Curtiss SB2 Helldiver.
The Helldiver's performance has been maligned by many critics, frequently without regard to the facts. Some comparisons to other Navy aircraft are enlightening. The SB2C-4 had a higher cruising speed and greater range (without drop tanks) than the TBM Avenger, and a significantly higher top speed. It easily outperformed the SBD Dauntless in every category except range. Its cruising speed was only two mph slower than the F6F Hellcat. Only the F4U Corsair, among contemporary carrier-based aircraft, had a significantly superior speed. The Corsair could carry the same load as the Helldiver but over a much shorter range. Of aircraft designed in the same, immediate pre-war period, only the Corsair outlasted it in front-line Navy service.
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3D Modeling, Pivots, UV Map: Willsonman
Color Scheme: Herc40
Flight controls include throttle, rudder, ailerons, elevator, folding wings, opening bomb bay door, landing flaps, retractable landing gear, wheel brakes.
Various adjustments for good flight performance in RF 7.5.
Fly with the channel 5 rate switch in the “High” position.
Landing flaps are on channel 6. The channel 8 switch will need to be in the middle position for flaps use. Very mild brakes were added to the flaps. Useful for scrubbing off that last little bit of momentum or for holding position on the runway.
Retractable landing gear is on channel 7.
Fly with the channel 8 three position switch in the middle position.
Toggling this switch towards you folds the wings. Toggling the switch to the position farthest from you opens the bomb bay door.
With the bomb bay door open, flipping the channel 5 rate switch to the “Low” position activates movement of the dive flaps and also releases the bomb.
For the channel 8 switch, in the position toward you the landing flaps are still active on the knob and the wings will fold at about 4 clicks from idle on the throttle.
A small detail to note... the cowl flaps and oil cooler flaps... they move with throttle.
This is a fairly nice model. Good flight characteristics. Flies well with or without the bomb on board. Easy landings with or without use of the landing flaps.
The Helldiver's performance has been maligned by many critics, frequently without regard to the facts. Some comparisons to other Navy aircraft are enlightening. The SB2C-4 had a higher cruising speed and greater range (without drop tanks) than the TBM Avenger, and a significantly higher top speed. It easily outperformed the SBD Dauntless in every category except range. Its cruising speed was only two mph slower than the F6F Hellcat. Only the F4U Corsair, among contemporary carrier-based aircraft, had a significantly superior speed. The Corsair could carry the same load as the Helldiver but over a much shorter range. Of aircraft designed in the same, immediate pre-war period, only the Corsair outlasted it in front-line Navy service.
>>>
3D Modeling, Pivots, UV Map: Willsonman
Color Scheme: Herc40
Flight controls include throttle, rudder, ailerons, elevator, folding wings, opening bomb bay door, landing flaps, retractable landing gear, wheel brakes.
Various adjustments for good flight performance in RF 7.5.
Fly with the channel 5 rate switch in the “High” position.
Landing flaps are on channel 6. The channel 8 switch will need to be in the middle position for flaps use. Very mild brakes were added to the flaps. Useful for scrubbing off that last little bit of momentum or for holding position on the runway.
Retractable landing gear is on channel 7.
Fly with the channel 8 three position switch in the middle position.
Toggling this switch towards you folds the wings. Toggling the switch to the position farthest from you opens the bomb bay door.
With the bomb bay door open, flipping the channel 5 rate switch to the “Low” position activates movement of the dive flaps and also releases the bomb.
For the channel 8 switch, in the position toward you the landing flaps are still active on the knob and the wings will fold at about 4 clicks from idle on the throttle.
A small detail to note... the cowl flaps and oil cooler flaps... they move with throttle.
This is a fairly nice model. Good flight characteristics. Flies well with or without the bomb on board. Easy landings with or without use of the landing flaps.
