In Box Review of Accurate Miniatures 1/48th Scale
SBD-1 Dauntless
Pre-WWII Dive Bomber
Kit no. 3420
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
Out of production
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1997
Out of production
HISTORY:
The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944.
The SBD was also flown by the United States Marine Corps, both from land air bases and aircraft carriers. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The type earned its nickname "Slow But Deadly" (from its SBD initials) during this period.
During its combat service, the SBD proved to be an excellent naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics from the perforated dive brakes, good defensive armament, and ruggedness. One land-based variant of the SBD – omitting the arrestor hook — was purpose-built for the U.S. Army Air Forces, as the A-24 Banshee.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Dive bomber, Scout plane
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
Designer: Ed Heinemann
First flight: 1 May 1940
Introduction to service: 1940
Retired: 1959 (Mexico)
Primary users: United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Army Air Forces, Free French Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Produced: 1940–1944
Number built: 5,936
Developed from: Northrop BT
Length: 33 ft.
Span: 41 ft.
Powerplant: One Wright Cyclone R-1820-32, 1000 hp air-cooled radial
Top speed: 253 mph, 29,600 ft. ceiling
Armament: 2 fixed .50 cal. machine guns, 1 free .30 cal. rear machine gun
Ordinance: 1-1000 lb bomb, 2-100 lb bombs
The Douglas SBD Dauntless is a World War II American naval scout plane and dive bomber that was manufactured by Douglas Aircraft from 1940 through 1944. The SBD ("Scout Bomber Douglas") was the United States Navy's main carrier-based scout/dive bomber from mid-1940 through mid-1944.
The SBD was also flown by the United States Marine Corps, both from land air bases and aircraft carriers. The SBD is best remembered as the bomber that delivered the fatal blows to the Japanese carriers at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. The type earned its nickname "Slow But Deadly" (from its SBD initials) during this period.
During its combat service, the SBD proved to be an excellent naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics from the perforated dive brakes, good defensive armament, and ruggedness. One land-based variant of the SBD – omitting the arrestor hook — was purpose-built for the U.S. Army Air Forces, as the A-24 Banshee.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Dive bomber, Scout plane
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft
Designer: Ed Heinemann
First flight: 1 May 1940
Introduction to service: 1940
Retired: 1959 (Mexico)
Primary users: United States Navy, United States Marine Corps, United States Army Air Forces, Free French Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force
Produced: 1940–1944
Number built: 5,936
Developed from: Northrop BT
Length: 33 ft.
Span: 41 ft.
Powerplant: One Wright Cyclone R-1820-32, 1000 hp air-cooled radial
Top speed: 253 mph, 29,600 ft. ceiling
Armament: 2 fixed .50 cal. machine guns, 1 free .30 cal. rear machine gun
Ordinance: 1-1000 lb bomb, 2-100 lb bombs
THE KIT:
Accurate Miniatures is an old prolific model company based in Charlotte, NC. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
There is a cardboard shelf in the box’s tray. It has a black and white 4-view of the Dauntless in the box art scheme.
Accurate Miniatures is an old prolific model company based in Charlotte, NC. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
There is a cardboard shelf in the box’s tray. It has a black and white 4-view of the Dauntless in the box art scheme.
The instructions, clear tree and decal sheet are packaged below this shelf.
The box art shows a color illustration of 3 Dauntless SBD-1’s flying in formation above clouds.
All have bright metal fuselages and bright yellow wings and elevators. They have red cowling noses and vertical red, white and blue stripes on their rudder flaps.
All three have black U.S. MARINES on their fuselages under the elevators.
The Dauntless in the front has a wide red fuselage band, with black 2- white MB black -13 over the band, followed by a small U.S. Marine Corps. logo of the eagle, globe and anchor.
The Dauntless in the middle of the group has black serial no. 2-MB-14 on the sides of the fuselage, followed by the Marine Corps. logo. It has no fuselage band.
The Dauntless at the rear has black serial no. 2-MB-15 on its sides, with no fuselage band.
All three have bombs slung under their wings.
The box art shows a color illustration of 3 Dauntless SBD-1’s flying in formation above clouds.
All have bright metal fuselages and bright yellow wings and elevators. They have red cowling noses and vertical red, white and blue stripes on their rudder flaps.
All three have black U.S. MARINES on their fuselages under the elevators.
The Dauntless in the front has a wide red fuselage band, with black 2- white MB black -13 over the band, followed by a small U.S. Marine Corps. logo of the eagle, globe and anchor.
