The SBD was designed as a light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. Its designation of SBD stood for “Scout Bomber Douglas.” The Dauntless started as a Northrop design but was considered a Douglas Aircraft Company product in 1937. The SBD-4 was the model in use by the U.S. Navy at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. An SBD was the first aircraft to sink an enemy ship in WWII (Japanese submarine I-70), just three days after the Pearl Harbor attack.