Can anyone help me please…? Just bought the 1/72 Special Hobby/MPM kit of this rather ungainny but interesting aircraft, this for the Pearl Hrbor Group Build, but I can not find exact details of color schemes of particular aircraft based at Pearl Harbor in '41… The kit comes with decals for Yorktown and Saratoga based planes. My reference tells me that 18 Vindicators were attached to VMSB-231, 1 attached to VMJ-252 and 7 to VMSB-231, all part of the USMC if I’m not mistaken…
Also, what are the differences between the SB2U-2 and -3…?
The - 3 was a foot longer than the -2, the horizontal stabilizers were slightly longer, and the trim tabs were a diffrent shape all around. The carb intake scoop on the right side of the cowl was also larger on the -3.
Colors for Marines at Pearl would have matched the SBD-1s, which I believe was overall light gray with white MODEX codes. All the photos I have of Vindicators at Pearl indicate a charcoal black finish, with not much fabric or sheet metal left, lots of smoke and blazing fire.
Checked out the data in Monogram Pubs U.S. Navy/Marine Corps markings and colors reference.
The Pearl vindicators would have been finished in ANA 602 light grey. There is no FS number for this color. However, 602 was later merged to ANA 620 light
gull grey, FS number 36440. Light grey was the bottom camoflage color in the
two tone scheme which was prevelant during the early war year(s). The only recorded combat use of the Vindicator in U.S. service occurred at Midway .
Six -3’s of VMSB-241 along with SBD’s attacked the Japanese heavy cruisers
Mikuma and Mogami, the SB2 squadron commander crashing his stricken and burning aircraft into the Mikuma’s aft turret. The Mikuma was sunk the following day by dive bombers (SBD’s) from Enterprise and Hornet.
Hope this helps.
P.S. I enjoyed the “black” humor! Dark charcoal grey, indeed!
Just some nice-to-know info for you: if the squadron designation has an “M” in it (i.e. VMSB-xx, or VMF-xxx, or VMFA-xxx, etc.), it means Marine. For example, VMSB would equate to V=Heavier than air (although it now means “fixed wing”) M=Marine S=Scout B=Bomber Alternatively, VSB would indicate a Navy squadron, as it has no “M” in the designator.