On August 20th, 2026 Fagen Fighters WWII Museum SB2C-5 Helldiver joined the CAF SB2C-5 Helldiver and the National Museum of WWII Aviation SB2C-1A Helldiver for a formation flight over Colorado Springs, Colorado. This marked the first formation flight in decades for the world’s only remaining airworthy Helldivers.
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a U.S. Navy carrier-based dive bomber developed during World War II to replace the Douglas SBD Dauntless. Larger, faster, and more heavily armed than its predecessor, it carried a two-man crew, internal bomb bay, wing-mounted 20 mm cannon, and could deliver bombs, rockets, or depth charges against ships and land targets. Although early production aircraft were troubled by handling, reliability, and structural problems—earning unflattering nicknames from many crews—the Helldiver was steadily improved and became an important late-war strike aircraft, serving in major Pacific operations from 1943 through 1945 and remaining in postwar service with several foreign air arms.
Today, Fagan Fighters WWII Museum released a new film produced by Scott and Kyle Guyette capturing the once-in-a-lifetime event. Check it out below.
Continue reading New Video Documents Recent Formation Flight of World’s Only Airworthy Helldivers
