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US Navy · Carrier Dive Bomber · Midway · Guadalcanal · Coral Sea

Douglas SBD Dauntless

SBD-2 / SBD-3 / SBD-4 / SBD-5 · US Navy, USMC and Allied routes · 1940–1945
USAAF / USN route with unit, theatre and markings context

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the US Navy’s decisive early-war carrier dive bomber, famous for its role at Midway and its hard service at Coral Sea, Guadalcanal and the Solomons. For modellers it means perforated dive brakes, two-seat cockpit, rear gun, centreline bomb crutch, carrier deck wear, Blue-Gray over Light Gray, tri-colour camouflage, US stars, salt fading, oil streaking and Pacific operational grime.

2
Crew
R-1820
Radial
Midway
Iconic role
USN
Carrier bomber

What paints do I need?

Generate a practical starter paint list for this Douglas SBD Dauntless build, with common brand equivalents.

Scheme basis: USAAF / US Navy. Treat these as modelling equivalents rather than laboratory-perfect matches; always check your chosen aircraft, theatre and date.
ColourUseTamiyaVallejoAKMr Hobby
Olive Drab / Sea BlueMain upper colour depending on USAAF or US Navy subjectXF-62 / XF-1771.043 / 71.300AK RC023 / RC258H52 / H54
Neutral Grey / Intermediate BlueUndersides or naval mid-toneXF-53 / XF-1871.051 / 71.299AK RC024 / RC256H53 / H56
Interior Green / Bronze GreenCockpit and internal structuresXF-5 + yellow mix71.137AK RC230H58/H302
Insignia White / BlackMarkings, invasion stripes and walkwaysXF-2 / XF-6971.001 / 71.057AK RC004 / RC022H1 / H12
Natural Metal / AluminiumNMF aircraft, chipping and landing gearLP-1177.701AK Xtreme Metal AluminiumSM201
Zinc Chromate / Yellow GreenWheel wells and internal areas where appropriateXF-471.094AK RC262H329
Exhaust/rubber/weatheringExhaust, tyres, gun staining and oil streaksXF-1/XF-64/XF-85Black/Brown/RubberAK weathering coloursH12/H47

SBD Dauntless operations · 1940–1945

The SBD Dauntless was one of the most important naval aircraft of the Pacific War. It helped turn the tide at Midway, served from carriers and island bases, and remained valued for accuracy, ruggedness and reliability. A good SBD build starts with the exact route: pre-war yellow-wing, Blue-Gray Coral Sea/Midway aircraft, Guadalcanal Marine SBD, tri-colour SBD-5, Atlantic/Allied route, or survivor reference subject.

2Crew
R-1820Radial
SBD-3/5Core variants
USNDive bomber
Douglas SBD Dauntless real reference
Real SBD photo route: check variant, perforated dive brakes, bomb crutch, rear gun, carrier/unit markings, camouflage and Pacific weathering before paint.

Role & strengths

  • US Navy and Marine Corps carrier/land-based dive bomber and scout bomber
  • Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, Solomons, Atlantic and Allied routes
  • Two-seat cockpit, rear gun, perforated dive brakes, centreline bomb crutch and R-1820 radial
  • Blue-Gray over Light Gray, tri-colour camouflage, later Sea Blue and national marking changes
  • Carrier deck wear, salt fading, exhaust/oil staining, dive-brake wear and island-base grime

Key theatres

  • Coral Sea and Midway carrier routes
  • Guadalcanal / Cactus Air Force Marine route
  • Solomons and Pacific island-base routes
  • Atlantic/Allied and survivor-reference routes

Specification SBD-5

Crew2Length33 ft 1 inWingspan41 ft 6 inMax speedc.255 mphPowerplant1× Wright R-1820 radialArmamentForward guns, rear guns and centreline/wing bomb load

Survivor/reference today

SBD Dauntless survivor/reference image

SBD survivors are excellent references for cockpit, dive brakes, bomb crutch, gear bays and radial cowling, but always verify restored markings against wartime aircraft.

View references

Timeline highlights

Build this SBD as…

Pick the campaign and variant first. Midway SBD-3, Guadalcanal Marine SBD, tri-colour SBD-5 and survivor routes all need different markings and weathering.

Aircraft identity

★USN
SBDDauntless
DBDive brakes
R1820Radial
VBCarrier unit
USMCIsland base
Variant warning

SBD-2, -3, -4 and -5 aircraft differ. Check cowling, prop, guns, antennae, markings and dive-brake details before committing.

Marking warning

US national markings changed during the war. Midway, Guadalcanal and tri-colour aircraft should not share the same insignia style.

Paint scheme cards

MidwayBlue-Gray over Light Gray

Coral Sea/Midway route with faded Blue-Gray and early national markings.

USMCIsland-base weathering

Guadalcanal route with dust, coral grime, fuel stains and rough maintenance.

SBD-5Tri-colour Navy scheme

Later Pacific route with upper Sea Blue, Intermediate Blue and white undersides.

CombatDive-brake and bomb wear

Weather dive-brake interiors, bomb crutch, cowling, exhausts and wing roots separately.

Campaign cards

Midway

Iconic SBD-3 route with carrier markings, early insignia and decisive battle context.

Guadalcanal

USMC island-base route with coral dust, fuel stains and rough operating wear.

Tri-colour Pacific

SBD-5 route with later camouflage, updated national markings and carrier/Marine use.

Survivor/reference

Museum route for dive brakes, cockpit, cowling and bomb-crutch detail checks.

Build difficulty and related guides

Overall difficulty

Medium-high. Dive brakes, cockpit, rear gun and bomb crutch need careful planning.

Marking difficulty

High. Campaign-specific insignia and unit codes must match the date.

Weathering difficulty

High. Blue-Gray fading, island dust and dive-brake wear need restraint.

Paint codesUSN Blue-Gray, Light Gray, tri-colour scheme and national markingsTechniquePerforated dive brakes, carrier deck wear, island dust and radial exhaustArticleSBD Dauntless kits, Midway markings and weathering guide

SBD Dauntless squadrons and carrier units

Sortable SBD cards covering Midway, Coral Sea, Guadalcanal, Solomons, tri-colour SBD-5 and survivor/reference routes.

Route:Sort:

SBD Dauntless operating map

Variant selector

Airfield info

Click a marker to show linked SBD unit cards and modelling notes.

Campaign timeline

Survivors

Books and reference sources

SBD Dauntless build guide

Kit choice wizard

SBD Dauntless videos, photos and archive material

Media replaces the old separate walkaround tab: cockpit, exhaust, undercarriage, markings, survivor references, archive imagery and video cards are grouped here.