The Dauntless had two fifty caliber machine guns in the cowling firing through the propeller. Some actually shot down a few Zeroes at the battle of Coral Sea. Could carry a 500 or 1000 pound bomb and a 100 pound bomb under each wing. US carriers had wooden flight decks. I built this in high school in the early 80s. It was huge and impressive. It's long gone but I found one in an antique store a few years ago. The box and decals were bad but the plastic is still good. I have some new decals for it. I have many books on the Dauntless and this kit is basically accurate. It was a pretty simple and robust plane. No folding wings. It's really big when you put it together. I'm a naval aviation nut so I love this plane. Have several Falklands War aircraft kits too. Big fan of the FAA. You could go to town on some detailing but out of the box it's got a lot going for it and easy to assemble. Greetings from Alabama in the USA.

I've built this kit when I was 17. I remember the landing Gear was so thin it just was too weak to support the model's weight.

A very good basic kit. In the 1984 IPMS Nationals in Atlanta, 1st and 3rd in category were won by this model. One had been backdated to a -3 , the other was a -5. However, much, much detailing and scratch building was done to both, with the manual supplying the information. I believe that the -3 was done by Wayne (Jack) Horton; the -5 was by Clyde Mills. Wayne passed some years ago but the model is in another's collection, thank goodness.

I build that exact one in 1976. As a kid.

Oh yes! Had this one and can remember the pretty weak and flimsy landing gear which was barely capable of holding the aircraft`s weight. Still a great and impressive kit!

Yep, I'm down for watching. I Made it too as a kid, the color scheme with the bright red inside surface on the dive brakes looked very cool.

Great kit, back in the day. In the 1980’s, when you moved into the matchbox 1/32 scale kits you really felt you where at the top of your hobby. I made 3 of the kits in this range back then. the Dauntless of course and the spitfire and sea venom. Happy days indeed. A pity matchbox are no longer with us when less deserving kit companies from that time have managed to survive into 2022.

The one and only 1/32 Matchbox kit I could get my hands on. They did a great choice of colour on the kit. Great model.

The versions of the SBD at Midway were the -2 "Marines" land based and the -3 "Navy" carrier based. The -3 version was known as the "Speedy 3" because it was so slow!

Seeing the box brought back memories of building this kit.

Built this kit as a kid, think I picked it up in a mall toy store for under 10 bucks the 109 as well. I still have 2 in my stash 1of the 2 I need to get back to. I'd scratch built the entire cockpit before taking a break from it some yrs ago.

I'm in to watching this. As I know I made this model in my younger years with RNZAF markings. Hay I'm a Kiwi.... What do you expect LOL

me esta transmitiendo el mismo momento que pude abrir esta misma caja... hace ya muchisimos años . precioso avion ... tengo muchos en top , este es uno de mis favoritos, al igual que el avenger gracias de nuevo ! un gran saludo ! me encanta este gran canal !

Thanks, Peter.Another great memory brought back to life. Keep up the fantastic work.

Built this back in the day, 25sqn of course. Loved it. Picked one up a while back just for old times sake.

Built that kit,was fantastic too build,shake the box and it was done.

Another Great video as always.

The rear panels were the doors for the twin machine guns to be housed.

First time ive seen a review of this old kit, as the Dauntless was and still is one of my fave aircraft of WW2. Going by the instruction sheet, a lot of scatchbuilding would be needed to bring it up to current / display standards, especially in the cockpit, but there's a good base to start from anyway. The inside of the dive brakes were all painted red too. Thanks.

10/10 for me - raised panel lines in those days were common practice. Against contemporary model kits this one was tops.

good review thanks peter. If there was ever a kit screaming out for a modern release this would have to be it because of its contribution to turning the tide of the war. Cheers Stu

While looking up this kit found Trumpeter does one which appears highly rated. The kiwi cartoon is slang for "How About That" which is found in a 48th scale aftermarket set. Cheers Stu

French Air Force did use the SBDs in Southern France after the invasion in 1944...I enjoyed the chat. Thanks for your work.

Looking forward to this one Peter I've never seen this kit.

I got this kit from a store Santa back in the 80s. Wish I had saved it instead of the utter bodge job I did to it.

I build this one... about 43 years ago. Now I feel old.

first kit i ever built was the matchbox Dornier Skyservant in the early 80s so that one will always be special to me

still on my toBuy list, as the Puma, Lysander and Tiger Moth...problem is i can only find them outside the E.U. and that doubles the cost, with shipping, taxes and double-VAT daaaamn !

I think the RNZAF personal emblem is a cricket appeal .

Revell has a reissue of this kit and eduard has 2 detail sets. SBD" slow but deadly "

I think i built one of them I rember the goggles on the pilots.

7:05 Yes, the pacific war was a bundle of laughs in comparison.

They look best in RNZAF colours

Out of interest, what happened to Matchbox's moulds? I know Revell have a few but i was wondering whether any other kit manufacturer ever took hold of them as Matchbox did some interesting kits.

Hi Peter is it true that the old Matchbox kits are being released under the Revell label? Sorry If this is old news but you are making me interested in modelling again.

Matchbox were criticised back in the 70s for the oversized sunken panel lines on their 72nd scale series. Panel lines which scaled up would have been the diameter of a red bull can nearly. On this model they would have got away with it rather than raised panel lines which imo are always a disappointment

NO RAISED RIVETS???? :)

It's definitely a tailwheel, not a tailskid.