Vought SB2U Vindicator – Photos & Video

The Vought SB2U Vindicator was an American carrier-based dive bomber developed for the United States Navy in the 1930s, the first monoplane in this role. Obsolete at the outbreak of World War II, Vindicators still remained in service at the time of the Battle of Midway, but by 1943, all had been withdrawn to training units.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.

Source: Vought SB2U Vindicator on Wikipedia

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.