SBD "Dauntless" dive bombers from USS Hornet (CV-8) approaching the burning Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma to make the third set of attacks on her, during the early afternoon of 6 June 1942. Mikuma had been hit earlier by strikes from Hornet and USS Enterprise (CV-6), leaving her dead in the water and fatally damaged. Photo was enlarged from a 16mm color motion picture film. Note bombs hung beneath these planes. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, National Archives Collection.
The SBD (scout bomber Douglas) was the most significant aircraft of the Pacific War as it was responsible for the sinking of six Japanese aircraft carriers and 60% of the Japanese ships sunk by aircraft. 5,936 of these dive bombers were built by Douglas from 1940 to 1944 (950 specifically for the Army Air Corp). You can listen to the Patriots Point podcast on the SBD by clicking here...[audio https://www.patriotspoint.org/news-and-events/wp-content/uploads/2009/1…]
SBD on the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point.