In Box Review of Matchbox 1/32nd Scale Douglas Dauntless SBD-5
Kit no. PK-503
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
Out of production.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 1977
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, along with a rarely-used accompanying nickname of "Furious D."
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:
Crew: 2
Length: 33 ft 1.25 in (10.0902 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 6.375 in (12.65873 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Wing area: 325 sq ft (30.2 m2)
Airfoil: root: NACA 2415; tip: NACA 2407[63]
Empty weight: 6,404 lb. (2,905 kg)
Gross weight: 9,359 lb. (4,245 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb. (4,853 kg)
Fuel capacity: 260 US gal (220 imp gal; 980 L) in non-metallic self-sealing fuel tanks
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propeller
Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 knot) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 knot)
Range: 1,115 mi (1,794 km, 969 nm.)
Ferry range: 1,565 mi (2,519 km, 1,360 nm.)
Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 28.8 lb./sq ft (141 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.128 hp/lb. (0.210 kW/kg)
Armament:
Guns: ** 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing synchronized Browning M2 machine guns in engine cowling or 2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted Browning M1919 machine guns in rear
Bombs: 2,250 lb. (1,020 kg) of 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, along with a rarely-used accompanying nickname of "Furious D."
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:
Crew: 2
Length: 33 ft 1.25 in (10.0902 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 6.375 in (12.65873 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Wing area: 325 sq ft (30.2 m2)
Airfoil: root: NACA 2415; tip: NACA 2407[63]
Empty weight: 6,404 lb. (2,905 kg)
Gross weight: 9,359 lb. (4,245 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 10,700 lb. (4,853 kg)
Fuel capacity: 260 US gal (220 imp gal; 980 L) in non-metallic self-sealing fuel tanks
Powerplant: 1 × Wright R-1820-60 Cyclone 9-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 1,200 hp (890 kW)
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton-Standard constant-speed propeller
Maximum speed: 255 mph (410 km/h, 222 knot) at 14,000 ft (4,300 m)
Cruise speed: 185 mph (298 km/h, 161 knot)
Range: 1,115 mi (1,794 km, 969 nm.)
Ferry range: 1,565 mi (2,519 km, 1,360 nm.)
Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
Wing loading: 28.8 lb./sq ft (141 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.128 hp/lb. (0.210 kW/kg)
Armament:
Guns: ** 2 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) forward-firing synchronized Browning M2 machine guns in engine cowling or 2 × 0.30 in (7.62 mm) flexible-mounted Browning M1919 machine guns in rear
Bombs: 2,250 lb. (1,020 kg) of bombs
THE KIT:
Matchbox is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in the UK. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Dauntless that is overall navy-blue, over a stark-white undercarriage. It has a small insignia of a black circle, outlined in white, with an ace of spades symbol on it, on the side of the fuselage, just before the windshield, 23 white victory marks of bombs under the cockpit. White no. 2 before the fuselage star and bars.
It is lowering its arrestor-hook and landing. It is posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
The right end of the cover shows a line drawing of the dashboard, over a listing of details in the kit: Detailed cockpit. Wright Cyclone CR-1820-60 radial engine. Perforated dive flaps. Three markings on the decal sheet.
One side-panel of the box shows color illustrations of the engine, the perforated split dive-flaps & 1,000 lb. bomb & yoke. Side views of the Dauntless in the 3 schemes. Humbrol brand colors are suggested.
Matchbox is an old prolific plastic model kit manufacturer, based in the UK. They make all manner of plastic model kit subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a Dauntless that is overall navy-blue, over a stark-white undercarriage. It has a small insignia of a black circle, outlined in white, with an ace of spades symbol on it, on the side of the fuselage, just before the windshield, 23 white victory marks of bombs under the cockpit. White no. 2 before the fuselage star and bars.
It is lowering its arrestor-hook and landing. It is posed against an all-white background. Similar to how Tamiya also does the majority of their box arts.
The right end of the cover shows a line drawing of the dashboard, over a listing of details in the kit: Detailed cockpit. Wright Cyclone CR-1820-60 radial engine. Perforated dive flaps. Three markings on the decal sheet.
One side-panel of the box shows color illustrations of the engine, the perforated split dive-flaps & 1,000 lb. bomb & yoke. Side views of the Dauntless in the 3 schemes. Humbrol brand colors are suggested.
The other side-panel of the box says: colors are subject to amendment. Paint and cement not included in the kit. In multiple languages, including English. A side view of the Dauntless and cockpit detail.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
The kit holds 4 navy-blue trees and a stark-white tree, a clear tree, the decal sheet and instructions, that are not cello bagged.
Part trees are not alphabetized.
The chalk-white tree holds the bottom halves of the wings and the perforated dive brakes. (6 parts)
The kit holds 4 navy-blue trees and a stark-white tree, a clear tree, the decal sheet and instructions, that are not cello bagged.
