What does the SBD mean in SBD Dauntless, of World War II fame?

willo'wisp

SBD stands for Ship Borne Dive-Bomber http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/Schottky+Barrier+Diode http://www.compass.dircon.co.uk/SBD.htm Jan 15 08, 8:48 PM

AyatollahK

SB was the series designation for all Scout Bombers. The third letter was the code for manufacturer. D was Douglas Aircraft. (C was Curtiss; F was Fairchild; etc.) So SBD stood for "Scout Bomber Douglas." http://www.personal.psu.edu/dob104/aviation/us/nscoutb.html But "Ship Borne Divebomber" gets high marks for creativity. Jan 15 08, 8:54 PM

zbeckabee

I'm finding both -- Ship Borne Dive-Bomber and Scout Bombers (Douglas)...with the latter being the more formal of the two. Nevertheless, SBD is frequently used to represent the Ship Borne Dive-Bomber. http://www.lordnelsons.com/gallery/nostalgic/phillips/23.htm http://www.ozarkairfieldartworks.com/dauntlessrisingtothesun.html The Dauntless was the standard ship borne dive-bomber of the US Navy from mid-1940 until 11/43, when the first Curtiss Helldivers arrived to replace it. http://p092.ezboard.com/fjpspanzersfrm25.showMessage?topicID=155.topic Jan 15 08, 11:04 PM

AyatollahK

Like I said, "Ship Borne Dive-Bomber" gets high marks for creativity. But it's obviously wrong, and it doesn't matter how often it's repeated. If you're still struggling with SBD, a look at the 1922 Naval aircraft designation system, which remained in effect until 1962, should turn the trick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1922_United_States_Navy_aircraft_designation_system "The system conveyed its information in the form: "(Mission)(Design Number)(Manufacturer)-(Subtype)(Minor Modification) "For example, F4U-1A referred to the first minor modification (A) to the first major subtype (1) of Chance-Vought's (U) fourth (4) fighter (F) design." ..."The mission of the aircraft was designated by a one or two letter code.... "SB -- Scout bomber (dive bomber)... "In cases where an aircraft was its manufacturer's first design of that mission, the 1 would not be written. Thus Consolidated’s Patrol plane was the PBY, not PB1Y...." "The codes used to denote manufacturers were not unique to a single company.... "D Douglas McDonnell Radioplane Frankfort..." See also: http://www.hazegray.org/faq/designat.htm#t1-2-1 Jan 16 08, 12:25 AM

zbeckabee

I'm going to repeat what I said originally: I'm finding both -- Ship Borne Dive-Bomber and Scout Bombers (Douglas)...with the latter being the more formal of the two. Nevertheless, SBD is frequently used to represent the Ship Borne Dive-Bomber. I believe I "alluded" to your "correctness" in the above statement. Right, wrong or indifferent...SBD is still used to refer the Ship Borne Dive-Bomber. Jan 16 08, 8:13 AM

AyatollahK

But the answer to the question asked, what the SBD means in SBD Dauntless, is "Scout Bomber, design number 1, Douglas Aircraft". Jan 17 08, 2:36 PM