The A-36A dive bomber was the first US Army Air Forces version of North American's famous Mustang, the latter originally developed for the RAF in 1940. It was used in the Mediterranean and Italian campaigns in 1943 but by 1944 it had been found that the high-altitude P-47 and P-51 fighters were more suitable for low-level missions when fitted with bomb racks than the A-36As. The museum's example was raced by the Essex Wire Corp as NX39502 '44' between 1946 and 1949, eventually being donated in 1971. It is painted as an A-36A flown by the 522nd FBS in combat over North Africa and Italy

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.