This A-24B-10-DT built by Douglas at Tulsa, OK was in fact allocated USAAC serial 42-54582. The A-24 Banshee was basically the naval Dauntless modified for Army use as a dive-bomber, encouraged by the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe with such aircraft in Europe. Postwar this machine was converted as a mosquito sprayer as N4488N, later being used as Fire Tanker '60'. In the early 1970s it was restored to represent an SBD-5 and went on show at the Marines museum in Quantico, VA. By 2004 it was displayed as A-24 41-15786 which crash-landed on Java in February 1942

Ca.1943: TOS USAAF with s/n 42-54582. In 1956 it was converted for spraying mosquitos or use as a fire-fighting tanker. 1971-1972: Restored as an SBD-5. By Jun 2004: US Air Force Museum and repainted as A-24 41-15786. Previously N17421

Ca.1943: TOS USAAF with s/n 42-54582. In 1956 it was converted for spraying mosquitos or use as a fire-fighting tanker. 1971-1972: Restored as an SBD-5. By Jun 2004: US Air Force Museum and repainted as A-24 41-15786. Previously N17421

The A-24 Banshee was the USAAF variant of the Navy SBD Dauntless dive bomber and the type was heavily involved in the South Pacific in operations against the invading Japanese forces. However, losses were high and the Banshee was regarded by many pilots as too slow, short-ranged and poorly armed to be effective. This example on display at the National Museum of the USAF is actually 42-54582 but is displayed as an airctaft that crashed-landed in Java and subsequently abandoned.