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North American A-36 Apache
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_...an_A-36_Apache
Role Ground-attack/dive bomber Manufacturer North American Aviation Designer Edgar Schmued First flight October 1942 Introduction 1942 Retired 1945 Primary users United States Army Air Forces Civilian air racer Number built 500 Unit cost $49,000[1] Developed from P-51 Mustang The North American A-36 Apache (listed in some sources as "Invader", but also called Mustang) was the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. A total of 500 A-36 dive bombers served in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Italy and the China-Burma-India theater during World War II before being withdrawn from operational use in 1944. With the introduction of the North American Mustang I with the RAF Army Co-operation Squadrons in February 1942, the new fighter began combat missions as a low-altitude reconnaissance and ground-support aircraft. Supplementing the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks already in service, Mustang Is were first supplied to No. 26 Squadron RAF, then rapidly deployed to 10 additional squadrons by June 1942. First used in combat over the Dieppe Raid on 19 August 1942, a Mustang of No. 414 (RCAF) Squadron downed one of the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, the first victory for a Mustang.[2] Despite the limited high-altitude performance of the Allison V-1710 engine, the RAF was enthusiastic about its new mount, which "performed magnificently". Operational history The A-36A-1-NA "Apache" (although Apache was the A-36A's official name, it was rarely used)[14] joined the 27th Fighter-Bomber Group (27th FBG) composed of four squadrons based at Ras el Ma Airfield in French Morocco in April 1943 during the campaign in North Africa.[14] The 27th had a mixed component of Douglas A-20 Havocs and A-36As while the second operational unit, the 86th Fighter Bomber Group (Dive) arrived in March 1943 with the first pilots trained and qualified on the A-36A.[15][16] On 6 June 1943, both of these A-36A units flew combat missions directed against the island of Pantelleria. The island fell to Allied attack and became the home base for the two A-36A groups during the Allied invasion of Sicily. The A-36A proved to be a potent weapon; it could be put into a vertical dive at 12,000 ft (3,658 m) with deployed dive brakes, thus limiting the dive speed to 390 mph (628 km/h)("A36A-1 Flight Manual requires deployment before starting a dive"). Pilots soon recognized that extending the dive brakes after "peel-off" led to some unequal extension of the brakes due to varying hydraulic pressure, setting up an invariable slight roll, which impeded aiming. Proper technique soon cured this anomaly and, subsequently, pilots achieved extremely consistent results.[6] Depending on the target and defenses, the bomb release took place between 2,000 ft and 4,000 ft (610 and 1,219 m), followed by an immediate sharp "pull up."[9] Dive brakes in the wings gave the A-36A greater stability in a dive; however, a myth has arisen that they were useless due to malfunctions or because of the danger of deploying them and that they should be wired closed.[17] Capt. Charles E. Dills, 522d Fighter Squadron, 27th FBG, XIIth Air Force emphatically stated in a postwar interview: "I flew the A-36 for 39 of my 94 missions, from 11/43 to 3/44. They were never wired shut in Italy in combat. This 'wired shut' story apparently came from the training group at Harding Field, Baton Rouge, LA." Specifications (A-36A) General characteristics Crew: 1 Length: 32 ft 3 in (9.83 m) Wingspan: 37 ft 0.25 in (11.28 m) Height: 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m) Loaded weight: 10,000 lb (4,535 kg) Powerplant: 1 × Allison V-1710-87 liquid-cooled piston V12 engine, 1,325 hp (988 kW) Performance Maximum speed: 365 mph (315 kn, 590 km/h) Cruise speed: 250 mph (215 kn, 400 km/h) Range: 550 mi (478 nmi, 885 km) Service ceiling: 25,100ft (7,650 m) Armament 6 × 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns Up to 1,000 lb (454 kg) of bombs on two underwing hardpoints * |
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