SB2C was the second plane to carry the Helldiver name, the first being a biplane, so there is plenty to cover. This is followed by a general description of the Helldiver, which is broken down by specific components that helps highlight some of the technological advances implemented in the aircraft.
With the basics covered, the next chapters cover the operational history during the Second World War. The initial Helldivers were sent to stateside training units, but the plane soon found itself in combat in November of 1943 when it took part in attacks on Rabaul. Its first large battle, though, was the Battle of the Philippines Sea in 1944. During this battle, over forty SB2Cs were lost when they ran out of fuel, highlighting its range challenges. This resulted in an updated Helldiver variant, the SB2C-3, which later proved itself during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Both of these battles get their own chapters, with great detail given to each one. Following those two chapters is a final one covering the end of the Japanese Navy and the Navy’s SB2Cs involvement in that.
The historical coverage isn’t finished, though, as the next quarter of the book details the Helldiver operations by the US Marine Corps and Army Air Corps during the Second World War, followed by the SB2C service in the post-war years. International operators come next, with sections on France, Greece, Italy, Britain, Australia, Portugal, and Thailand. The final sections cover some of the interesting test aircraft, rounding out an impressively thorough history of the SB2C Helldiver.
As with other Warpaint titles, this book is filled with photos, most of which are period black and white as would be expected for a WW2 aircraft. There are enough color photos, though, to highlight the different camouflage schemes and markings worn by the Helldiver, both in US service and internationally. Complementing this are the nearly 50 color profile illustrations, done to the usual high quality.
This is a great subject for the next Warpaint Special, and the author did an excellent job of telling the complex story of the Curtiss Helldiver. My thanks to Guideline Publications for the review copy. Visit the Warpaint Books website to order this and other titles in the series.