Douglas XSB2D-1 & BTD-1 Destroyer

Bob Kowalski continues the saga of the Bomber Torpedo (BT) program and the similar Scout Bomber (SB) program with the obscure story of the Douglas XSB2D-1 and BTD-1 "Destroyer". The story started in Naval Fighters Number Twenty-Four, Martin AM-1/-1Q Mauler. It is our intention to cover all the other unique and interesting aircraft fostered by these programs in future issues of Naval Fighters. These include the Kaiser-Fleetwings XBTK-1, Curtis-Wright XBTC-2 and XBT2C-1, and the Douglas XTB2D-1 "Sky Pirate".
This book would not have been possible without the generous support of Harry Gann and Douglas Aircraft Division from which most material for this book was obtained.
Anyone having photos or other information on this, or any other naval or marine aircraft, may submit them for possible inclusion in future issues. Any material submitted will become the property of NAVAL FIGHTERS unless prior arrangement is made. Individuals are responsible for securi-
ty clearance of any material before submission.
The United States was still at peace when the Navy issued a requirement for a design to serve with the fleet as both a successor to the SBD, which would be nearing obso-
lescence, and as a possible replace­ment for the SB2C, which was under­going what can charitably be called a prolonged preoperational develop­ment period. To meet this require­ment, two prototypes of the XSB2D-1 (BuNos 03551 and 03552) were ordered by the Navy on 30 June 1941. Other aircraft manufacturers also were involved in meeting these requirements: Curtiss was awarded a contract for two prototype XSB3C-1 airplanes (BuNos 03743 and 03744) and the Brewster Aeronautical Corporation had a similar naval scout bomber, their Design Project P-37.