The product of a long and troublesome design period, the Curtiss SB2C dive bomber entered U.S. military service in 1943 under the call-sign of Helldiver. Built to replace the aging SBD Dauntless in Navy service, the Helldiver had a troublesome start, being ill-received by its flight crews and shipboard mechanics for a variety of handling and maintenance problems, but eventually its speed, large payload, and increased range won out, and the Helldiver was used successfully in a number of Pacific battles, including the sinking of the Yamato at Okinawa. The Helldiver is reconstructed here in a handcrafted mahogany model, painted to match the SB2C"s own unique tricolor paint scheme. A high degree of quality and precision make this model a must-have for any enthusiast. * U.S. dive bomber * Propeller-driven aircraft, single engine * Handcrafted, hand-painted mahogany construction * Scale: 1/32nd * Operators: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army Air Force, others worldwide * Time in operation: 1943-1959 (Italy) * World War II era * Manufacturers: Curtiss (primary), Fairchild Canada, Canadian Car & Foundry * Length: 14 inches * Wingspan: 18.5 inches