SBW-5 Helldiver

The SBW‑5 Helldiver was the Canadian‑built, license‑produced version of the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive‑bomber, rolled out by Canadian Car and Foundry (CC&F) between 1942 and 1944. CC&F received the manufacturing rights as part of a wartime agreement that allowed the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force to field a proven carrier‑based attack aircraft without relying on overseas shipments. A total of 200 airframes were assembled at the company's Montreal plant, each incorporating the distinctive split‑flap dive brakes, rugged all‑metal construction, and a Wright R-1820 Cyclone radial engine delivering 1,200 hp.

Key features included a 12‑mm forward‑firing machine gun, twin rear defensive guns, and a bomb bay capable of carrying a 500‑lb bomb or a 1,000‑lb bomb under the fuselage—making it effective against both naval targets and ground installations. The SBW‑5’s robust airframe endured the high‑G stresses of steep dive attacks, while its relatively simple maintenance requirements suited the limited infrastructure of early Canadian carrier groups.

Although the Helldiver entered service just as the Pacific war was winding down, its production demonstrated Canada’s capacity to manufacture sophisticated combat aircraft and cemented CC&F’s reputation as a premier wartime aerospace contractor, laying the groundwork for post‑war aircraft development in the country.