Hobby 2000 72013 - 1:72 Douglas SBD 2/3 Dauntless

1:72 plastic model kit of the Douglas SBD-2/SBD-3 Dauntless dive bomber

Hobby 2000 72013 is a self-assembly model of the American Douglas SBD Dauntless carrier dive bomber in its early -2 and -3 versions, the variants of the first and hardest year of the Pacific war.

The kit is based on Hasegawa plastic with recessed panel lines and clean representation of the characteristic perforated dive brakes. Hobby 2000 has prepared a waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf and added self-adhesive canopy masks.

The decals cover two options: an SBD-3 of squadron VS-2 from the carrier USS Lexington (CV-2), the aircraft of LT John Leppla and ARM3 John Liska at the Battle of the Coral Sea on 7 May 1942, and an SBD-2 coded 2-B-6 (BuNo 4628) of squadron VMSB-232 at Ewa Mooring Mast Field in Hawaii on 7 December 1941.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (Hasegawa tooling)
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet printed by Cartograf for 2 marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72013
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled model length: approx. 140 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 176 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Assembly:

The Dauntless is a model with a moderate parts count and a friendly layout. The two-seat cockpit and the perforated dive brakes need the most attention – cleaning up their edges and openings noticeably improves the finished model. The interior is best painted and finished before the fuselage halves are joined, and the long canopy glazing is easiest to paint using the included self-adhesive masks.

Both options represent early US Navy finishes: aircraft from the turn of 1941 and 1942 wore light grey and blue-grey colours, clearly different from the later tri-colour naval scheme. Applying the decals over a gloss coat limits silvering, and a satin varnish suits the final finish. A subtle wash in the panel lines and inside the dive brakes builds depth of detail very effectively.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Panel wash to bring out surface detail
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal softening solution

About the aircraft – Douglas SBD Dauntless:

The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the standard dive bomber of the US Navy and US Marine Corps during the first half of the Pacific war. The design grew out of the Northrop BT-1 and was given its final form by Ed Heinemann's team after Northrop was absorbed by Douglas. Its trademark feature was the perforated dive brakes on the wing trailing edges – the drilled plates suppressed buffeting during the dive and allowed a steady, accurate attack run.

The Dauntless earned its greatest fame on 4 June 1942 at Midway, when in the space of a few minutes its crews decided the outcome of the battle by fatally damaging the Japanese carriers. Before that the aircraft had fought in the Coral Sea, and afterwards over Guadalcanal, the Solomons and subsequent landing operations. Crews valued it for its sturdiness, predictable handling and ability to absorb damage, although its modest top speed earned it the affectionate nickname "Slow But Deadly".

The versions covered by this kit are among the earliest combat variants. The SBD-2 carried increased fuel but still lacked armour and self-sealing tanks – it was aircraft of this type that the Marine Corps had on strength when the Japanese attacked Hawaii on 7 December 1941. The SBD-3 introduced cockpit armour, self-sealing fuel tanks and heavier gun armament; this variant formed the backbone of the carrier bombing squadrons at the Coral Sea and Midway.

Original aircraft specifications (Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless):

• Length: 10.09 m
• Wingspan: 12.66 m
• Height: 4.14 m
• Take-off weight: approx. 4700 kg
• Crew: 2 (pilot and rear gunner)
• Powerplant: Wright R-1820-52 Cyclone radial engine, approx. 1000 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 400 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 7800 m
• Range: approx. 1240 km
• Gun armament: 2 x 12.7 mm machine guns above the engine and 2 x 7.62 mm guns on a flexible rear mount
• Offensive load: one bomb of up to 454 kg under the fuselage and 2 x 45 kg bombs under the wings
• Production: 1940-1944, approx. 5900 aircraft of all versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that specialises in themed releases of plastic model kits. Its business model is built on cooperation with established kit manufacturers – the Hobby 2000 catalogue features plastic originating from Hasegawa, Fujimi, Dragon, Academy and Revell moulds, among others. This particular kit uses Hasegawa plastic. The added value of a Hobby 2000 release comes from newly researched decal sheets, its own assembly instructions and – in most aircraft kits – self-adhesive canopy masks included in the box as standard. The company is known for consistently choosing subjects that are poorly covered by the large manufacturers, with a particular focus on Polish and Eastern European stories. Releases are produced in limited runs, so sold-out items can be hard to find later on. For the modeller this means proven, well-developed tooling combined with carefully researched history and a generous choice of markings.