The Douglas BTD Destroyer is an American dive/torpedo bomber developed for the United States Navy during World War II. A small number had been delivered before the end of the war, but none saw combat.
On 20 June 1941, the United States Navy placed an order with the Douglas Aircraft Company for two prototypes of a new two-seat dive bomber to replace both the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the new Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, designated XSB2D-1.[1] The resulting aircraft, designed by a team led by Ed Heinemann, was a large single-engined mid-winged monoplane. It had a laminar flowgull-wing, and unusually for a carrier-based aircraft of the time, a tricycle undercarriage. It was fitted with a bomb bay and underwing racks for up to 4,200 lb (1,900 kg) of bombs or one torpedo (typically the Mark 13), while defensive armament consisted of two wing-mounted 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon and two remote-controlled turrets, each with two .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns.[2]
The prototype first flew on 8 April 1943, demonstrating good performance, being faster than the Dauntless and capable of carrying more bombload, but it was heavier and more complex.[3] The U.S. Navy had made a request for a new torpedo bomber developed from the XSB2D-1. Douglas reworked the XSB2D-1 by removing the turrets and second crewman, while adding more fuel and armor, while wing racks could carry not just one but two torpedoes, producing the BTD-1 Destroyer. The orders for the SB2D-1 were converted to the BTD-1, with the first BTD-1 flying on 5 March 1944.[4] The BTD-1 was heavier than the XS2BD-1 and had poorer performance. Ed Heinemann asked for cancelling of the BTD-1.[5]
Operational historyedit
Crash of XSB2D-1 in a Sunnyvale prune orchard, 10 January 1946.
The first production BTD-1s were completed in June 1944. By the time Japan surrendered in August 1945, only 28 aircraft had been delivered, and production was cancelled due to performance, along with other aircraft types that had been designed from the start as single-seaters, such as the Martin AM Mauler.[6] None saw combat. In any event, Heinemann and his team were already working on developing the single-seat BT2D that became the Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
One of the two XSB2Ds was destroyed in a crash on 10 January 1946.[7]
Variantsedit
The single-seat BTD-1The XBTD-2
XSB2D-1
Prototype two seat torpedo/dive bomber. Two built.
SB2D-1
Proposed production version of XSB2D-1. 358 ordered, but order converted to BTD-1 before any completed
BTD-1
Single seat variant. 26 built.
XBTD-2
Prototypes with mixed propulsion, the additional Westinghouse 19Bturbojet in rear fuselage giving 1,500 lbf (6.7 kN) thrust did not sufficiently improve performance. First flight May 1944. Two built.
^Kowalski, Bob; Ginter, Steve (1995). Douglas XSB2D-1 & BTD-1 Destroyer. Naval Fighters Number Thirty. Simi Valley, California: Ginter Books. ISBN978-0942612301.
^"The Crash of the XSB2D-1". Check-Six.com. Retrieved 3 April 2023.
^"BTD Destroyer/4959" 2014-08-12 at the Wayback MachineWings of Eagles Museum Retrieved: 24 July 2014.
^"BTD-1 Destroyer". Collection: Aircraft. Museum of Flight. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
^Doss, Blake (24 January 2016). "Museum restoring WWII warplane". Rome News-Tribune. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
^Bridgman, Leonard, ed. (1947). Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co. pp. 222c–223c.
^"Douglas BTD Destroyer". Dave's Warbirds. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
Bibliographyedit
Donald, David; Lake, Jon (1996). Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. London: AIRtime Publishing. ISBN978-1880588246.
Francillon, René J. (1979). McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Vol. I. London: Putnam. ISBN978-0370000503.
Kowalski, Bob; Ginter, Steve (1995). Douglas XSB2D-1 & BTD-1 Destroyer. Naval Fighters Number Thirty. Simi Valley, California: Ginter Books. ISBN978-0942612301.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas BTD Destroyer.
[1] 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine A link to the official USN BuAer ACP (Airplane Characteristics and Performance) sheet from USN archives on the Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer.
