SBC-3 Helldiver

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 6:18 am

Anyone got pics of this beast of a airplane???? Do any still exist???

M-14 · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:06 am

Saw one on the ramp at an airport north of Minneapolis Minnesota the other day. Is not a flyer but destined for a museum.

Mudge · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:42 am

Didn't some movie guy make a couple of full size replicas for a movie or am I thinking of something else?

Mudge the undecided

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:23 am

Peter Jackson (who I understand is a real vintage airplane geek) had a couple of Curtiss F8C dive bombers built for his remake of "King Kong." These were open-cockpit, fixed-gear aircraft, unlike the later SBC. They're static replicas, but I understand very accurate. I read that the only major concession to authenticity was the addition of forward-firing machine guns, which the original aircraft didn't have.

A bit of trivia: Jackson's customary cameo in "Kong" was as a rear gunner in one of the planes.

SN

Jack Cook · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 8:48 am

Ya'll got to remember we could be chatting about 3 different types.
I prefer the first Helldiver.

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:16 am

Good point, Jack! Curtiss had the annoying habit of calling ALL their dive bomber designs "Helldiver."

SN

Just so we're all on the same page...

Here's one of Peter Jackson's F8C replicas..

Here's the SBC-3...

And the ubiquitous SB2C...

bilwor · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:19 am

This is a SBC-3 "Helldiver". I don't think any still exist.
bill word

mustangdriver · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:20 am

So where did Peter jackson's replicas go?

Steve Nelson · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:51 am

One is in his personal collection..I understand he's got a bunch of WWI aircraft. While searching for info I saw a metion on another forum that the other replica might be headed to NMNA in P-cola, but that may have just been idle speculation.

SN

SCOTT G · **Joined:** Thu Nov 16, 2006 10:45 am **Posts:** 27

what airport was it at in minnesota?

hang the expense · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:27 pm

The museum in Thailand has an American biplane dive bomber.I do not remember what it is.It sits next to the only intact fixed gear Hawk75 which is the Cats Meow.

lestweforget · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:37 pm

hang the expense wrote:

The museum in Thailand has an American biplane dive bomber.I do not remember what it is.It sits next to the only intact fixed gear Hawk75 which is the Cats Meow.

Yes. The Royal Thai Airforce Museum has a Helldiver http://members.tripod.com/peterlewisdesign/thaimuseum/helldiver.htm as does the Hellenic Airforce Museum http://www.haf.gr/en/history/museum/exhibition.asp

hang the expense · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:44 pm

Hey thanks for that.I didnt want to say they did if in fact they didnt have a helldiver.

N3Njeff · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:05 pm

lestweforget wrote:

hang the expense wrote:

The museum in Thailand has an American biplane dive bomber.I do not remember what it is.It sits next to the only intact fixed gear Hawk75 which is the Cats Meow.

Yes. The Royal Thai Airforce Museum has a Helldiver http://members.tripod.com/peterlewisdesign/thaimuseum/helldiver.htm as does the Hellenic Airforce Museum http://www.haf.gr/en/history/museum/exhibition.asp

Wrong Helldiver.

lestweforget · **Posted:** Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:53 pm

Oops! Teacher always told me I should pay more attention :oops:

Sorry!

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