SBC Helldiver - anything out there?

[Chris Brame]

Are there any known wrecks, underwater relics, or collected bits and pieces of Curtiss SBC-1 through -4 existing that could form the basis of a restoration?

[Woodsy Airfield]

What ever happened to the SBC aircraft that an aircraft carrier supposedly off loaded on Matinique during WWII ?

[RMAllnutt]

I believe the Royal Thai Air Force Museum has a complete example on display.

Cheers,
Richard

edit: Hmmm seems my memory has failed me. They have an SB2C-5, and sole survivors of a couple of other obscure US military types, but seems I was mistaken about the biplane helldiver. darn!

[Dan K]

What ever happened to the SBC aircraft that an aircraft carrier supposedly off loaded on Matinique during WWII ?

Not supposedly!

44 SBC-4's, as well as Curtiss Hawks and a handful of Brewster Buffaloes, were parked at Fort-de-France.

Scroll to page 30 for pics and story!

http://books.google.com/books?id=8kgEAA ... ue&f=false

[TimAPNY]

Are there any known wrecks, underwater relics, or collected bits and pieces of Curtiss SBC-1 through -4 existing that could form the basis of a restoration?

I'm sure there are but keeping them once they hit the day light might be an expensive road. While the Navy (or whoever or whatever the group now calls itself) is recovering wrecks they are keeping them for themselves and they will not fly.

Every so often a wreck pops up but little remains after that chance meeting in the clouds with a mountain. How much work and money does one want to invest is the question.

and what is wrong with a -5?

Tim

[Dan K]

...and what is wrong with a -5?

Tim

Uh...Curtiss never built a -5.

Or was that a trick question?

[Mark Sampson]

The OP is referring to the biplane Curtiss SBC Helldiver, which was obsolete by 1941 and never saw WW2 combat.
The Curtiss SB*2*C Helldiver is a monoplane that went into Navy service in 1943; the CAF has the only remaining flying example (I saw it last weekend at Geneseo). I have to assume that the one in Thailand is the later airplane.
Confusing? Very much so.
Few SBC's were built, and it would be a fine thing if one survived. Perhaps the Navy has one at Pensacola?

[shrike]

The OP is referring to the biplane Curtiss SBC Helldiver, which was obsolete by 1941 and never saw WW2 combat.
The Curtiss SB*2*C Helldiver is a monoplane that went into Navy service in 1943; the CAF has the only remaining flying example (I saw it last weekend at Geneseo). I have to assume that the one in Thailand is the later airplane.
Confusing? Very much so.
Few SBC's were built, and it would be a fine thing if one survived. Perhaps the Navy has one at Pensacola?

Curtiss never was known for their imaginative naming skills.

[Dan K]

What ever happened to the SBC aircraft that an aircraft carrier supposedly off loaded on Matinique during WWII ?

Not supposedly!

44 SBC-4's, as well as Curtiss Hawks and a handful of Brewster Buffaloes, were parked at Fort-de-France.

Scroll to page 30 for pics and story!

http://books.google.com/books?id=8kgEAA ... ue&f=false

Although I'm not particularly well-versed on the events, Martinique--and more specifically which political group would control it--became quite an international chess match between the US and the UK. The Vichy... The Gaullists... Who would ultimately run the various French colonial holdings in the West?

The story has always been that Gaullists burned the SBC's, Hawks, and Buffaloes in 1943. I've never seen any information more detailed than that. Were the remains buried? Pushed out to sea? Even bits of these types would be quite amazing!

[PreservedAC]

[quote="RMAllnutt"]I believe the Royal Thai Air Force Museum has a complete example on display.

Cheers,
Richard

The Helldiver at the Thailand Air Force museum at Don Muang AP,Bangkok

Picture taken in 2009
Ref museum set http://www.flickr.com/photos/pvdac/sets ... 647622060/
for more warbirds

Regards
Johan

[marine air]

Yeah, I also vaguely remember an SBC Helldiver or similar pre-war U.S. Navy biplane in some lost corner of Asia. Will try to remember.
Also, wasn't there a remake of a King Kong movie that had some replica biplanes in it including a non flying replica? What were those?

[TonyA]

Here's one in New Zealand a few years ago:

[Chris Brame]

Thanks for the responses, and yes I did mean the '30s biplane scout bomber. What I was wondering about was whether there were any known remains or crash sites (attn: Colonel) or recorded but not-yet-found ditchings (attn: Taras) that might yield enough pieces for patterns at least for a static or flying restoration/recreation, like what happened with the once-extinct F3Fs.

As to the ones in Martinique, I've heard the usual vague rumors on them since the '70s, when Air Classics mentioned them and posited the theory "there may be some vestiges of these aircraft still present".

So has anyone ever gone to Martinique to hunt for some SBC-4 vestiges?

P.S. those F8C replicas from King Kong are real beauties - wasn't one supposed to go to Pensacola?

[PinecastleAAF]

As to the ones in Martinique, I've heard the usual vague rumors on them since the '70s, when Air Classics mentioned them and posited the theory "there may be some vestiges of these aircraft still present".

So has anyone ever gone to Martinique to hunt for some SBC-4 vestiges?

I remember that Air Classics with that. I think I was about 12 when i read it. Still sticks in my mind.

Also another one that I remember is the SeaWitch dumping the crated P-40's in a harbor somewhere in Java?

[StangStung]

*BLATANT THREADJACK WARNING*

I know the planes are on pg 30 of the quoted article...but I feel I wouldn't be doing my aviatorly duty without pointing out page 29, wherein a Utah coed is punished for fragrantly getting a tan "above the knees" in front of her male peers. Hi-freakin-larious.

Back to the SBCs...