Name this Plane

[Mistress]

Found this photo of my dad after he passed away, it was taken when he worked for Sperry Rand. This morning I had a converstion with a retired Marine Fighter pilot who said it might be a Curtis Wright proto type for a Hell Diver. It's not a P-40, or 3SB2C Hell Diver. Thanks for any and all help.

[TheDon]

or possibly a civilian converted war plane..

[jlomon]

Looks like an SBD Dauntless dive bomber.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless

[Chris Bell]

A Douglas SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber, Converted to civilian use.
Just a guess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless

[Graplr]

Funny how two people came up with the exact same thing and same link at the same time. Looks like you may have your answer...

And, what a great picture! It looks like it is from a movie.

[Fulcrum525]

Originally Posted by Chris Bell

A Douglas SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber, Converted to civilian use.
Just a guess
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBD_Dauntless

I went over some photos and I think you hit the nail on the head. I can't think of any other plane from that time that has flaps that look like that. And that pole on the left in front of the cockpit (Maybe its for a sensor of somesort?)

[jlomon]

Originally Posted by Fulcrum525

And that pole on the left in front of the cockpit (Maybe its for a sensor of somesort?)

Radio mast - connected the radio wire to the vertical stabilizer on the tail.

[Fulcrum525]

Originally Posted by jlomon

Radio mast - connected the radio wire to the vertical stabilizer on the tail.

Ah yes there is a wire running from that to the tail. Good to know

[Mistress]

You guys are awesome- thanks so much! I'll have more tomorrow....

[The Clk Man]

De Plane De Plane?

[Hatterasguy]

Looks like a civilian SBD.

Those flaps with holes in them (forget the name) I think those are dive brakes.

I'm sure one of the forums pilot's can explain how those work better.

[jlomon]

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Looks like a civilian SBD.

Those flaps with holes in them (forget the name) I think those are dive brakes.

I'm sure one of the forums pilot's can explain how those work better.

The holes minimize the air-resistance to slow down the aircraft in a dive without stalling out completely. Did you see the movie Dazed & Confused? You know how the seniors drilled holes through the paddles they made? It is the same principle in reducing air resistance allowing for more energy to be converted into motion.

[Mistress]

Originally Posted by jlomon

The holes minimize the air-resistance to slow down the aircraft in a dive without stalling out completely. Did you see the movie Dazed & Confused? You know how the seniors drilled holes through the paddles they made? It is the same principle in reducing air resistance allowing for more energy to be converted into motion.

Jlomon- are there some sort of slats that come down over the holes and convert to flaps?

[jlomon]

Originally Posted by Mistress

Jlomon- are there some sort of slats that come down over the holes and convert to flaps?

Ok, I'm going from memory here but as far as I remember the control surface is split, almost like a clamshell. The top layer looks like the cheese grater - it has the holes that allow airflow and the bottom layer has no holes. The top layer will rise up when deployed and act as the dive brake. The whole assembly can be deployed at a downward angle to act as a flap. I think from an engineering perspective it is much easier to have the device split in half than it is to have slats that open and close - simpler to operate and less weight/complexity.

[Hatterasguy]

I'm going off my memory from building models when I was little, but I think thats how they work, their split.