Douglas A-24 Banshee
The A-24 Banshee was a United States Army Air Force dive bomber closely based to the SBD Dauntless of the United States Navy dive bomber used during the years of the Second World War in the Pacific.
The Banshee had a short service career with the 27th Bombardment Group and the rest of the army. The 91st Bombardment Group took its aircraft to the Dutch East Indies and the 8th operated from the north coast of Australia. The A-24 Banshee was withdrawn to the training role after heavy losses during the first of 1942.
The army had produced 168 A-24-DEs, followed by 170 A-24As also based from the SBD-4. The most number produced was the A-24B, based on the SBD-5 which the army received 615 from the middle of 1943. While the Navy continued to use its dive bombers in that matter, the USAAF switched to the use of the fighter bomber. Aircrafts like the Hawker Typhoon or P-47 Thunderbolt could fly the ground attack missions and hold their own against German or Japanese aircraft.
Specifications (A-24 Banshee)
Crew: 2
Length: 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 6 in (12.65 m)
Height: 137 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Maximum takeoff weight: 10, 676 lb (4,843 kg)
Powerplant: 1 x Wright R-1820-60 radial engine, 1,200 ho (895 kW)
Maximum speed: 255 mph (410.38 km/h)
Range: 773 mi (1243.8 km)
Service ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of climb: 1,700 ft/min (8.6 m/s)
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