Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" BuNo 4690,Scale 1/32 HA0205

Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" BuNo 4690, flown by Lt(jg) Stanley W. Vejtasa and Radioman Frank B. Wood USS Yorktown (CV 5), 8 May 1942 Scale 1/32 HA0205 Premium Collection 1/32 Scale airplanes Limited Edition only 300 world-wide Features Comes with metal stand Movable rear gun Working dive brakes, rudder & ailerons Rotating metal propeller Optional transparent engine cowling Sliding canopy Retractable undercarriage Rolling wheels Movable centerline bomb rack Crew figures L - 12.4 in (315mm) W - 15.75 in (400mm) H - 4.8 in (122mm) Weight - 1.98 lb (900g) Designed as a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, various versions of the Dauntless served during the war with the US Marine Corps, Army and Navy. The Douglas was the only plane to fight in every major Pacific engagement. The SBD-3, sarcastically nicknamed “Speedy Three”, entered service in March 1941 with production ending in July 1944, by which time a total of 5,936 had been built in all versions. On May 8, 1942 in retaliation for a U.S. task force attack on the Japanese carriers Shokaku and Zuikaku, aircraft from these two carriers attacked the USS Lexington and USS Yorktown. As part of the U.S. defense eight SBD-3 scouting crews from VS-5 on board USS Yorktown were assigned to low-level anti-torpedo patrol. During the encounter 4 of the SBD-3’s were shot down by Zeros with the loss of these crews. However, SBD-3 BuNo.4690 “Black S-10” piloted by Lt(jg) S. Vejtasa and Radioman/Gunner 3rd Class F. B. Wood was flown so aggressively that the Zeros never had a straight clean shot at them. In turn “Black S-10” was credited with 3 destroyed and Vejtasa was awarded the Navy Cross and would earn a second one at Santa Cruz in October 1942.