The Jeep of the USAAF’s 57th Fighter Group on a road of the Southern Italy’s Apennines during a trip to Naples. Winter 1943-1944. Merry Christmas to all friends of WW2 in colors. Victor Sierra

Italy, the sun’s country?

The North American Aviation A-36A was an attack aircraft variant of the famed P-51 Mustang fighter. North American Aviation called this variant the Apache while others tried to nickname it the Invader, but documents from the US Army Air Forces always listed them as Mustangs, like the fighters.

Based on the initial Mustang I, the Apache aircraft shared Mustang aircraft's laminar flow wing design but never had the upgrade to the Rolls Royce Merlin engine that the P-51B fighter had. The Mustang fighters gained their fame only after the Merlin upgrade because their original Allison V-1710 engines were found to underperform at altitude. The Apache aircraft was intended for use in the ground attack and dive-bombing roles and for this the Allison was more than adequate.

Outwardly, the Apache aircraft was barely distinguishable from the P-51 and P-51A Mustang fighters. The Apache aircraft had two more .50 caliber machine guns that were mounted inside the lower engine housing and shot through the propeller arc. The Apache wings also had rectangular dive brakes top and bottom forward of the junction between the flaps and ailerons. The brakes limited the dive speed to 390 mph which improved bombing accuracy. Apache aircraft came from the factory with the tail numbers painted on the after fuselage in large numerals instead of across the tails as specified by Army regulations and as was the practice on all other USAAF aircraft.

A total of 500 Apache aircraft were produced, all in a single production run. All were designated A-36A's; there were no A-36's or A-36B's. One Apache was provided to the British for evaluation and all the rest flew with US forces. First delivered to squadrons in French Morocco in April 1943, the aircraft remained in service in that theater until June 1944 when its role was taken over by the P-40 Warhawk and the P-47 Thunderbolt. In those 15 months of service, the Apache aircraft distinguished itself in action in North Arica, Sicily, and Italy. Apache aircraft also saw service in the China-Burma-Indian Theater, flying from bases in Dinjan, India starting in late summer 1943. Apache aircraft were not withdrawn from that theater until 1945.

While Apache aircraft's combat career might have been short, it should not be concluded that their contribution was small. Apache aircraft in the Mediterranean theater alone flew a total of 23,373 combat sorties and delivered over 8,000 tons of bombs. Even though the Apache aircraft was primarily a bomber and ground attack aircraft, they also engaged in air-to-air engagements. Apache aircraft shot down total of 84 enemy aircraft and produced the only ace using the Allison-engined Mustang, Lt Michael T. Russo from the 27th Fighter-Bomber Group.

After they were retired from combat service, nearly all were scavenged for parts or scrapped outright. Very few survived the 1940's and even fewer survive today.

The North American Aviation A-36A 'Apache'

This is one of my favorite US airplanes,from a design point of view.Just beautiful.
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and Brewster-built aircraft F3A. From the first prototype delivery to the U.S. Navy in 1940, to final delivery in 1953 to the French, 12,571 F4U Corsairs were manufactured by Vought, in 16 separate models, in the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history (1942–1953).

The Corsair served in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines, Fleet Air Arm and the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as well as the French Navy Aeronavale and other, smaller, air forces until the 1960s. It quickly became the most capable carrier-based fighter-bomber of World War II. Some Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of World War II, and the U.S. Navy counted an 11:1 kill ratio with the F4U Corsair. As well as being an outstanding fighter, the Corsair proved to be an excellent fighter-bomber, serving almost exclusively in the latter role throughout the Korean War and during the French colonial wars in Indochina and Algeria.
Greetz,brummbar

