A photo from my file, the kit of parts in process.

Been a while since I constructed my TBD...but as I recall, the numbers were more like 41 launched, 3 recovered!  The Midway operation was changed from sop used at Coral Sea...with the fighters staying with the SBD's...TBD's being unprotected.

The usual torpedo attack called for a simultaneous attack on a target from two sides...nice work if you can get it.  At Coral Sea it was achieved...but with only limited success.  So for Midway it was changed to allow the SBD's to be covered by the fighters.  That all changed when Torpedo 8 from Hornet broke formation...located the Japanese task force...then went in alone.  That was the end of Torpedo 8.  It did however bring the Japanese CAP down to sea level...just in time for the SBD's to arrive and attack (with fighters).  The majority of TBD's were lost at sea without ever having encountered the enemy!  Interestingly...the brass tried to CYA by claiming the unprotected TBD attack was the original plan...an historic and heroic sacrifice...bs...even tried to discredit the TBD's!

That's what I recall off the top of my head...subject to correction.  When Torpedo 8 broke formation and turned away to locate and attack the Japanese on their own, just imagine the thoughts that went through the minds of those TBD aircrew.  "Good night, John (Waldron)."

Neal

Re Courage:
Lt Jack "Dusty" Kreiss of Enterprise Scouting Squadron 7,  S 7 attack on Kaga at Midway.
Copy of David Gray painting titled "Dauntless Courage"

Kerak wrote on Feb 12^th, 2022 at 10:06am:


I would agree that words such as "afraid", "scared" and "fearful" are not making the point. In fact, if someone was to intentionally use these terms, I would advise him to go do something else with his life. Otherwise they are likely to be a threat to themselves and others. In my time as an instructor in the USAF, on two occasions (once in F-4s and once in A-10s) I had a young pilot express his misgivings about flying. After listening to what I had to say, they both thought it over for a bit and then quit. No harm, no foul...it just wasn't to be.

Instead, I would substitute words such as "aware", "attentive", "alert", and "well informed" as to a pilot's state of mind when he releases the brakes. Murphy's out there, and contrary to popular opinion, it can happen to you.

Kittyfritters and Kerak.
Thanks for your posts on the white fin markings on the SBD for the LSO to line up the leading edge of the wing.  I noticed this in SBD photos and spent some time researching it.  I should have made time to read this forum. 
We have heavy rain and cyclone forecast so I am not going out to the garage today.
I have started thinking about printed tissue for the SBD. 
I used a photo from the Naval National Aviation Museum as a colour reference matching with the inkdropper MS PowerPoint Shape Fill method.  Richard Best (black 6) the museum SBD aircraft is in Midway Colours.  I have set up templates for the wings and tailplane and fin so far.  I have the white fin stripes set up.  I designed my own roundels and matched the roundel colours to actual colour.

Every man or woman who flew in a WW2 aircraft is a hero in my book.  The Naval Museum SBD is Richard Best.  I am likely to use the markings of Lt Jack Dusty Kleiss Scouting Squadron 6, marked as S7 as I have been reading his book and there is a photo of his SBD.

HTTPS://WWW.NAVALAVIATIONMUSEUM.ORG/THINGS-TO-DO/AIRCRAFTS-GALLERIES/
SBD-2 DAUNTLESS

Found it challenging to cement accurately together edge to edge the top and bottom keels.  After several attempts and re breaks decided to install a 1/16th balsa cockpit floor to provide the structural surety.

This was a successful approach.

The next installment on the Dauntless adventure.
Here is a photo I took on 27 June 2021 but did not attach correctly.

Modelling pins into patriotic red, white, and blue for this build.

A bit of historical detail...the angled line on the vertical stabilizer in Howard's great photo was used by the carrier landing officer (or whatever he was called) to ascertain whether or not an aircraft on approach was at the proper decent angle...to wave off or give a GO....  Certainly no one onboard the aircraft could determine that line's relationship to the horizon.  Sometimes in film or still photos one sees the LO leaning to one side or the other...attempting to get a better view of that indicator on an approaching aircraft...or so I imagine.  On aircraft later during the war that line disappears...so the Navy must have developed a different system.  The LO was generally a pilot rated in carrier landings himself.

Neal