NE0

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Trying to lay out my rivet & screw pattern on the cowl of my SBD-5 Dauntless, but can't seem to determine the rivet pattern for the top of the cowl. I've got some images which were invaluable in laying out the rivets for the sides and bottom, but I can't see what's going on with the top side of the cowl.

None of my 3 books, photos I've taken or even all the photos on the web have been able to indicate where the rivets and/or screws went on the top side of the cowl... especially in regards to the depressions for the guns. It's difficult to get top photos of the cowl from the ground, hence the lack of images. If you've got any pics of the front of an SBD, I might be able to see what pattern is heading up off of the front onto the top and extrapolate from that.

I've also tried looking for plastic scale model pics online, since they're usually pretty accurate, but no luck getting the right shot. I don't want to spend $30-40 on a plastic model just for this if I don't have to.

Any photos or advice you may have on the subject would be greatly appreciated. If you don't have any better information, I'll probably just give it my best guess.

Thanks,

Tom

psk560

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I wish you would have asked that before this weekend!! I got to crawl all around
a dauntless this weekend at the Boshear's fly in! I'm heading to the freedom festival
in November over in SC so maybe i can help you then.

Craig

Balsa Master

is there a airforce museame or anything like that where you live, maybe you could check and see if they have the plane your looking for...

Love To build

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Maybe this might help. It's of a plastic model

Bill

NE0

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Craig,

Thanks... I saw that SBD (#5 - Dixie Wing) fly here in Ohio a couple months back. Didn't realize at the time I was missing this rivet info or I would have captured it... Doh!


Auw,

No museums near me with an SBD... very few left anywhere now.


Bill,

Thanks for the plastic model kit photo, but same problem as the pics in my books... can't see the rivets from that distance.


Thanks guys,

Tom

R8893

My Feedback: (20)

Tom,
I don't know where in Ohio you live, but if the drive is not too far there is an SBD being restored in Canton. It is at the Warbird Preservation Society facility on the west side of the Akron-Canton airport. They are open to the public on Wednesday and Saturday (if I remember correctly). When I visited they were very accommodating and I was allowed up on the wing to photograph the interior. I live in Cincinnati so only get to stop in there on rare occasions.
Chuck

MajorTomski

the above bird is at

http://www.mapsairmuseum.org/dauntless.htm

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Thanks guys, that's where I went to see the Dixie Wing #5 SBD fly at this year. Great airshow! Their restoration is an SBD-3, not an SBD-5, and the cowl is a quite different on the top. May be close enough, but it's a 3+ hour drive for me. I hate to take a day off and drive 6-7 hours if I don't have to. I'll keep it in mind though.

Thanks!

Tom

RCWalker

NEO

I have a SBD-3 engine cowling drawing with rivets shown, but it is for SBD-3 instead of SBD-5 and it shows from inside of the cowling, not outside. As you said it may be close enough except the mid section. The drawing may not be good enough for you but I will get it scanned and enlarged tomorrow at my office anyway. let me know if you need it for reference, I'll mail to you then.

Wallace

NE0

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Wallace,

Anything you have is better than what I've got now. I think I can probably figure out the differences between the SBD3 and SBD5 cowl rivets. I'll send you my address, or you can e-mail it if the file's not too big.

Thanks!!!!

Tom

RCWalker

NEO,

No problem, I'll e-mail to you tomorrow first thing in the morning, it is only a small drawing and needs to be enlarged a bit.

Hope it really helps.

Wallace

NE0

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Wallace,

Awesome! I'll be on the lookout... wish me luck ;-)

Tom

RCWalker

Tom,

E-mail to you 5 minutes ago, let me know if you receive it

Good luck!!

Wallace

NE0

My Feedback: (9)

Wallace,

Got it... thanks! e-mailed you back. I've also got the guys at the Dixie Wing looking into this on their fullscale SBD5 Dauntless. Hopefully they'll be able to contribute too!

Tom