Trumpeter SBD-1/2 Dauntless
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A Brief History
 The
Douglas SBD Dauntless was probably the most famous US Navy bomber of the
Second World War. Even though obsolete by Pearl Harbor, its replacement,
the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, was having considerable developmental problems,
and production of the SBD continued in its various derivatives until nearly
the end of the war. The dash 1 variant was not considered combat ready
as it had no armor protection and insufficient range. The entire production
run of dash 1s were given to the US Marines.
 The
dash 2 had an increase of range, but performance suffered to the point
that one of the fuselage machine guns was usually removed. The dash 2
still did not have any armor protection. Those issues would not be corrected
until the dash 3 version of the aircraft. Both versions of the aircraft
were at Pearl Harbor and some saw action, including a number of aircraft
that were downed by friendly fire. Some of the aircraft saw action up
to the Battle of Midway, but thereafter were mostly relegated to training
units as the combat ready dash 3 had entered service.
What's in the Box
 The
Trumpeter 32nd scale SBD-1/2 Dauntless kit comes in their usual stout
box and includes 277 parts on 12 sprues, plus photo etch, a film piece
for the instrument panel and rubber tires. A number of sprues including
the dive flaps, canopy parts, the PE fret and rubber tires are packaged
in a box within the big box o' parts. An interesting feature to the kit
is that the engine cowling is molded in clear plastic, presumably to give
one a look at the rather well detailed engine. Most all details are engraved,
done finely so. (more about that later). On my example, I noticed no flash
or sinkmarks and I noticed no major ejector pin marks that will be  visible
once the model is assembled.
The cockpit details are there and will make a great representation
out of the box. One minor note though, is to remove the aft control stick
from part 19 as it was seldom used. Alternative sets of canopy sections
are provided, to give the option of closed or open canopies. They are
placed in the same bag and although mine were OK, the possibility exists
that the parts might get scratched.
 Control
surfaces are all moulded as separate units and are positionable. The dive
brakes/dive flaps are molded as such that they'll be in the open position,
so some minor trimming to the flap actuators will be needed if you want
them in any other position than open.
I found the 20 page instruction booklet a pretty straight forward affair
and appear to be easy to follow. I haven't noticed anything (yet) to make
me think I'm going to have any problems with assembly of the kit.
 Decals
are provided for either a pre-war US Marine SBD-1 or Battle of Midway
SBD-2. Unfortunately, the decals were the biggest disappointment to me.
The prewar stars are too small for the blue surround and the red center
is way too large. The US Marine type is of the 60 degree variety and not
the 45 degree variety of the era. It should say SBD-1 on the tail decal,
instead it says SBD. The stars for the SBD-2 at least have the correct
proportion and even the "painted out" red centers are of the
proper size. However, I would suggest replacing the decals with the Yellow
Wings 32nd Dauntless sheet, 32-002 for the stars, and if you want an interesting
choice of subjects, the Yellow Wings sheet 32-001, which has markings
for an SBD-2 that it carried throughout its career, a possibility of 5
different color schemes!
Picking at Nits
 Just
to be nitpicky, the Dauntless was built with raised rivets. The kit, on
the other hand, has finely engraved rivets. There has been a lot of chipping
of teeth on various boards about the rivets and most every time the exchanges
turn into some sort of flame war. If you don't like the fact that the
kit is molded with engraved details, then don't buy the kit. It's as easy
as that. Personally, I've never seen a kit with raised rivets that have
been molded to scale, anyway.
 My
other nitpick concerns the box art. It shows a VMSB 241 Dauntless diving
on what appears to be the Akagi, loaded with aircraft. Unfortunately,
a piece of fiction. The Marine pilots received their SBDs only 9 days
before the battle and had little time to get up to speed as it were. So,
their attack on the morning of June 4 was made as a glide bombing attack,
which is a much shallower dive from a much lower altitude than what the
Navy carrier pilots would deliver to Kido Butai later in the morning.
And, VMSB 241 attacked the Hiryu, not Akagi. The only planes that should
be spotted on deck were the combat air patrol Zeros, as there was no time
between the various American attacks to spot another Japanese attack mission.
And that's about it.
 The
Trumpeter kit is certainly a quantum leap over the elderly Matchbox kit.
It is an excellent effort and it will lend itself well to the out of the
box builder as well as a super detailist. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Stevens International
for providing the review sample.
Sources:
 INCREDIBLE
VICTORY, Walter Lord
A GLORIOUS PAGE IN OUR HISTORY, THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, Stan Cohen, Robert
Cressman
SHATTERED SWORD, Jon Parshall, Anthony Tully
SBD DAUNTLESS, IN DETAIL AND SCALE, Burt Kinzey
SBD DAUNTLESS IN ACTION, R. Stern
SBD DAUNTLESS, Profile Publications
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