Our Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver was accepted by the United States Navy on 6 June 1945. She was assigned Navy Bureau Number 83589 and delivered the next day, 7 June 1945, to San Diego, CA, where she underwent some minor updates and repairs, and, by July, was en route to Roi-Namur in the Marshall Islands, where she was classified as CASU(F)-20 (Combat Aircraft Service Unit Forward Deployed). While her wartime service was not well documented, we know more about her timeline after the end of WWII.
30 Sep 1945: Released from CASU(F)-20 (Combat Aircraft Service Unit Forward Deployed). Assigned to NAB 825 (Naval Amphibious Base) on Roi in the Marshall Islands.
Oct-Nov 1945: Assigned to the pool of available aircraft with CASU(F) 35 (Combat Aircraft Service Unit Forward Deployed), Eniwetok.
Jan-Feb 1946: CASU 32 (Carrier Aircraft Service Unit), Hawaii (Kahului).
Mar 1946: Assigned to the pool of available aircraft with CASU 1 at Pearl Harbor.
Apr-Oct 1946: Assigned to VB-5 (Bombing Squadron 5) at Barber’s Point, Hawaii.
Nov-Dec 1946: Assigned to VA-5A (Attack Squadron 5) in Hawaii. Note: VB-5 was redesignated as VA-5A on 15 Nov 1946.
Jan-Feb 1947: Assigned to the pool of available aircraft at NAS Alameda in California. Note: VA-5A deployed on the USS Shangri-La (CV-38) with CVG-5 (Carrier Air Group) from Mar-Jun 1947. This Helldiver barely missed this deployment.
Mar-Jul 1947: Assigned to the pool of available aircraft at NAS San Diego.
1 Aug 1947: Aircraft Overhauled.
Aug 1947: Assigned to the pool of available aircraft at NAS Glenview.
Sep 1947- Aug 1948: Assigned to NART (Naval Air Reserve Training) at NAS Glenview.
31 May 1949: Stricken from Service
Civilian Life:
14 Oct 1949: Donated to the Helena School of Aeronautics in Montana.
29 May 1963: Purchased by Ed Maloney for The Air Museum in Claremont, CA. Registered to The Air Museum with the FAA registration number N92879. Still in its last military paint scheme: NAS Glenview. Tail code : VA. Fuselage number: 103
19 Oct 1963: Sold to Robert L. Griffin of San Antonio, TX by Ed Maloney, President of The Air Museum.
17 Nov 1971: Registered to Robert L. Griffin.
24 Nov 1971: After maintenance led by Bruno Genarlsky, the first test flight was by Gerald Martin at Chino, CA, 30 minutes in duration.
25 Nov 1971: Ferry Flight of one hour and thirty minutes duration from Chino, CA, to Phoenix, AZ, by Gerald Martin.
26 Nov 1971: Ferry flight of two hours and thirty minutes duration from Phoenix, AZ, to Hereford, TX, by Gerald Martin.
20 Dec 1971: Donated by Robert L. Griffin to the Confederate Air Force in Harlingen, TX.
22 Dec 1971: Registered to the CAF in Harlingen, TX.
5 Jan 1972: Ferry Flight by Gerald Martin, Hereford, TX to Harlingen, TX.
1972: Painted in markings and colors of an SB2C-3 from VB-80 (Bombing Squadron 80) from the USS Hancock CV-19 and USS Ticonderoga CV-14.
1982: Engine failure after takeoff resulted in an off-field belly landing. Severe damage was done to the airplane, primarily to the fuselage. The airplane was transported to Ezell Aviation in Breckenridge, TX, for total restoration. Most of the fundraising was done by the West Texas Wing of the CAF.
1988: Repainted in markings and colors of a Helldiver squadron flying off the USS Franklin, CV-13, in honor of the late West Texas Wing Leader Jake Miller, who served on the Franklin during WWII. Major sponsors of the Helldiver restoration were Bob and Doris Richeson of Graham, Texas. The family operated 32 Dairy Queen restaurants at the time, hence the “32” on the airplane.
27 Sep 1988: First flight by Nelson Ezell after a five-year restoration by Ezell Aviation in Breckenridge, TX.
Dec 1988: SB2C Helldiver officially assigned to the West Texas Wing of the CAF.
14 Aug 1991: Transferred and Registered to the CAF to the American Airpower Heritage Flying Museum.