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 was an excellent naval scout plane and dive bomber. It possessed long range, good handling characteristics, maneuverability, potent bomb load, great diving characteristics, good defensive armament, and ruggedness. One land-based variant of the SBD — in omitting the arrestor hook — was purpose-built for the U.S. Army Air Forces, as the A-24 Banshee.
[Source and more info on Wikipedia]
Academy 1/48 USN SBD Douglas Dauntless 12329
- Great representation of the WW-II Navy Dive Bomber
- Accurately detailed panel lines & rivets
- Highly detailed cockpit and landing gear
- Assemble with dive flap closed or landing or full opened
- Bomb and machine gun included
- Photo-etched parts included
- Mask tape for clear parts included
- Cartograf Markings for: SBD-5, 36, VB-6, USS Enterprise, 1944
- SBD-5, 9, VB-5, USS Yorktown, 1944
- SBD-5, 1, VMSB-231, Marshall Islands, 1944, ‘Ace of Spades’
- 1/48 Scale
- MSRP: $39.99
- $Street Price (Approx) $27 to $29.99 USD
In case you have been out of the loop or just recently joined the plastic model building ranks, or simply you’re just coming back after a long hiatus, the Academy 1/48 USN SBD-5 Dauntless is waiting for you and it comes at a very affordable price in the USA market.
Speaking of model kit building, when I came after my long one, one of the first models I built back then was the SBD-Dauntless offering from Revell. This particular model was released back in 2005 by the now-defunct Accurate Miniatures. Since then, we have seen this kit being printed by Italeri as well as Eduard with some special goodies. I built back in the day the 1/48 TBF/M Avenger. It was my first experience with this then newly founded company. I wasn’t able to get any of the Dauntless because Accurate Miniatures faded away as they came to be. Now, the SBD-5 Dauntless is once again available thanks to Academy Models.
I was in awe when I opened the box of this copy sent by MRC. In awe but not surprised. Accurate Miniatures did the heck of a research and tooling job with the Avenger and the 1/48 SBD-5 Dauntless is no different.
Those guys in Korea did set that tooling to print the best quality SBD-5 Dauntless you can get in styrene. The panel lines are very exquisitely molded. I’m not a rivet counter in this hobby but it is hard not to notice the number of rivets and access plates under the wings and around the aircraft’s fuselage. The clear parts are very good as well and the framework in that greenhouse canopy is in my humble opinion very realistic and in scale.
Unlike the Revell version I built, the flaps are already perforated. I recall drilling all those holes on my Revell by hand with a pin vise. A testament to perseverance if you ask me. The interior is well addressed with all the details in the cockpit. The kit includes a humble photo-etched set with seatbelts. Under the wings, you will find that the wheel wells are also finely detailed. Provided with the model kit also is a set of masks that will save us a lot of work, swearing and time when working with the clear ”greenhouse” canopies.
Overall the model is fantastic! I rarely suffer from AMS (After Market Syndrome) The kit in my most humble opinion can be built out of the box with no need for extra ”improving” aftermarket parts. There is not much if anything to improve here. The Academy 1/48 SBD-5 Dauntless will please the most demanding model builder right out of the box.
Highly Recommend!
Get yours while you can at your favorite hobby shop (please, always support your brick and mortar hobby shops) if you don’t have one around, check them online. Build it right away or add it to your stash. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.
My most sincere thanks go to Model Rectifier Corporation for sending in this review sample.
PS,
I look forward to seeing the Avenger reprinted by Academy.
