Vought SB2U Vindicator – Fotos e Vídeo

O Vought SB2U Vindicator foi um bombardeiro de mergulho americano baseado em porta-aviões desenvolvido para a Marinha dos Estados Unidos na década de 1930, o primeiro monoplano neste papel. Obsoleto no início da Segunda Guerra Mundial, Vindicators ainda permanecia em serviço na época da Batalha de Midway, mas em 1943, todos haviam sido retirados para unidades de treinamento. Era conhecido como o Chesapeake no serviço da Marinha Real.

Fonte: Vought SB2U Vindicator na Wikipédia

The Vought SB2U Vindicator was a carrier-based dive bomber developed for the United States Navy in the 1930s. It was the first monoplane of its type to enter service with the Navy, and was also used by the Marine Corps and the French Navy. The Vindicator had a distinctive gull-wing design and a fixed spatted undercarriage. It was powered by a single Pratt & Whitney R-1535 radial engine that drove a two-bladed propeller. The Vindicator had a crew of two: a pilot and a rear gunner/radio operator. The Vindicator could carry a single 1,000-pound bomb under the fuselage, or four 100-pound bombs under the wings. The Vindicator was armed with two forward-firing 0.30-inch machine guns in the nose and one flexible 0.30-inch machine gun in the rear cockpit.
The Vindicator first flew in 1936 and entered service in 1937. It saw combat during the early stages of World War II, participating in the Battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal Campaign, and the Attack on Pearl Harbor. However, by 1942, the Vindicator was obsolete and outclassed by newer Japanese fighters and bombers. It was replaced by the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver. The Vindicator was retired from service in 1943. A total of 170 Vindicators were built, of which 58 were exported to France. The Vindicator was nicknamed “Wind Indicator” by its crews due to its poor performance and handling.