Aviation of World War II

The Destroyer XSB2D-1 prototype was a two-seater dive bomber with good aerodynamics, an internal bomb bay and, for the first time among carrier-based aircraft, was equipped with a retractable nose landing gear. The Navy has issued new specifications for the dive bomber / torpedo bomber, and the XSB2D-1 has been modified to suit them. The vehicle became one-seater, two 20-mm cannons were installed in the wing, the bomb bay was increased, the fuel supply was increased, and brake flaps were installed on the sides of the fuselage.

According to the contract dated 08/31/1943, the company was supposed to produce 358 aircraft, which received the designation BTD-1 and retained the name Destroyer. Deliveries of the aircraft began in June 1944, but only 28 were built before the order was canceled shortly after the victory over Japan. The Destroyer's flight performance was disappointing, and these vehicles never made it to combat units.

Photo	Description
	Drawing XSB2D-1
	Drawing BTD-1

Bibliography

• "Encyclopedia of military engineering" /Aerospace Publising/
• "American warplanes of World War II" /under cor. David Donald/