The SBD Dauntless and Zero-sen are two of the most recognizable and
iconic aircraft of World War 2 and this illustrated study describes the
fighting capabilities of both aircraft when engaged in aerial combat.
The SBD Dauntless dive-bomber was a key cog in the US Navy's aerial
arsenal throughout the Pacific War. Although a product of aviation
design in the mid to late 1930s, the type soldiered on even as more
advanced aircraft were appearing from American factories as the war
progressed. Despite its classification as a dive-bomber and rather dated
appearance, the SBD Dauntless could more than handle its own against the
feared A6M Zero-sen -- a regular opponent, especially during the first
18 months of the campaign in the Pacific. The SBD was credited with 138
victories in aerial combat (principally in 1942), 107 of which were
fighters and the rest bombers. Seven SBD units claimed five or more
aerial victories, with future ace Lt(jg) John Leppla of VS-2 being
credited with four victories while flying from the carrier USS
Lexington during the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. The Zero-sen
came to symbolize Japan's military prowess during the early stages of
the war in the Pacific, and it quickly became the world's premier
carrier-based fighter -- a title it would hold well into 1943. The
psychological impact of the Zero-sen was so great that all Allied
fighters were judged by the standards set by it. The aviators flying the
A6M in 1941-42 were amongst the most experienced fighter pilots in the
world, and they claimed a significant number of the SBDs destroyed while
trying to defend their carriers from attack during the Battles of Coral
Sea, Midway, and Santa Cruz in 1942. While one was a dive-bomber and the
other a nimble fighter, both met in combat many times, with the
Dauntless proving an elusive and deadly target thanks to the tenacity
and skill of the pilots and gunners manning the Douglas aircraft. While
the Zero-sen was credited with shooting down many SBDs, the rugged
dive-bomber gave as good as it got and emerged, not surprisingly,
victorious on many occasions.
This book examines these aircraft in detail, exploring their history and
development and contains accurate descriptions of the combats between
the SBD Dauntless and Zero-sen throughout the first four carrier battles
of 1942 and the Solomons Campaign.
