原址：https://live.warthunder.com/post/1115194/en/
This Dauntless holds a very special place in my heart.
I got to fly in her, thanks to Gaijin, War Thunder and the many great players who purchase the game's chests and keys...
The Dauntless was one of the few aircraft types used by the RNZAF during WWII, so that fact alone makes them special to Kiwi pilots.
This particular SDB-5 is one of only two left flying in the world (of nearly 3000 built).
So when I learned that the Commemorative Air Force was bringing her to AirVenture Oshkosh this year, I used the money I'd made from my marketplace skins to book a sortie.
This Dauntless holds a very special place in my heart.
I got to fly in her, thanks to Gaijin, War Thunder and the many great players who purchase the game's chests and keys...
The Dauntless was one of the few aircraft types used by the RNZAF during WWII, so that fact alone makes them special to Kiwi pilots.
This particular SDB-5 is one of only two left flying in the world (of nearly 3000 built).
So when I learned that the Commemorative Air Force was bringing her to AirVenture Oshkosh this year, I used the money I'd made from my marketplace skins to book a sortie.
It was a FANTASTIC experience (the Dauntless is my Mustang; my Spitfire) and I loved every second. Even when the rear canopy rolled back on take-off and hit me in the head! Didn't stop grinning for about a week.
And it was only possible because of the generous Revenue Share Program instituted by Gaijin, and those players lucky enough to able to afford to buy the odd chest/key every so often. Can't tell you how much this experience meant to me.
Aircraft notes:
For a long time this aircraft was believed to have been a Douglas A-24 Banshee (the Army equivalent of the Dauntless), but after years of research the owners discovered that through some strange numbering anomoly, both the Banshee and the Dauntless production lines produced an airframe with the identical BurNo. The Banshee's records was eventually unearthed to reveal that it had been lost during the war. Speed-D is an actual SBD-5 Dauntless.
She was delivered to the USN in April 1944, and spent time in Los Angeles, Baltimore and NAS Norfolk. She was transfered to the War Assets Administration in 1947, before being sold to a Skywriting company.
Between 1951 and 1966 she racked up thousands of hours doing photo-reconnaissance work in Mexico for Oil and electricity companies.
In 1966 she was sold to a Museum for $1600 where she stayed until sold to an early Confederate Air Force donor in 1971. It was this owner who christened her "Speedy D"
In 1975, the Dauntless finally made its way aboard an aircraft carrier, participating in the retirement ceremonies for Admiral Ralph W. Cousins, Commanding Officer of theAtlantic Fleet on board the USS Nimitz. The Dauntless, sporting a new paint job in thecolors of Adm. Cousins, was hoisted upon the flight deck next to the Navy’s newest
F-14 Tomcat fighter, which at the time was just entering the fleet.
Admiral Cousins, credited with a hit on the Japanese Carrier Shoho during the Battle of the Coral Sea，
was reportedly very pleased and surprised that “Speedy D” was aboard for the ceremony.
In the late 70’s and 80’s, “Speedy D” soldiered on, but never having been properly restored, it was becoming the Hangar Queen of Harlingen, Texas, the CAF’s Headquarters. A decision was made by General Staff of the CAF to assign the Dauntless to a unit that could completely restore the airplane to pristine condition.
In 1991, “Speedy D” was assigned to the Dixie Wing of the then Confederate Air Force, (now the Commemorative Air Force) to undergo an extensive multi year restoration. The Dixie Wing’s restoration team spent many years restoring the Dauntless to a condition that would make the workers at original El Segundo assembly plant proud.
On a cold February morning in 1999 “Speedy D” took to the air for the first time in almost a decade. The Dauntless
actually lived up to it’s nickname, quickly outrunning the T6 “chase” plane that was assisting with the maiden flight.
“Speedy D” has been to hundreds of airshows in the almost 20 years since its restoration and continues to fly to honor the memory of those members of the “Greatest Generation” that designed her, built her, and took her into battle.
The current color scheme of Speedy D was in use at the time of the Battle of the Marianas, or "The Marianas Turkey Shoot." It is authentic right down to the smallest details, even though this airframe never saw active service.
She flies to roughly 20 airshows per year throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States.
Hope you have as much fun with her in the game as I had in my flight in July.
Kia kaha!
And it was only possible because of the generous Revenue Share Program instituted by Gaijin, and those players lucky enough to able to afford to buy the odd chest/key every so often. Can't tell you how much this experience meant to me.
Aircraft notes:
For a long time this aircraft was believed to have been a Douglas A-24 Banshee (the Army equivalent of the Dauntless), but after years of research the owners discovered that through some strange numbering anomoly, both the Banshee and the Dauntless production lines produced an airframe with the identical BurNo. The Banshee's records was eventually unearthed to reveal that it had been lost during the war. Speed-D is an actual SBD-5 Dauntless.
She was delivered to the USN in April 1944, and spent time in Los Angeles, Baltimore and NAS Norfolk. She was transfered to the War Assets Administration in 1947, before being sold to a Skywriting company.
Between 1951 and 1966 she racked up thousands of hours doing photo-reconnaissance work in Mexico for Oil and electricity companies.
In 1966 she was sold to a Museum for $1600 where she stayed until sold to an early Confederate Air Force donor in 1971. It was this owner who christened her "Speedy D"
In 1975, the Dauntless finally made its way aboard an aircraft carrier, participating in the retirement ceremonies for Admiral Ralph W. Cousins, Commanding Officer of theAtlantic Fleet on board the USS Nimitz. The Dauntless, sporting a new paint job in thecolors of Adm. Cousins, was hoisted upon the flight deck next to the Navy’s newest
F-14 Tomcat fighter, which at the time was just entering the fleet.
Admiral Cousins, credited with a hit on the Japanese Carrier Shoho during the Battle of the Coral Sea，
was reportedly very pleased and surprised that “Speedy D” was aboard for the ceremony.
In the late 70’s and 80’s, “Speedy D” soldiered on, but never having been properly restored, it was becoming the Hangar Queen of Harlingen, Texas, the CAF’s Headquarters. A decision was made by General Staff of the CAF to assign the Dauntless to a unit that could completely restore the airplane to pristine condition.
In 1991, “Speedy D” was assigned to the Dixie Wing of the then Confederate Air Force, (now the Commemorative Air Force) to undergo an extensive multi year restoration. The Dixie Wing’s restoration team spent many years restoring the Dauntless to a condition that would make the workers at original El Segundo assembly plant proud.
On a cold February morning in 1999 “Speedy D” took to the air for the first time in almost a decade. The Dauntless
actually lived up to it’s nickname, quickly outrunning the T6 “chase” plane that was assisting with the maiden flight.
“Speedy D” has been to hundreds of airshows in the almost 20 years since its restoration and continues to fly to honor the memory of those members of the “Greatest Generation” that designed her, built her, and took her into battle.
The current color scheme of Speedy D was in use at the time of the Battle of the Marianas, or "The Marianas Turkey Shoot." It is authentic right down to the smallest details, even though this airframe never saw active service.
She flies to roughly 20 airshows per year throughout the Southeast and Midwest United States.
Hope you have as much fun with her in the game as I had in my flight in July.
Kia kaha!
