The USN SBD-5 was a carrier-based dive bomber that played a significant role in the Battle of the Philippine Sea during World War II. The battle took place on June 19-20, 1944, and was fought between the Imperial Japanese Navy and the United States Navy.
During the battle, the SBD-5 was used to attack Japanese carrier and land-based aircraft, as well as ships. The SBD-5 was armed with two .50 caliber machine guns in the nose and a single .30 caliber machine gun in the rear cockpit. It could carry up to 2,250 pounds of bombs or torpedoes and had a maximum speed of 255 miles per hour.
The SBD-5 proved to be a highly effective weapon during the battle. Its pilots, who were known as “Dauntless Men,” played a crucial role in sinking three Japanese carriers, the Taiho, Shokaku, and Hiyo. The SBD-5’s accurate bombing and diving capabilities allowed them to take out key targets such as the carrier’s flight decks, preventing the Japanese from launching their own aircraft.
Overall, the Battle of the Philippine Sea was a decisive victory for the United States Navy, largely due to the bravery and skill of pilots flying aircraft like the SBD-5.
The Academy model of the SBD-5 is well-packaged and comes with a variety of useful parts, including a photo etch fret for added detailing, a decal sheet, painting masks, and instructions. The fact that the kit is based on the Accurate Miniatures is a good sign.
The lack of flash and reasonable size and number of sprue gates makes cleanup and assembly relatively straightforward.
The Academy SBD-5 model is a very good choice for modelers looking for a well-detailed SBD kit in 1/48 of this important World War II aircraft.
I am planning to fish the model till the end Mai 2023
