Oct 14, 2024

The Sinking of a Super Battleship - "The Attack on Yamato" SB2C Helldiver Relic Art

This fine art print by artist Craig Tinder captures the pivotal moment during the attack on Yamato, in which SB2C Helldivers of VB-83, from the USS Essex, participated in the sinking of one of the world's largest Super Battleships. What makes this piece truly special is the inclusion of the iconic red outboard divebrake from Helldiver BuNo. 83393. This art piece was created in partnership with Fagen Fighters of Granite Falls, Minnesota, who supplied the Helldiver divebrake from aircraft 83393. Not only has this aircraft been restored back to flying condition, but she is also painted in the livery of VB-83.

This artwork is an officially licensed product of the U.S. Department of the Navy.

Artist Craig Tinder with SB2C-5 Helldiver BuNo. 83393 divebrake fragment and artwork at Aces In Action - Orlando, Florida

Details About the RELIC

This fragment of aluminum is a rare relic from the portside, lower dive brake of a Curtiss SB2C-5 Helldiver, Bureau Number 83393. The dive brake, painted in its distinctive red, was critical in controlling the steep, precision bombing dives that made the Helldiver a formidable weapon during World War II.

Built in 1945, SB2C-5 Helldiver 83393 served briefly with the U.S. Navy before it was lost in a crash during a forced landing on July 24, 1945. The wreckage was recovered by the National Air and Space Museum in 1993 and used as a source of parts for other restoration projects. In 2006, the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Minnesota acquired the remaining pieces of 83393 and began an extensive restoration.

SB2C-5 Helldiver BuNo 83393 Port Outboard Dive Brake removed during 2022 restoration

Upclose detail of divebrake. This original part was used as a template in the fabrication of new divebrakes

By 2024, the aircraft was fully restored and became only the second airworthy Helldiver in existence. It was painted in the livery of Bombing Squadron 83 (VB-83), a unit that played a significant role in the April 1945 attack on the Japanese battleship Yamato.

Much of the original red paint is still intact

The Story Behind the Print

7 April 1945 - The U.S. Navy launched its final major air assault on the Imperial Japanese Navy’s super battleship Yamato. Escorted by a light cruiser and destroyers, Yamato embarked on a desperate mission to breach Allied defenses and beach itself on Okinawa to serve as an unsinkable artillery platform. However, the powerful Task Force 38, comprising 386 aircraft, including squadrons of SB2C Helldivers, intercepted the Japanese force. Aircraft from the USS Essex, including Bombing Squadron 83 (VB-83), were tasked with striking Yamato directly, facing intense anti-aircraft fire as they nosed into their deadly dives.

Japanese Super Battleship - Yamato

Flying through low clouds and reduced visibility, VB-83 coordinated their attack with precision. Diving from altitudes as low as 6,000 feet, the Helldivers released their armor-piercing bombs from steep 65 to 80-degree angles, delivering a crippling blow to Yamato. VB-83 alone reported four direct hits, contributing to the devastation of the battleship's deck and superstructure, and significantly damaging her defensive capabilities. Despite the fearsome barrage from Yamato’s anti-aircraft guns, including the iconic 18-inch turrets, the Helldivers pressed their attack, enduring losses as they helped weaken the ship's defenses for subsequent torpedo strikes.

SB2C Helldiver making attack run on Japanese fleet - 1945

By the end of the assault, Yamato had sustained fatal damage, including multiple bomb and torpedo hits, leading to her capsizing and sinking. The Imperial Japanese Navy's last formidable symbol of naval power was destroyed, marking a critical turning point in the Pacific theater. This heroic mission saw the loss of seven Helldivers, but their contribution was instrumental in sinking the largest battleship ever constructed, a decisive moment in the final months of World War II.