Even before the United States entered World War II, the Navy awarded a contract to the
Douglas Aircraft Company for an advanced scout-bomber. Famed designer Ed Heinemann
incorporated a number of features new to naval aircraft in the design, including tricycle
landing gear and remote control gun turrets. In addition, a gull-wing, reminiscent of that
seen on the F4U Corsair, allowed space for an internal bomb bay. The XSB2D-1 made its first
flight on 8 April 1943, and proved faster than the fleet's newest dive-bomber, the SB2C
Helldiver. At this juncture changing requirements prompted the Navy to request conversion of
the the aircraft to a single-seat design. The subsequent BTD-1 featured a redesigned tail and
increased fuel capacity. However, it proved so far behind its competitors, all of which had
been designed from the beginning as single-seat aircraft, that it was cancelled on 8 October
1945.
The first production BTD-1s were completed in June 1944. By the time Japan surrendered in August 1945, only 28 aircraft had been delivered, and production was cancelled, with aircraft that had been designed from the start as single seaters, such as the Martin Mauler. None saw combat action. In any event, Heinemann and his team were already working on developing the single seat BT2D that became the A-1 Skyraider.

Two aircraft were provided experimentally with a mixed powerplant, a 680kg thrust Westinghouse WE-19XA turbojet being fitted in the rear fuselage and fed with air through a dorsal inlet aft of the cockpit. Thus designated XBTD-2, the aircraft were the first jet-powered machines of Douglas and the US Navy. A first flight was made in May 1945, but at speeds over 322km/h the downward-angled turbojet could not be used. The project was cancelled in late 1945.

MODEL BTD-1
ENGINE 1 x Wright R-3350-14 Cyclone 18 radial piston engine, 1715kW
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight 8618 kg 19000 lb
Empty weight 5244 kg 11561 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan 13.72 m 45 ft 0 in
Length 11.76 m 39 ft 7 in
Height 5.05 m 17 ft 7 in
Wing area 34.65 m2 372.97 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed 554 km/h 344 mph
Ceiling 7195 m 23600 ft
Range 2382 km 1480 miles
ARMAMENT 2 x 20mm cannon, one torpedo or 1450kg of bombs

Below XSB2D 2 built





Below BTD-1 26 built








Regards Duggy.

Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer Bu- 04963.In flight near NATC Patuxent River Maryland 25 July 1944.

Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer Bu- 04963 At NATC Patuxent River Maryland 26 June 1944.

Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer Bu- 04963.At NATC Patuxent River Maryland 26 June 1944.

Douglas BTD-1 Destroyer Bu- 04963. At NATC Patuxent River Maryland 26 June 1944.

Douglas BTD-1 Bu-04970At NATC Patuxent River Maryland 10 May 1946.

Douglas BTD-1 BUNO 04963 single seat bomber torpedo plane under test at Patuxent River 26 June 1944.

Demonstration of a new fire fighting jeep for use on board aircraft carries 7 October 1952. demonstration aircraft is a Hulked Douglas BTD.