The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the US Navy's main carrier-borne scout plane and dive-bomber, and was a good match in combat against the faster, but lightly armored Japanese fighters. Able to carry a substantial bomb load, the Dauntless proved to be very effective in sinking Japanese ships, and it earned glory during the famous Battle of Midway. The SBD-5 was the definitive model of the series, with an increased ammunition capacity and a more powerful engine than its predecessors had. It was also produced in a land-based variant, the A-24 Banshee.

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless (Kirkendahl)
Lt. JG Kirkendahl flew in bombing squadron VB-16, aboard the USS Lexington, which fought in the Pacific war until 1944.