Part trees are not alphabetized.
The chalk-white tree holds the bottom halves of the wings and the perforated dive brakes. (6 parts)
The first navy-blue tree holds: the fuselage halves, cowling parts, nose top-panel etc. (10 parts)
The second navy-blue tree holds: the figures (full bodied, with separate arms), upper dive-brake halves, fuselage inner walls, elevators, engine parts, cannons etc. (33 parts)
The third navy-blue tree holds: wing tops and rudder (6 parts)
The fourth (and last) navy-blue tree holds: cockpit floor & rear wall, dashboard, propeller blades & hub, landing gear legs, main and tail wheels, bomb, arrestor hook etc. (38 parts)
The clear tree holds the canopy sections (5 parts)
I have 2 of these kits. One is missing the decal sheet. The decal sheet has a loose cloudy tissue included to protect it. But it was sliding around loose in the box. So I stapled it to the decal.
I have added a Super Scale brand decal sheet to the kit that was missing it’s decal sheet. It is for a P-47N Thunderbolt, but will provide roundels and numbers that are also appropriate for the Dauntless too.
The instructions consist of 4 sheets in 14” x 7 format, each only printed on one side. Folded twice to create 8 pages.
Page 1 shows a black and white copy of the box art scheme twice along with specifications of the Dauntless and Matchbox’s street address in London, England. Registered trademark of Lesney Products Co. Ltd. and a 4-view of a Dauntless in French A.F. markings. No colors are called out for it.
It is in olive-drab with blue undersurfaces. It has 5 bars around the wings and the fuselage, that are white, black, white, black white. French AF roundels in the usual 6 positions. Vertical red, white and blue bars on the rudder, with black number 254 across them. A large white circle with a black cross that has two horizontal arms. It has 14 victory marks that are black bombs under the cockpit.
It was an A-26B, with the French A.F., France, 1944.
Page 2 shows two more 4-views.
The first one is the box art scheme (already described above) It further shows black wing-walks on the top of both wings.
The second one is what I think is overall navy-blue (the illustration does not say the color). It shows black wing-walks on the top of both wings. New Zealand A.F. roundels in the usual 6 positions.
A color illustration of a pig, wearing pants and riding a bomb, with a beer mug in his right hand and a lift-weight in his left, with a yellow cloud behind him that has black “HOWAHBAHT THAT HIC” on it, under the cockpit.
Black serial no. NZ5057 behind the fuselage roundel. Large white no. 57 on rudder sides with small and narrow vertical black white black bars above the 57.
It was with the No. 25 D.B. Sqdn. New Zealand, A.F., Pacific, 1944.
Page 1 shows a black and white copy of the box art scheme twice along with specifications of the Dauntless and Matchbox’s street address in London, England. Registered trademark of Lesney Products Co. Ltd. and a 4-view of a Dauntless in French A.F. markings. No colors are called out for it.
It is in olive-drab with blue undersurfaces. It has 5 bars around the wings and the fuselage, that are white, black, white, black white. French AF roundels in the usual 6 positions. Vertical red, white and blue bars on the rudder, with black number 254 across them. A large white circle with a black cross that has two horizontal arms. It has 14 victory marks that are black bombs under the cockpit.
It was an A-26B, with the French A.F., France, 1944.
Page 2 shows two more 4-views.
The first one is the box art scheme (already described above) It further shows black wing-walks on the top of both wings.
The second one is what I think is overall navy-blue (the illustration does not say the color). It shows black wing-walks on the top of both wings. New Zealand A.F. roundels in the usual 6 positions.
A color illustration of a pig, wearing pants and riding a bomb, with a beer mug in his right hand and a lift-weight in his left, with a yellow cloud behind him that has black “HOWAHBAHT THAT HIC” on it, under the cockpit.
Black serial no. NZ5057 behind the fuselage roundel. Large white no. 57 on rudder sides with small and narrow vertical black white black bars above the 57.
It was with the No. 25 D.B. Sqdn. New Zealand, A.F., Pacific, 1944.
The top of page 3 lists things needed to build the kit. Over international assembly symbol explanations in multiple languages, including English.
Page 3 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 7 shows illustrations of 41 of the kit parts, over decal application instructions over the multiple languages.
Page 8 gives painting instructions at the top, over a listing of paint colors and one paragraph histories of the Dauntless in the languages.
Page 3 through to page 6 gives a grand total of 15 assembly steps.
Page 7 shows illustrations of 41 of the kit parts, over decal application instructions over the multiple languages.
Page 8 gives painting instructions at the top, over a listing of paint colors and one paragraph histories of the Dauntless in the languages.
I have included a photo of the Profile Publications book The Douglas SBD Dauntless Number 196.
The detail is very good.
Recommended.
Recommended.