I don't think those were dive brakes as that would have necessitated lowering the gear to activate them...

A selector handle in the cockpit within reach of the pilot's left hand is both landing gear actuator and dive brake operator.  Seated at the bottom of a square U-shaped channel, the handle can be pushed to the left and up to lower the gear, or to the right and up to actuate the main gear dive brakes.  The brakes allow a steep dive angle wothout excessive build up, useful in bombing.  When the dive brake option is selected, the tailwheel remains retracted.  If actuated at high speeds, the landing gear dive brakes may hand in the slipstream, not locking until the speed diminishes sufficiently to allow the hydraulic system to force the main gear down and locked, typically at or below 225 knots.

I remember I asked this awhile back.

I got a book yesterday, that, for once, was not Mickey Mouse, it cover the Corsar in reasonable technical detail.

The dive brakes are the undercarriage doors which are directly connected to the gears.

So there.

That should come in handy.

Dropping bombs on aircraft was actually tried by the Germans (if not the Russians and Japanese).

Hagar, while, yes, it goes along the same lines of what you told me, the difference is there is a purposebuilt feature for dive brakes, not just lowering the gear.

I could be wrong but had an idea that the gear doors were used as dive brakes.

PS. Quote:

Some people don't seem to believe me even when I get it right.