Douglas BTD Destroyer

The Douglas BTD Destroyer was an American dive and torpedo bomber developed for the United States Navy during World War II. It grew from the XSB2D-1, ordered on 20 June 1941 as two prototypes of a two-seat dive bomber to replace both the SBD Dauntless and the SB2C Helldiver, designed by a team led by Ed Heinemann as a large single-engined mid-wing aircraft. The prototype first flew on 8 April 1943, faster than the Dauntless and able to carry more bombs but heavier and more complex, and Douglas reworked it into a single-seat torpedo and dive bomber without turrets. The first production BTD-1 aircraft were completed in June 1944, but only 28 had been delivered by the time Japan surrendered in August 1945 and production was cancelled; none saw combat.