SBC-3 Helldiver

[N3Njeff]

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

[M-14]

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]

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]

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]

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

[Steve Nelson]

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]

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

[mustangdriver]

So where did Peter jackson's replicas go?

[Steve Nelson]

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]

what airport was it at in minnesota?

[hang the expense]

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]

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]

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

[N3Njeff]

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]

Oops! Teacher always told me I should pay more attention Sorry!