Japan’s surprise attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, brought the United States fully into World War II.Although America adopted an official war policy of defeating the Axis in Europe first, Pearl Harbor had to be avenged. On April 18, 1942, the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo did exactly that. Less than two months later, one plane got its own revenge after witnessing the devastation in Hawaii.Related: Here’s the story behind the WWII legends the Doolittle Raiders The Douglas SBD Dauntless A U.S. Navy Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless flies en route to strike Japanese installations in February 1944. (U.S. Navy) Introduced in 1940, the Douglas SBD Dauntless was a carrier scout plane and dive bomber that saw service with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Using a split flap/dive brake, the Dauntless could perform very steep and accurate dives of up to 70 degrees.Developed from the Northrop XBT-1 and XBT-2, Douglas introduced the SBD-1 and the SBD-2, which featured an increased fuel capacity and different guns. In April 1939, the Marines ordered 57 SBD-1s and the Navy ordered 87 SBD-2s.By the attack on Pearl Harbor, 584 SBD-3s were delivered to both services.SBD-2, Bureau Number 2106, was built at Douglas’ plant in El Segundo, California, in December 1940. On December 31, it was delivered to the Navy, assigned to Bombing Squadron 2 (VB-2) at Naval Air Station San Diego, and embarked aboard the USS Lexington (CV-2).The plane took part in the 1941 Louisiana Maneuvers, a series of major war games designed to test the U.S. military’s preparedness for war. Heading for Midway Three Japanese bombs hit the USS Yorktown on June 4, 1942. (U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command) In December 1941, BuNo 2106 was again loaded aboard the Lexington and bound for Midway Atoll, where it was to be assigned to a Marine squadron. However, the Dauntless was instead unloaded at Pearl Harbor to make room for other planes. It was placed in an aircraft pool at Luke Field on Ford Island. Although the island was bombed on December 7, including aircraft hangars, BuNo 2106 survived the attack.After Pearl Harbor, the plane returned to VB-2 aboard the Lexington and took part in attacks on Japanese ships in New Guinea in early 1942. In May of that year, BuNo 2106 finally made it to Midway and was transferred to Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 241 (VMSB-241).During the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, the plane launched against the Japanese fleet. Braving heavy anti-aircraft fire and marauding A6M2 Zeros, BuNo 2106 attacked the Japanese carrier Hiryū, one of the ships that launched planes against Pearl Harbor.Of the 27 planes sent up from VMSB-241, only eight returned to Midway.With more than 200 holes in it and only one operational landing gear, BuNo 2106 miraculously returned to Henderson Field. After it was repaired, the Dauntless was reassigned back to the Navy and assigned to a Carrier Qualification Training unit to train new aircrews. On July 11, 1943, during a training mission, BuNo 2106 ditched in Lake Michigan while attempting land aboard USS Sable (IX-81). A Successful Salvaging Mission The Douglas SBD Dauntless, which survived the attack at Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Midway, is on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum onboard NAS Pensacola, Florida. (U.S. Navy/Joshua Cox) The historic plane sat at the bottom of the lake until 1994, when it was raised and salvaged.At the National Museum of Naval Aviation, now the National Naval Aviation Museum, the Dauntless underwent a massive restoration project. Over 100 staff and volunteers contributed to the effort, which took a total of 70,000 hours. Their hard work paid off, and BuNo 2106 is now proudly displayed in Pensacola, Florida.Impressively, more than 90% of the static display is original period parts. Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty • Why the lessons from the attack on Pearl Harbor still matter today• Everything you need to know about the Battle of Midway, the ‘turning point’ of WWII• Doolittle Raid: That time America clapped back in WWII Featured World War II This plane survived Pearl Harbor and struck back at Midway By Miguel Ortiz World War II The Allies refused to buy American surplus after WWII so US troops pushed it into the ocean By Bethaney Phillips Veterans Benefits VA rescinds decision that could have lowered veterans’ disability rating By Stephen Ruiz Sports The latest on whether the Army-Navy football game is changing dates By Stephen Ruiz Movies The bizarre James Bond hoax that has Hollywood scratching its head  By Shannon Corbeil The post This plane survived Pearl Harbor and struck back at Midway appeared first on We Are The Mighty.