Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA2210 Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver White 80 of VB-85 USS Shangri-La, 1945

1/72 scale pre-finished.

Die-cast metal with a minimum of plastic.

Professionally painted.

All markings pad applied for superb results.

Interchangeable canopies.

Crew figures.

Comes with display stand.

Landing gear can be displayed up or down.

Comes with missiles.

Photo-etched dive brakes.

Extremely sought after by collectors.

The SB2C Helldiver was commonly referred to as “The Beast” because of its size and rather poor handling characteristics. Even with new variants and upgrades the Helldiver never received the credit and respect it deserved. The most produced variant was the “4” with the SB2C-4E equipped with an AN/APS-4 radar pod mounted under the starboard wing for air search. It flew faster and further than the Avenger, except for range it beat the SBD in every category. Its cruising speed was only 2 mph slower than the famous Hellcat.

Bombing Squadron 85, VB-85, operated from the USS Shangri-La between April and September 1945. The white lightning bolt on the tail and white numbers on the tail and engine cowling made these aircraft one of the most recognizable in 1945. Air Group 85’s first operation took place at Okinawa and then moved to attacks on the Japanese mainland. President F. D. Roosevelt commented that the departing Doolittle B-25’s from the USS Hornet looked like they took off from the mythical Shangri-La and this how CV-38 received its name.

Specifications for the Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver First flight - 18/12/1940 Crew - 2 X Pilot and Radio Operator/Gunner

Dimensions Length - 36.7ft (11.18m) Wingspan - 49.7ft (15.16m) Height - 13.2ft (4.01m)

Performance Engine - 1 X Wright R-2600-2- Cyclone / 1900hp (1,417kW) Speed - Cruise / 158mph (254km/h) (137kts) Maximum Speed - 295mph (475km/h) (256kts) Rate Of Climb - 1,800ft/min (548m/min) Service Ceiling - 29,100ft (8,869m) Range - 1,165miles (1,876km)

Weight Empty - 1,057lbs (7535kg) Maximum Take Off - 16,616lbs (7,537kg)

Armament 2 X 20mm fixed wing cannon or 4 X 0.50 caliber fixed wing machine guns 2 X 0.30 caliber rear cockpit machine guns or 1 X 0.50 caliber flexible rear cockpit machine gun Bomb Load- 1 X torpedo or 1,000 pounds of bombs in the bay or 4 X depth charges Also capable of carry an additional 1,000 pounds of bombs or 8 X 5inch rockets under the wings.