Warplanes of the USA: Vought SB2U Vindicator

Vought SB2U Vindicator

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 “Vindicator”, Scouting Bombing Plane, 23 June 1938. Note, the “Tophatters” squadron insignia.

The Vought SB2U Vindicator is an American carrier-based dive bomber developed for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role. Vindicators still remained in service at the time of the Battle of Midway, but by 1943, all had been withdrawn to training units. It was known as the Chesapeake in Royal Navy service. (Wikipedia)

Deliveries to the US Navy began in December 1937, when four aircraft joined VB-3 aboard the aircraft carrier Saratoga, replacing Curtiss BFC-2 biplanes. As well as Saratoga, Vindicators served on the carriers Lexington, Ranger, and Wasp. Air Group Nine, destined for Essex, trained in Vindicators aboard the escort carrier Charger, but they transitioned to the Douglas SBD Dauntless before Essex joined the war. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, seven Vindicators from the U.S. squadron VMSB-231 were destroyed at Ewa Field.

VMSB-231 and VMSB-241 were the only two USMC squadrons that fielded the Marine-specific SB2U-3 between March 1941 and September 1943. VMSB-241's Vindicators saw combat at the Battle of Midway in June 1942. Airmen with experience in more modern aircraft spoke disparagingly of SB2Us as "vibrators" or "wind indicators" in their later combat assignments. Captain Richard E. Fleming piloted a SB2U-3 Vindicator in an attack on the Japanese cruiser Mikuma on 5 June 1942, for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. (Wikipedia)

(USN Photo)

A U.S. Navy Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator dive bomber assigned to Bombing Squadron 3 (VB-3) aboard the aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3). VB-3 was the first squadron to be equipped with the SB2U in 1937.

(USN Photo)

A U.S. Navy Vought SB2U Vindicator (42-S-17) of Scouting Squadron 42 (VS-42) returning to the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4) on 4 December 1941. Ranger was escorting a convoy in the Atlantic.

(USN Photo)

Flight deck operations aboard the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4) on 19 November 1941, showing Vought SB2U-3 Vindicators of Scouting Squadron 41 (VS-41) and VS-42 getting ready for a patrol flight, and an Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat of Fighting Squadron 41 (VF-41). Note the marking schemes in use on the planes, the white codes, and the crew of the plane in the foreground in cold weather gear.

(NACA Photo)

Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator (BuNo. 1326) used for diving tests at Langley Research Center, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), at Hampton, Virginia (USA) in February 1939.

(USN Photo)

In 1939 a single Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator dive bomber (BuNo 2044) was converted as a floatplane and designated XSB2U-3.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator (BuNo. 0726), 22 Dec 1937.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator (BuNo. 0726), Scouting Bombing Plane, 19 June 1940.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 “Vindicator” (Bu# 0727), Scouting Bombing Plane, 27 Dec, 1937.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator, 3-B-10, Oakland Airport 1938. Hangar 3, NRAB Oakland, is in the background.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator (BuNo. 0772) VB-3, Oakland Airport 1939. The pilot's name on the plane is Aviation Cadet George H. Carter. The normal complement of a Navy squadron in 1939 was 18 planes.

(Bill Larkins Photo)

Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator from VB-3, Oakland, California, 1940.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator (BuNo. 0740), over San Joaquin Valley, California, 28 June 1938.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator (BuNo. 0741),over the San Joaquin Valley, California, 28 June 1938.

(USN Photo)

U.S. Marine Corps Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator of Marine Scouting Squadron VMS-1 in flight.

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator, California, 28 June 1938.

(USN Photo)

U.S. Marine Corps Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator from Marine Scout Bombing Squadron VMSB-131 Diamondbacks in flight.

(USN Photo)

Three U.S. Navy Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator dive bombers assigned to Bombing Squadron 3 (VB-3) aboard the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Saratoga (CV-3). VB-3 was the first squadron to be equipped with the SB2U in 1937.

(USN Photo)

Three U.S. Navy Vought SB2U-1 Vindicator aircraft (BuNo 0739, 0740, 0741) of Bombing Squadron 3 (VB-3) "Tophatters" in flight over the Sierra Nevada range near Mount Whitney on 11 July 1938

(USN Photo)

Vought-Sikorsky SB2U-1 Vindicator formation, High Hat Squadron in Grand Canyon Country, 1937.

(NMNA Photo)

Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator (BuNo. 1376) from scouting squadron VS-72 pictured on the deck edge elevator of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) at Quincy, Massachusetts, in June 1940.  The elevator consisted of a platform for the front wheels and an outrigger for the tail wheel.  The two arms on the sides moved the platform in a half-circle up and down between the flight deck and the hangar deck.

(SDASM Archives Photo)

Vought SB2U Vindicator, VS-1 1-S-16.

(USN Photo)

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CV-7) in at anchor in Casco Bay, Maine (USA), on 25 March 1942, with a motor launch coming alongside. The planes on deck, some with wings folded, include (circa) 15 Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator scout bombers, three Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers and 20 Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat fighters.

(NMNA Photo)

(kitmasterbloke Photo)

(Greg Goebel Photo)

(NMNA Photo)

(Rob Bixby Photos)

Vought SB2U-2 Vindicator (BuNo. 1383).

(SDASM Archives Photo)

Vought Chesapeake I.

France had placed an order for a further 50 V-156-Fs in March 1940, with delivery planned from March 1941. Following the defeat of France, this order was taken over by the British government for use by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, who named the aircraft the Chesapeake.[20] The British required several modifications to the Chesapeake, including the additional fuel tank fitted to the SB2U-3,[20] additional armor and heavier forward firing armament, with four rifle caliber machine guns replacing the single forward-firing Darne machine gun of the French aircraft. Fourteen Chesapeakes were used to equip a reformed 811 Naval Air Squadron on 14 July 1941 at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. The squadron, whose crews referred to the aircraft as the "cheesecake", intended to use them for anti-submarine patrols, and they were earmarked for the escort carrier HMS Archer. By the end of October that year, it had been decided that the Chesapeakes were underpowered for the planned duties and would not be able to lift a useful payload from the small escort carriers. Accordingly, they were withdrawn from 811 Squadron in November 1941 for use as training aircraft and the unit was re-equipped with the biplane Fairey Swordfish. (Wikipedia)

(IWM Photo, A 15139)

Two Wrens checking the equipment in a Vought-Sikorsky Chesapeake on its arrival at Royal Naval Air Station Stretton, Lancashire. WRNS are now doing maintenance work at the aerodromes where Fleet Air Arm planes are overhauled. They check over planes when they arrive or leave to ensure that each one has its correct equipment, do gunnery maintenance and photographic work. The Chesapeake was a British version of the Vought-Sikorsky Vindicator.