Vought SB2U Vindicator

The Vought SB2U Vindicator was the United States Navy’s first carrier‑based dive bomber to enter service in the late 1930s. Developed by the Vought aircraft company as a successor to the SBU Corsair, the SB2U first flew on 30 June 1935 and was formally accepted by the Navy in 1937. Its all‑metal, low‑wing monoplane design featured a retractable undercarriage, enclosed cockpit and a powerful Wright R-1535 Twin Wasp radial engine delivering 700 horsepower, which gave the aircraft a top speed of about 255 mph and a service ceiling of 26,000 feet. The Vindicator could carry up to 1,000 lb of bombs beneath the wing and was equipped with a forward‑firing .30‑caliber machine gun plus a rear flexible gun for defensive fire. Although quickly outclassed by newer models such as the Douglas SBD Dauntless, the Vindicator saw combat in the early Pacific War, notably during the Battle of Midway where a handful of units performed reconnaissance and limited attack missions. Its operational experience helped shape carrier dive‑bombing tactics and informed the design of later, more capable aircraft, marking the Vindicator as an important transitional step in U.S. naval aviation history.

Vought

Vought SB2U Vindicator

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Design & Classification