Subject: Re: SBD-3 Walkaround
From: "Steve Bamford ARC" <[email-masked]>
To: "Stewart Bailey" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 16:19:35 -0800

Steve Bamford
Aircraft Resource Center
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com
 
Live like there is no tomorrow;
Love like you've never been hurt.
Work like you don't need the money.
Dance like nobody's watching.
Sing like nobody's listening.
Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Stewart Bailey 
  To: 'Steve Bamford ARC' 
  Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 12:05 PM
  Subject: SBD-3 Walkaround

  Steve-

  Here are the photos I promised of the Kalamazoo Air Zoo's SBD-3 Dauntless.  There are 98 total and I've had to break them down into five separate emails, as I've tried 3 times so far to send them, and it gives our server fits.  I realize that this may be overkill, but as I was telling one of our volunteers, this plane is special.  Unlike many modern warbirds that have been modified with new avionics, seats for passengers, antennas, and so on, this bird is as it was in 1943.  Everything is as close to original as humanly possible; it's like it has been transported forward 60 years in a time machine.  You don't find them like that very often.  

  Below is a list of the captions.  

  Stewart 

   

  Douglas SBD-3 Photos

  This aircraft, BuNo. 06624 was one of a number of SBDs lost during training in the Great Lakes aboard the paddlewheel carriers Wolverine and Sable.  It was stricken on September 19, 1943 when the pilot trainee accidentally switched to a dry fuel tank, lost power on landing, boltered and went over the side into Lake Michigan.  It was recovered in the early 1990s, and placed on loan to the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum (Air Zoo) for restoration by the National Museum of Naval Aviation.  Research into the aircraft showed that it has served with the VS-41 "Tophatters" aboard the USS Ranger (CV-4) and had flown bombing missions in support of the Operation Torch landings in Algeria.  The Air Zoo's restoration staff chose to finish the aircraft in the markings it wore at that time.  For more information on the aircraft and its restoration, visit www.airzoo.org

  Photos were taken at the Air Zoo over several days in October 2003.

  01        Starboard front quarter

  02        Port front quarter

  03        Port side (unfortunately, it's a little tight in the museum)

  04        Port rear quarter

  05        Starboard rear quarter

  06        Engine cowling & Wright R-1820-52 Cyclone engine

  07        Close-up of crankcase and propeller

  08        Carburetor air intake

  09        Oil cooler intake

  10        Bomb displacement crutch

  11        Close-up of crutch pivot mechanism and hydraulics vent pipe

  12        Starboard side of bomb crutch

  13        Port wheel well, looking outward

  14        Port wheel well, looking inward

  15        Upper end of port gear strut

  16        Underwing stiffeners and port catapult bridal hook

  17        Underside of cowling

  18        Starboard exhaust from below

  19        Port exhaust

  20        Port gear strut from the front

  21        Port gear strut from the side

  22        Port gear strut from behind

  23        Top of port gear strut, outer wing attachment point and gun camera window

  24        Port bomb shackle looking out

  25        Port bomb shackle from front quarter

  26        Landing light in port wing

  27        Underside of port aileron showing control linkage

  28        Port navigation light

  29        Port aileron

  30        Port lower dive brake looking inward

  31        Actuators for port outer dive brakes

  32        Port upper dive brake

  33        Trim tab in port aileron

  34        Formation light in upper surface of port wing

  35        Antenna attachment point on port fuselage side

  36        Pilot's hand-hold/step on port side of fuselage

  37        Cowl flap actuators, port side

  38        Antenna mast attachment point

  39        Antenna mast

  40        Cockpit and windshield

  41        Gunner's canopy in open position (stacked)

  42        Rear gun mount, port side

  43        Non-skid walkway, port (starboard is identical)

  44        Rear gun mount

  45        Colored recognition lights under center fuselage (red, blue, yellow: front to rear)

  46        Tail hook pivot

  47        Hook end and tailwheel

  48        Port stabilizer, upper surface

  49        Trim tab in port elevator

  50        Tailwheel and hold down

  51        Rudder trim tab actuator

  52        Rudder hinge area

  53        Tail navigation light

  54        Tail antenna mast

  55        Solid rubber tail wheel

  56        Tail hook point (not the rubber bump strip on the underside of the fuselage)

  57        Elevator trim tab actuator, underside starboard stabilizer

  58        Vertical stabilizer, starboard side

  59        Winged dinosaur marking on starboard side of tail only.  On some occasions, a winged turtle was painted on aircraft that had crossed the equator signifying a "shell back."  However this particular aircraft featured a winged "Sinclair Oil" dinosaur. perhaps some sort of joke?  Our restoration people traced it from the original marking and made a stencil to apply in after restoration was complete.

  60        Tail antenna mast, starboard side

  61        Navigation lights on spine and doors for stowing guns (in closed position)

  62        Rear view of rear gun mount

  63        Baggage compartment access panel (starboard)

  64        Starboard view of stacked gunner's canopy

  65        Rear gun mount, starboard side

  66        Starboard navigation light

  67        Fixed wing slots on starboard wing

  68        Starboard gear leg from outside

  69        Starboard exhaust and lug for starter crank

  70        Back side of engine cylinders through starboard cowl flaps

  71        Piece of original engine which had to be replaced

  72        Instrument panel from port side

  73        Starboard side of cockpit, forward

  74        Starboard side of cockpit, aft

  75        Stick and floorboard

  76        Cockpit cowl with telescopic bomb sight and compass

  77        Stick and rudder pedals

  78        Instrument panel from starboard side

  79        Post side of cockpit, forward

  80        Port side of cockpit, aft (note lifting cable for hoisting the aircraft with a crane)

  81        Seat back, armor plate and roll-over structure

  82        Aircraft data plate on port side of roll-over structure

  83        Gunner's station looking forward

  84        Gunner's basic flight instruments and radio

  85        Twin .30 cal. gun mount showing ammo feed

  86        Twin .30 cal. mounting point

  87        Ammo feed

  88        Gunner's armor face plate

  89        Twin .30 cals. From starboard side

  90        Gunner's seat

  91        Shell case ejection chutes from forward 50. cal. machine gun (port)

  92        Gear door and linkage (starboard)

  93        Inner face of gear door (port)

  94        Tire (port)

  95        Starboard .50 cal. machine gun

  96        Port .50 cal. machine gun

  97        Forward fuselage

  98        Wright R-1820-52 Cyclone engine