Vought SB2U Vindicator – carrier-based dive bomber designed for the US Navy by Vought in the 30s. SB2U was the first American monoplane of this type. At the outbreak of World War II it was already outdated design.
In 1934, the US Navy announced a competition for new scout bomber aircraft, mono and biplane, which answered six aircraft companies. The company Vought submitted designs in both categories (second project was the Vought XSB3U). The competition stood the aircraft Brewster XSBA-1, Curtiss XSBC-3, Great Lakes XB2G-1, Grumman XSBF-1 and Northrop XBT-1, except for airplanes Grumman and the Great Lakes to the production came all the other planes.
Vindicators served by four aircraft carriers of the US Navy – USS “Lexington” USS “Saratoga” USS “Ranger” and the USS “Wasp” from December 1937 to September 1942. Air Group 9 trained in Vindicators aboard the escort carrier USS Charger CVE-30.
Two squadrons belonging to the Marines were equipped with aircraft of this type from March 1941 to September 1943. VMSB-241 squadron took part in the Battle of Midway.
The French version, the V-156-F, was based on a model SB2U-2 and is equipped with a French instrumentation. Aircraft were delivered in July 1939 and conducted the tests on the French aircraft carrier “Béarn”, but after the war it was decided that this old ship is too slow and two units equipped with these planes escadrilles AB 1 and AB 3 were transferred to the land.AB 1 took part in the fighting in northern France, where he suffered very heavy losses, AB 3 fought against Italian forces.
British Fleet Air Arm, purchased 50 aircraft of this type in June 1941 (serials AL908 – AL957). 14 Chesapeakes were used to equip a reformed 811 Squadron FAA on 14 July 1941. In the nomenclature British aircraft were given the name of “Chesapeake,” and was popularly known as “cheesecake). Initially it was assumed that “cheesecakes” will be used to patrol against submarines and 811 Squadron will be stationed on an escort carrier HMS “Archer”. After the first rehearsals in October it was decided that these aircraft have too little power to be able to soar with a relatively small escort aircraft carrier deck, fully armed and they were replaced by English Fairey Swordfish.
Bibliography:
- Thomas Doll: SB2U Vindicator in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications, Aircraft Number 122, 1992
- Dana Bell: Aircraft Pictorial 2 – SB2U Vindicator
- R. Johnson: United States Naval Aviation, 1919-1941: Aircraft, Airships and Ships Between the Wars
- Peter C. Smith: Dive Bomber!: Aircraft, Technology, and Tactics in World War II; Stackpole Military History Series, 2008
- Barrett Tillman, Robert L. Lawson: U.S. Navy Dive and Torpedo Bombers of WW II
- John P Condon: U.S. Marine Corps Aviation, 2012
- R. Johnson: American Attack Aircraft Since 1926
- Craig L. Symonds: The Battle of Midway
- Jonathan Parshall, Anthony Tully: Shattered Sword – The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
- Mark Stille, Howard Gerrard: Midway 1942 – Turning point in the Pacific; Osprey Campaign