I’ll second that about the rear gun position having been upgraded to twin 30s. Soon after the TBD squadron reached Midway, they borrowed the extra guns from the SBD squadron in addition to re-marking their aircraft.
Gary
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That’s an interesting bit of history! I’d love to know how people are handling the conversion from the single rear gun to the twin-gun configuration on their models. Is there an aftermarket option available, or is this something that requires a little scratchbuilding?
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Eduard does a nice one
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For everyone who is considering about building a Japanese aircraft, like me when I finished the TBD-1, a short excurse into the sea based marking system.
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For those that have a vindicator or sbd-2 that they want to build.
The land-based Dauntlesses belonged to Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241), nicknamed the “Sons of Satan,” and actually flew a mix of 16 older SBD-2 and 11 obsolete Vought SB2U-3 Vindicator dive bombers rather than the newer SBD-3s.
Most notable is “SBD-2 Dauntless Bureau Number 2106”.
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Haven’t found a 1/48th scale twin 30 for any TBDs that only have the single gun (yet), but here’s a 1/32nd scale that you can use to scratch up something if you need too.
Gary
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The Eduard set 648712 …
… is designed for the SBD-5, I am sure it fits to the TBD-1 and SBD-3 as well.
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Well, that’s good to hear, because I just bought one! Apparently, I got the last one Sprue Brothers had in stock. I figured with this group build coming up, I’d better grab it before somebody else did. 
I’ll be building the Accurate Miniatures 1/48 SBD-3, and I found a build review where someone used this exact Eduard set on the same kit, so at least we know it’s been done successfully.
The one thing I’m still investigating is whether the ammunition feed and mounting arrangement are correct for a Midway-era SBD-3. But I’m perfectly willing to make a few modifications if necessary.
For $15.54, I figured it was worth taking the chance!
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i am prety sure the ammo can and feed shoot remained the same though out the series.
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Our posts were almost simulanious - you were 1/10 second faster 
Luckily for me the GWH TBD-1 kit provides the twin oob.
Regarding the SBD ammunition feed etc …
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I have the 2019 movie “The Battle of Midway” playing on my laptop sitting on my desk while painting-n-building my 1/48 SBD-3 Kit.
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good night ya’ll, time to eat a small dinner and get ready for bed.
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Sorry to bother you all, but does anyone have any information or reference material on the exact number and locations of the .50 cal machine guns aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Midway? From the sources I’ve checked, it seems she hadn’t completely replaced all of them with 20mm Oerlikons by Midway and still retained some .50 cals, but I really haven’t been able to find any more specific details.
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I did a little digging on this, and what I can say with some confidence is that Enterprise was in the middle of transitioning from .50-caliber machine guns to 20 mm Oerlikons before Midway.
There are early-1942 photos showing .50s still aboard, but the published armament listings by April 1942 show the ship carrying 20 mm Oerlikons instead of the .50s.
What I have not been able to find is a solid June 1942 source that proves whether any .50s were still aboard at Midway, or exactly where they would have been mounted if they were.
So at this point, I’d say the evidence leans toward the 20 mm conversion being largely complete by Midway, but I would not claim that with absolute certainty unless somebody turns up a dated photo, alteration drawing, or other primary source from that exact period.
And honestly, I think this is one of those cases where the spirit of the law matters more than absolute exactness. If there simply isn’t a definitive reference showing every last detail for June 1942, I think a little informed artistic license is perfectly reasonable.
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That MG mount should work on both the TBD and the SBD, for those that need to correct the rear MG position.
SAM: The twin mount .030 weapons found on the SBD-3, were belt fed from a large ammo bin located on the gunner’s rear bulkhead. The single weapon was fed through ammo cans, ALSO stored along that same rear bulkhead.
I do NOT know if Marine SBD-2’s were converted over to the twin .030’s or still had the single mount. I suspect the later.
SB2U-3’s sported the single weapon.
Cheers
Freddie
TBD’s of both VT-8 and VT-6, had both been converted over to the twin .030 mount via field modification. I still have not found anything confirming VT-3 had also converted, and were still carrying the single weapon. I’m still looking but I have not found anything concrete on VT-3.
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Well done, ancoron!
Cheers
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A real treasure trove of information on the aerial recognition stripes carried on Japanese aircraft throughout the early Pacific War. This was the system in place at the time of the Midway battle.
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I think we’re in good shape then. The Eduard twin-gun set I bought appears to include the guns, mount and feed-related parts, so it looks like we already have everything we need for the SBD-3 rear gun setup.
Thanks for helping me sort through it!
I have this information from Squadon series Aircraft in Action, #1097, the TBD Devastator issue. No idea about the accuracy, but usually they are.
I also found a photo quoted 6-T-3 prior to the Midway launch - definitely with the single gun.
Interesting, the battle is well documented, at least from the American side, but there are still unanswered questions!
Anyway, I made the final decision about my entries for this Group Build. The TBD will be done in the markings of VT-8 squadron leader Lt.Cdr. John C. Waldron. Additional I am building along the Trumpeter 1/700 USS Hornet CV-8.
Next I am building the Eduard 1/48 A6M2 Zero. I have the Zero Zero Zero boxing, which includes the markings of Lt.Cdr. Shigeru Itaya, leader of the Akagi air group. He led his fighters against the VT-8 Devastators - Itaya and a large number of his pilots were later fished out of the water alive by the escorting destroyers. Along I am building the Hasegawa 1/700 Akagi.
A quite ambitious plan, I know
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