Curtiss F8C Helldiver’s peeling off……. With a top speed of 160mph, a range of 720 miles, a service ceiling of 16,250 feet and armed with two forward-firing machineguns and 500lbs of bombs, this was an effective dive-bomber of the early 1930’s. Performance-wise, the F8C Helldiver was as fast as any Fighter aircraft in service at the time it was purchased.