Restoration

An image of the Museum’s Dauntless during its recovery in September 1994. Note the severely crushed wing leading edges. (image via A&T Recovery) Center Section Wing Leading Edges: Back in…

A view of the SBD’s wing center section from December 2023 showing the skin panel between Spar Web Nos.2 & 3 still in place. This is the panel assembly immediately…

The fin’s leading edge, primer painted and riveted together, is trial-fitted to the fuselage to ensure its proper alignment . (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.) Fin Reassembly Continues: SBD Update…

An interior view of the SBD’s “anti-drag cowling” assembly as depicted in Section 15, page 6 of the U.S. Army Air Corps Airplane Parts Catalog for the A-24 Banshee (a…

An image from the SBD’s Illustrated Parts Manual showing the internal, trailing-edge structure for the SBD’s wing center section. The flap bay is at the far left, showing the rear…

An image from the SBD’s Illustrated Parts Manual which shows the right side of the aircraft’s lower fuselage. The wing root fairings include the skin panels 3/4, 29/30, 7/8 and…

A wartime image of a Douglas SBD Dauntless with its dive flaps deployed while dropping its weapon circa 1942. (image via Wikimedia) SBD Dive Flaps: One of the SBD’s defining…

Back in late 2022, during the period where Pioneer Aero awaited the arrival of our SBD’s fuselage, the restoration team made good use of its time by working on items…

Lower wing skin subassembly (part #5090536) during the process of separating it into its component parts. The seemingly random grayish freckling in the skin’s white paint indicates areas of corrosion…

The engine on its assembly stand during its rebuild. Note the installation of the distributor (with ignition leads), crank case ventilator air cleaner and the engine oil filter (grey cylinder).…