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Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Tue May 23, 2017 4:22 pm

We all know the obvious "Slow But Deadly" sobriquet for the SBD, but were there any other nicknames given to this Navy dive bomber?

I've heard "Douglas Doubtful" and "Stable Mabel," and "Speedy Three" for the SBD-3 specifically, but am I missing any? (I'm writing about Jim Slattery's newest, the Vulture's Row restoration, for Aviation History magazine.)

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Tue May 23, 2017 6:01 pm

Inversely to "Slow But Deadly" was "Speedy-D"...

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Tue May 23, 2017 6:43 pm

airnutz wrote:Inversely to "Slow But Deadly" was "Speedy-D"...

Heard that too - it was mentioned in the book I discussed in another recent thread. Still, I'm sure they were being ironic...

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Tue May 23, 2017 8:06 pm

Irony or sarcasm in the military? Nawww...at least it wasn't in my experience! :lol:

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Tue May 23, 2017 8:08 pm

The first time I saw one fly (Chino circa 1988) I heard it referred to as a "Spud," though I have no idea if that was also a wartime appellation.

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Thu May 25, 2017 1:50 am

Don't forget the obvious one... Banshee.

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Fri May 26, 2017 7:01 pm

Well, that was an A-24, not an SBD.

Re: Douglas Dauntless nicknames?

Fri May 26, 2017 10:26 pm

Stephan Wilkinson wrote:I've heard "Douglas Doubtful" and "Stable Mabel," and "Speedy Three" for the SBD-3 specifically, but am I missing any?

I'm curious, where did you hear those? I've been making notes of aircraft nicknames, and I like to have references to cite.
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