The aviation world has welcomed a third Curtiss SB2C-1A Helldiver to the skies. On August 8, after 45 years, BuNo 75552 (originally ordered for the USAAF as A-25A Shrike 42-80387) took off from Colorado Springs Airport, flown by Charles “Tuna” Hainline. This aircraft was meticulously restored by WestPac Restorations, is owned by Jim Slattery and operated by the National Museum of World War II Aviation. The first engine runs of Jim Slattery’s Helldiver took place on July 23 outside the WestPac facility on the museum’s campus at Colorado Springs Airport. FAA officials were present for these initial runs, as is standard procedure. That same day, the aircraft underwent successful taxi tests, turret assembly, and weight and balance checks, paving the way for its first flight certification. Today, this impressive aircraft completed its first flight since restoration, becoming the third Helldiver to take to the skies following restoration by the Commemorative Air Force and Fagen Fighters.

The Helldiver at the National Museum of World War II Aviation is painted in the three-tone scheme used by U.S. Navy aircraft beginning in 1943; the paint was provided by Consolidated Aircraft Coatings. BuNo 75552 entered service in 1944 as part of the U.S. Navy’s dive bomber fleet. After entering service, this particular Helldiver was initially assigned to Naval Air Station (NAS) Alameda, California, from June to October 1944. Shortly thereafter, it was transferred to NAS Seattle. However, the aircraft’s operational life was brief. On January 31, 1945, just months after being assigned to NAS Seattle, Bu. 75552 was officially struck from active Navy service and subsequently sunk in Lake Washington in Seattle. The exact date and circumstances of its sinking remain unclear, but this was not an unusual fate for aircraft no longer deemed necessary to the war effort.

For decades, BuNo 75552 lay undisturbed in the depths of Lake Washington. It was not until the 1980s that Recovery Services Ltd, based in Bellevue, WA, took on the challenging task of recovering the aircraft. After its recovery, Bu. 75552 changed hands a few times. Mike Rawson of Minneapolis, MN, acquired the aircraft in the 1990s, where it became the subject of a static restoration project in Anoka County, MN. For over a decade, efforts were made to preserve the aircraft while it remained grounded. In 2010, Helldiver LLC took ownership of BuNo 75552 with a new vision – not just to return the aircraft to a static state, but to get it back in the skies. This ambitious goal led to the involvement of Vultures Row Aviation in Cameron Park, CA, a group known for its expertise in restoring old naval aircraft to flightworthy condition. The aircraft was eventually taken to WestPac Restorations and completed in Colorado.

Born in Milan, Italy, Moreno moved to the United States in 1999 to pursue a career as a commercial pilot. His passion for aviation began early, inspired by his uncle, an F-104 Starfighter crew chief, and his father, a military air traffic controller. His childhood adventures included camping outside military bases and watching planes at Aeroporto Linate. In 1999, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia to earn his commercial pilot license, a move that became permanent. After 24 years in the United States, he now flies full-time for a Part-91 business aviation company in Atlanta. He is actively involved with the Commemorative Air Force, D-Day Squadron, and other aviation organizations. He enjoys life with his supportive wife and three wonderful children.