douglas, destroyer, american, dive, torpedo, bomber, developed, united, states, navy, during, world, small, number, been, delivered, before, none, combat, destroyer, xsb2d, 1943, role, dive, bomber, manufacturer, douglas, aircraft, corporation, first, flight, . The Douglas BTD Destroyer is an American dive torpedo bomber developed for the United States Navy during World War II A small number had been delivered before the end of the war but none saw combat BTD Destroyer The XSB2D 1 in 1943 Role Dive bomber Manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Corporation First flight 8 April 1943 Introduction 1944 Retired 1945 Primary user United States Navy Number built 30 Contents 1 Development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Surviving aircraft 6 Specifications BTD 1 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Notes 8 2 Bibliography 9 External linksDevelopment edit nbsp Douglas BTD 1 Destroyer with folded wings On 20 June 1941 the United States Navy placed an order with the Douglas Aircraft Company for two prototypes of a new two seat dive bomber to replace both the Douglas SBD Dauntless and the new Curtiss SB2C Helldiver designated XSB2D 1 1 The resulting aircraft designed by a team led by Ed Heinemann was a large single engined mid winged monoplane It had a laminar flow gull wing and unusually for a carrier based aircraft of the time a tricycle undercarriage It was fitted with a bomb bay and underwing racks for up to 4 200 lb 1 900 kg of bombs or one torpedo typically the Mark 13 while defensive armament consisted of two wing mounted 20 mm 0 79 in cannon and two remote controlled turrets each with two 50 in 12 7 mm machine guns 2 The prototype first flew on 8 April 1943 demonstrating good performance being faster than the Dauntless and capable of carrying more bombload but it was heavier and more complex 3 The U S Navy had made a request for a new torpedo bomber developed from the XSB2D 1 Douglas reworked the XSB2D 1 by removing the turrets and second crewman while adding more fuel and armor while wing racks could carry not just one but two torpedoes producing the BTD 1 Destroyer The orders for the SB2D 1 were converted to the BTD 1 with the first BTD 1 flying on 5 March 1944 4 The BTD 1 was heavier than the XS2BD 1 and had poorer performance Ed Heinemann asked for cancelling of the BTD 1 5 Operational history edit nbsp Crash of XSB2D 1 in a Sunnyvale prune orchard 10 January 1946 The first production BTD 1s were completed in June 1944 By the time Japan surrendered in August 1945 only 28 aircraft had been delivered and production was cancelled due to performance along with other aircraft types that had been designed from the start as single seaters such as the Martin AM Mauler 6 None saw combat In any event Heinemann and his team were already working on developing the single seat BT2D that became the Douglas A 1 Skyraider One of the two XSB2Ds was destroyed in a crash on 10 January 1946 7 Variants edit nbsp The single seat BTD 1 nbsp The XBTD 2 XSB2D 1 Prototype two seat torpedo dive bomber Two built SB2D 1 Proposed production version of XSB2D 1 358 ordered but order converted to BTD 1 before any completed BTD 1 Single seat variant 26 built XBTD 2 Prototypes with mixed propulsion the additional Westinghouse 19B turbojet in rear fuselage giving 1 500 lbf 6 7 kN thrust did not sufficiently improve performance First flight May 1944 Two built Operators edit nbsp United States United States NavySurviving aircraft edit nbsp Destroyer 4959 at Richard B Russell Airport 2017 BTD 1 Destroyer Bureau Number 04959 was under restoration for display at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center Elmira Corning Regional Airport Elmira New York 8 This aircraft had long been in the Florence Air amp Missile Museum collection until the museum s closing in 1997 In September 2015 the aircraft was relocated to the Hixson Flight Museum in Rome Georgia where it is undergoing restoration 9 10 Specifications BTD 1 edit nbsp 3 view line drawing of the Douglas XSB2D 1 Destroyer nbsp 3 view line drawing of the Douglas BTD Destroyer Data from Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 11 Dave s Warbirds Douglas BTD Destroyer 12 General characteristicsCrew 1 Length 38 ft 7 in 11 77 m Wingspan 48 ft 0 in 14 64 m Height 16 ft 7 in 5 05 m over airscrew one blade vertical Wing area 373 sq ft 34 7 m2 Empty weight 12 900 lb 5 851 kg Gross weight 18 140 lb 8 228 kg Max takeoff weight 19 000 lb 8 618 kg Powerplant 1 Wright R 3350 14 Cyclone 18 18 cyl two row air cooled radial piston engine 2 300 hp 1 700 kW Propellers 4 bladed constant speed propeller Performance Maximum speed 344 mph 554 km h 299 kn Cruise speed 188 mph 303 km h 163 kn Range 1 480 mi 2 380 km 1 290 nmi Ferry range 2 140 mi 3 440 km 1 860 nmi Service ceiling 23 600 ft 7 200 m Rate of climb 1 650 ft min 8 4 m s Wing loading 48 6 lb sq ft 237 kg m2 Power mass 0 12658 lb hp 0 2066 kg kW Armament Guns 2 20 mm 0 787 in AN M2 cannon with 200 rpg Bombs Up to 3 200 lb 1 500 kg of bombs in the bomb bay or two 1 947 lb 883 kg TorpedoesSee also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Douglas XTB2D Skypirate Blackburn Firebrand BTM Mauler Curtiss XSB3C Aichi B7A Ryusei Related lists List of aircraft of World War II List of United States Navy aircraft designations pre 1962 References editNotes edit Kowalski Bob Ginter Steve 1995 Douglas XSB2D 1 amp BTD 1 Destroyer Naval Fighters Number Thirty Simi Valley California Ginter Books ISBN 978 0942612301 Francillon 1979 p 366 Yenne Bill 1989 World s Worst Aircraft Greenwich Connecticut Brompton Books ISBN 0 88029 490 6 Francillon 1979 pp 367 368 Yenne 1989 p 90 Francillon 1979 p 369 The Crash of the XSB2D 1 Check Six com Retrieved 3 April 2023 BTD Destroyer 4959 Archived 2014 08 12 at the Wayback Machine Wings of Eagles Museum Retrieved 24 July 2014 BTD 1 Destroyer Collection Aircraft Museum of Flight Retrieved 31 December 2020 Doss Blake 24 January 2016 Museum restoring WWII warplane Rome News Tribune Retrieved 1 February 2023 Bridgman Leonard ed 1947 Jane s all the World s Aircraft 1947 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co pp 222c 223c Douglas BTD Destroyer Dave s Warbirds Retrieved 7 December 2017 Bibliography edit Donald David Lake Jon 1996 Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft London AIRtime Publishing ISBN 978 1880588246 Francillon Rene J 1979 McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 Vol I London Putnam ISBN 978 0370000503 Kowalski Bob Ginter Steve 1995 Douglas XSB2D 1 amp BTD 1 Destroyer Naval Fighters Number Thirty Simi Valley California Ginter Books ISBN 978 0942612301 Yenne Bill 1989 World s Worst Aircraft Greenwich Connecticut Brompton Books ISBN 0 88029 490 6 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas BTD Destroyer 1 Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback Machine A link to the official USN BuAer ACP Airplane Characteristics and Performance sheet from USN archives on the Douglas BTD 1 Destroyer 2 A three view plan of the BTD 1 Destroyer Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Douglas BTD Destroyer amp oldid 1222320810, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