The Dauntless in the middle of the group has black serial no. 2-MB-14 on the sides of the fuselage, followed by the Marine Corps. logo. It has no fuselage band.
The Dauntless at the rear has black serial no. 2-MB-15 on its sides, with no fuselage band.
All three have bombs slung under their wings.
One side-panel of the box begins with the kit’s features: Recessed panel lines. Over 110 parts. Positionable perforated dive brakes. Open and close canopies. Detailed history and aircraft markings. Fully detailed interior. Dedicated R-1820-32 engine. Detailed assembly instructions. Paint cross reference guide.
This is all said in multiple languages, including English.
Designed and packaged in the USA. Plastic parts made in Korea. Decals printed in Mexico.
Accurate street address in Charlotte, NC and their office in England is provided.
Designed and packaged in the USA. Plastic parts made in Korea. Decals printed in Mexico.
Accurate street address in Charlotte, NC and their office in England is provided.
The other side-panel of the box has 5 one-paragraph histories of the Dauntless, in English, French, German, Italian and Portuguese. All are marked with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language.
CONTENTS:
One unassembled plastic model kit. Suitable for ages 10 and above. Some building experience is helpful. Cement and paint not included.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL REQUIRED:
Basic modeling tools. Hobby knife, cement, tape, paint.
PAINT COLORS NEEDED:
Aluminum, chrome yellow, willow green, burnt metal, light gray, olive drab and basic modeling colors.
One unassembled plastic model kit. Suitable for ages 10 and above. Some building experience is helpful. Cement and paint not included.
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL REQUIRED:
Basic modeling tools. Hobby knife, cement, tape, paint.
PAINT COLORS NEEDED:
Aluminum, chrome yellow, willow green, burnt metal, light gray, olive drab and basic modeling colors.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 6 medium-gray trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 20 pages in 7” x 11” page format.
Page 1 has a black and white side view of the Dauntless in the box art scheme.
Page 2 has a suggested paint color listing on the left side of it, with text on the right about the kit.
Model Master, Humbrol, Gunze Sangyo, Mr. Color, Poly S and Floquil brands of paints are listed.
Page 3 through to page 19 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The 15th Step is a painting and marking guide that shows a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above)
Page 20 shows the makeups of Dauntless squadrons.
There is a lot of text in each step.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instruction booklet. However, they do have part number tabs next to the parts on them. This means extra care is needed to get the right parts for each assembly step. Bad move Accurate Miniatures.
Medium-gray letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, cowling, bulkhead, spinner etc. (14 parts)
There are no letter B or C trees.
The kit holds 6 medium-gray trees, a clear tree and the decal sheet in 4 sealed clear cello bags.
The instructions consist of a staple-bound booklet of 20 pages in 7” x 11” page format.
Page 1 has a black and white side view of the Dauntless in the box art scheme.
Page 2 has a suggested paint color listing on the left side of it, with text on the right about the kit.
Model Master, Humbrol, Gunze Sangyo, Mr. Color, Poly S and Floquil brands of paints are listed.
Page 3 through to page 19 gives a grand total of 14 assembly steps.
The 15th Step is a painting and marking guide that shows a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above)
Page 20 shows the makeups of Dauntless squadrons.
There is a lot of text in each step.
Trees are alphabetized, but not illustrated in the instruction booklet. However, they do have part number tabs next to the parts on them. This means extra care is needed to get the right parts for each assembly step. Bad move Accurate Miniatures.
Medium-gray letter A tree holds: the fuselage halves, cowling, bulkhead, spinner etc. (14 parts)
There are no letter B or C trees.
Medium-gray letter D tree holds: the cockpit floor, engine, main wheels, machine guns etc. (28 parts)
Medium-gray letter E tree holds: the perforated dive brakes, bulkhead, main gear legs, radios etc. (23 parts)
Medium-gray letter F holds: the elevator halves, bomb. Seat, dashboard etc. (26 parts)
Lettering jumps to the small medium-gray letter H tree. It holds: the propeller, engine push rods etc. (4 parts)
Letter J is the clear parts tree that contains the canopy sections, instrument panel, etc. (14 parts)
A tree that is not - alphabetized holds the wing halves (3 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit.
There are no crew figures.
Detail excellent and engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Highly Recommended.
Detail excellent and engraved. Flaps are all molded solid.
Highly Recommended.