SBD Dauntless - Missing Parts! | Military Aviation Museum

Overview:

As is evident from recent posts, the team at Pioneer Aero Ltd. in Ardmore, New Zealand is making excellent progress with the restoration of our Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless. That being said, there are a few complex items which the project either needs to acquire or begin to refabricate sometime soon to keep the project on track. This is where our wider audience may be able to help locate some of the following parts. While we have already contacted the most likely sources...

If you can help, please contact us via the email address linked HERE

An illustration showing a complete example of the SBD's main landing gear assembly.

Main Gear:

While the Museum’s Dauntless (B-22) came with a set of main undercarriage, and a donor airframe also provided a set, most of the major components proved too badly corroded for reuse unfortunately. This includes the two Shock Struts (see images below) manufactured by the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company as part No. 8132. As is evident, the external components are too damaged to reuse. Although some of the inner components are salvageable, complete sets would be preferable so that everything is guaranteed to match up.

One of the damaged shock struts from our SBD's main landing gear. This assembly, part number 8132, was a product of the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

Another image of the shock strut - heavy corrosion pitting being quite evident. Manufactured by the Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company as part number 8132, we need two of these for our SBD. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

An image showing the upper body section for one of the SBD's undercarriage shock struts after bead blasting. Corrosion pitting is significant over much of its surface, rendering this part beyond airworthy repair. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

We also require the primary component for the lefthand Torque Tube which connects the port Shock Strut to the Wing Center Section. Like the Shock Strut, these complex devices were also manufactured by Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company (Part No. 8133-92L). We do have a serviceable righthand example, but duplicates are still of interest since they may provide useable components for either torque tube. We can fabricate any of the smaller missing components which attach to the torque tube, of course, but complete examples would be preferable to keep the restoration’s originality content as high as possible.

An illustration of the SBD's landing gear torque tube assembly.

An image of the torque tube (Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company Part No. 8133-92L) for the lefthand main undercarriage leg prior to bead blasting. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

An image of the torque tube (Cleveland Pneumatic Tool Company Part No. 8133-92L) for the lefthand main undercarriage leg following bead blasting. Heavy corrosion pitting is in abundance, rendering this part unsalvageable for airworthy use. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

The mechanism which raises and lowers the main undercarriage involves a Jack Shaft. While we do have an adequate example from the righthand side, the primary component from our lefthand assembly (Douglas Part No.4057883) is too corroded for airworthy refurbishment—as the images below reveal. We could, of course, refabricate this component, but would prefer to obtain an original example. Rebuildable assemblies (from either side) remain of interest, since their acquisition might reduce the number of small parts we need to have remanufactured.

An illustration depicting the SBD's landing gear jack shaft assembly.

A view of the lefthand landing gear jack shaft (Douglas Part No.4057883) following bead blasting. While this view appears to show minimal damage, there are several areas of significant visible corrosion on the reverse side. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

Another view of the jack shaft, which reveals the excessive corrosion present which prevented this part from being reused. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

Tail Wheel Tire:

The project has a refurbishable tail gear strut and wheel hub, but we are looking for a replacement, smooth contour 12.5” tire with the correct, rounded profile. As the image of our non-airworthy tire example below reveals, a square tire would not be appropriate, as it would rub against the gear leg.

A view of the SBD's tail gear assembly showing the rounded profile required of the tire. While both the gear leg and the wheel hub are reusable, the smooth contour 12.5" tire needs replacing. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

A view of the SBD's tail wheel showing the wheel hub, which is refurbishable, and the tire - which is not. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

A closeup of the specifications for the SBD tail wheel tire, which needs replacing. (image via Pioneer Aero Ltd.)

Fuel Tank Sender Unit:

To keep an accurate track of the amount of fuel remaining in the Dauntless, each of its fuel tanks has a float-type gauge mounted within it. The float, attached to a pivot arm, is designed to sit level with fuel in the tank. The pivot arm itself is connected to a transducer which essentially converts angular position into a representative electrical current which is then sent to the fuel gauge in the cockpit. When calibrated and functioning properly, the fuel gauge will translate the received electrical current into the appropriate needle position on the fuel gauge dial so that the aircrew will know how much fuel the tank contains. These devices are often referred to as ‘sender units’, and the restoration team needs two of them. Presently, Pioneer Aero has no examples on hand to demonstrate their appearance. However, the image below from page 309 of the SBD Illustrated Parts Manual should help describe it sufficiently. The item in question, highlighted in yellow, bears the Douglas part number 8TJ-17ABH.

An illustration of the SBD's Fuel Tank Sender Unit - highlighted in yellow.

Hydraulic Dive Flap Sequencing Valve:

The Dauntless, as most readers will know, has a complex set of dive flaps which deploy differently depending upon the desired action involved. For instance, the lower flaps can lower independently during normal landing operations. However, during dive bombing operations, the top set of flaps extend in partnership with the lower set. To control the sequence of flap operations, the pilot employs a type-specific hydraulic valve located in the cockpit— and this is the component which the restoration team is searching for. Unfortunately, the project does not even possess a damaged example to visually describe what is needed at present, but the image below, taken from page 241 of the SBD Illustrated Parts Manual should help identify it. The item in question, highlighted in yellow, bears Douglas part number 4192812.

An illustration of the SBD's flap sequencer valve - highlighted in yellow - which is located on the pilot's lefthand control console in the cockpit.

Oil Cooler Scoop Control Assembly:

This geared assembly adjusts the entry door position for the oil cooler air scoop. It therefore plays a critical role in adjusting the level of air flow through the oil cooler to help regulate engine oil temperature. No examples are on hand with the project, but the image below from page 529 of the SBD Illustrated Parts Manual, should provide an idea of what it looks like. The item in question, highlighted in yellow, bears the Douglas part number 4191092.

An illustration of the SBD's Oil Cool Scoop Control assembly which the project needs to source.

How You Can Help:

While we have already contacted the most logical sources for obtaining the parts listed in this article, it is always possible that someone reading this may have a direct line to some, or even all of the components we are looking for. We would be most grateful to hear from you if this is the case.