Hobby Master 1/32 HA0210 Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless BuNo 3315, Black 16 of Scouting 71 VS-71, USS Wasp CV-7, August 1942

Designed as a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, various versions of the Dauntless served during the war with the US Marine Corps, Army and Navy. The Douglas was the only plane to fight in every major Pacific engagement. The SBD-3, sarcastically nicknamed “Speedy Three”, entered service in March 1941 with production ending in July 1944, by which time a total of 5,936 had been built in all versions.

On August 25, 1942 Douglas SBD-3 BuNo. 03315 “Black 16” from Scouting 71 aboard the USS Wasp (CV-7) was flown by two different pilots that day. The aircraft was used to down three Japanese aircraft on the 25th. During the morning flight Lt(jg) Chester V. Zalewski downed two Aichi E13A “Jake” floatplanes. In the afternoon “Black 16” was piloted by Lt. Morris R. Doughty on an anti- shipping sortie when he downed a Kawanishi H8K “Emily”. The three red stars mark the events of that day.