Fairchild
Fairchild-Canada SBF Helldiver
The Fairchild‑Canada SBF Helldiver was the Canadian‑built version of the American Douglas SBD dive‑bomber, produced under licence by Fairchild Aircraft Ltd. from 1943 to 1945. When the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) required a modern carrier‑capable attack aircraft, Fairchild received a contract to assemble 121 examples of the SBF‑2, later upgraded to the SBF‑3 and SBF‑4 variants. The aircraft retained the iconic split‑flap dive brakes, sturdy all‑metal wing and a 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R‑2800‑18W Twin Wasp engine, delivering a top speed of 255 mph and a service ceiling of 25 000 ft. Its six .50‑caliber machine guns (two forward, four in the wing) and a 1,200‑lb bomb load made it a potent anti‑ship and ground‑attack platform. The SBF saw action primarily in the Pacific theatre, where RCAF squadron 880 flew it from HMS Indomitable and other carriers during the final campaigns against Japan. Although it entered service late in the war, the Helldiver demonstrated the adaptability of Canadian industry, contributed to Allied naval air power, and paved the way for post‑war Canadian aerospace development, influencing later Fairchild designs such as the CT‑133 trainer.
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Classification
Production & History
- Units Produced
- 300
Design & Classification
- Manufacturer
- Fairchild
- Nickname
- Helldiver
- Military Designation
- SBF
- Wikidata ID
- Q21697554