The Curtiss SBC Helldiver was intended to accompany the Devastator in the U.S. Navy's coordinated strike system. Its development followed a 1931 requirement that initially specified fixed undercarriage for a high-performance naval aircraft. The Navy later sought a monoplane dive-bomber prototype before accepting the biplane SBC, which entered service in 1938. French and British services also used examples, the RAF calling its aircraft Cleveland. Carrier robustness, aerodynamic performance, and confidence in retractable gear were still being reconciled when the SBC entered service.
Chapter · 2:12:10-2:15:00
Curtiss SBC Helldiver and the retractable-undercarriage debate
The SBC Helldiver emerged while the U.S. Navy and Curtiss debated whether high-performance carrier aircraft could safely use retractable landing gear.