The Douglas SBD Dauntless served as
the U.S. NavyÕs front line dive bomber
from the outbreak of WWII thru 1943.
DauntlessÕ proved their mettle at the battles of Coral Sea and Midway, where crews accounted for
four Japanese carriers. The plane also
saw action in support of the Marines at
Guadalcanal. Their last combat stint
was at the Battle of the Phillipine
Sea in 1944.
Originally printed by Douglas and the
U.S. Navy during WWII, this Flight
Operating Handbook taught pilots
everything they needed to know before
entering the cockpit. Classified
ÒRestrictedÓ, the manual was
recently declassified and is here
reprinted in book form. This affordable
facsimile has been slightly reformatted.
Care has been taken however to
preserve the integrity of the text.