The first prototype SB2C. The type had a very troubled development phase and it was said that SB2C stood for 'Son-of-a-Bitch 2nd Class'. This prototype crashed on 18 February 1941, less than two months after its first flight. The photo must have been taken between October 1941, when it had been rebuilt with a longer nose and an enlarged tailfin, and 21 December when it crashed again. Eventually 7000 examples were built but they were never liked and the problems contributed to the demise of Curtiss. Photo by: Rudy Arnold / Smithsonian Institution