Military Aviation Museum Acquires an SBD-5 Dauntless
Military Aviation Museum Acquires an SBD-5 Dauntless
While the painted squadron codes may have flaked away a little since Bu.36175's recovery from Lake Michigan in 1994, the exterior paint is in remarkably well-preserved condition! The Dauntless, which arrived at MAM in mid-February 2021, will soon undergo a restoration back to flying condition. (image via MAM)
In mid-February, the Military Aviation Museum (MAM) in Pungo, Virginia took delivery of a Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless project which will soon begin a full, airworthy restoration. However, prior to commencing her rebuild, the MAM is placing their historic naval dive-bomber on display in a temporary exhibit which they presently expect to run from noon today through 5pm March 31st. These days, most major rebuilds are presented publicly only as the completed article, so it is a rare treat for the aviation history enthusiast to get a beforehand look! Museum visitors will see the original patina of this long-forgotten artifact prior to any restoration taking place, from the original paintwork, to simple details like wartime boot-scrapes in her paint and the dents resulting from her January 1944 crash into Lake Michigan.