Expertly crafted in 1:87 scale, this highly detailed die-cast metal replica is designed for display and makes an outstanding addition to any aviation, military, or anime collection. Ages 14+ "One Battle Turned the Tide of War" June 4, 1942-the fate of World War II hangs in the balance as American dive bomber pilots take to the skies in their Douglas SBD Dauntless aircraft, plunging through walls of anti-aircraft fire to strike the Japanese fleet at Midway. These "Slow But Deadly" dive bombers delivered the devastating blows that sank four Japanese carriers and turned the tide of the Pacific War in a single day. This incredibly cinematic epic follows Lieutenant Dick Best and his fellow aviators as they fly these legendary aircraft against impossible odds, capturing the courage and sacrifice that changed the course of history. The film was a 20-year passion project for its director, he managed to raise the money on his own - making "Midway" one of the most expensive independent films ever made. With extensive research ensuring historical accuracy down to the smallest details, the production recreated aircraft carriers and planes from scratch on Montreal soundstages as no surviving carriers exist as they did back then. DOUGLAS SBD DAUNTLESS The Douglas SBD Dauntless was the U.S. Navy's main carrier-based scout and dive bomber from 1940-1944, and it earned every bit of its legendary status at the Battle of Midway. Nicknamed "Slow But Deadly" (derived from its SBD designation), the Dauntless featured ingenious perforated dive brakes that allowed pilots to achieve near-vertical 70-degree dives while maintaining control, releasing their 1,000-pound bombs with devastating accuracy before pulling out mere hundreds of feet above the waves. With its distinctive perforated dive flaps deployed, the Dauntless could slow from 250 mph to 120 mph in just seconds, giving pilots the precision they needed to hit moving targets the size of football fields from 10,000 feet up. At Midway, Dauntless pilots from the USS Enterprise and USS Yorktown struck the Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga, and Soryu within minutes, setting them ablaze and sealing their fate. Over 5,900 Dauntlesses were built, and they sank more enemy shipping than any other Allied bomber in the Pacific Theater-a record that earned them the respect of both American aviators and their Japanese adversaries.

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