Nicknames: Barge, Slow But Deadly, Speedy D 

This aircraft was in storage at NMNA Pensacola until it was transported to San Diego. Prior to that, it had been submerged in Lake Michigan, most likely the victim of a training accident during WW II. Bu. No. 1612 is the 17th production SBD. Read additional information about this aircraft's history and restoration. To learn how aircraft ended up on the bottom of Lake Michigan and their recovery from the lake many years later, click here and here. Read a Naval Aviation News article about another early Dauntless, Bu. No. 2106. The images of this article were provided by Troy Prince, www.midwaysailor.com. A PRELIMINARY ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION OF DOUGLAS SBD-2 DAUNTLESS BuNo 2106, MIDWAY MADNESS by Richard K. Wills documents the history of another Dauntless recovered from Lake Michigan. Click here to download this pdf document. (Requires Adobe Reader.) 
This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of Naval Aviation. |