The A-24A-DE was the Army counterpart of the Navy's SBD-4. The SBD-4 differed from the -3 in having a 24-volt electrical system. The R-1820-52 engine was retained, but a new Hydromatic constant-speed propeller was installed. the A-24A incorporated the changes introduced on the A-24-DEs (tailwheel tire, instrumentation, etc) into SBD-4 airframes.
The A-24A-DE was built at Douglas's El Segundo plant. The aircraft were initially ordered under the designation SBD-4A, since they were diverted from Navy contracts. Upon delivery to the Army, they were assigned the serials 42-6772 to -6831 and 42-60772 to -60881. Acceptance took place between October 1942 and March 1943. Basically,
One A-24A-DE (42-6783) was modified at Wright field as a radio-controlled drone and designated RA-24A-DE. This aircraft was still in service in 1948, when the A designation category was dropped by the USAF. At that time, the aircraft was redesignated QF-24A-DE (in the fighter sequence) and given a new serial number of 48-044.
Serials of Douglas A-24A
42-6772/6831 Douglas A-24A-DE Dauntless c/n 1527/1546, 1652/1681, 1802/1811 42-60772/60881 Douglas A-24A-DE Dauntless c/n 1812/1831, 2325/2354, 2519,2548, 2699/2728. 48-044 Douglas QF-24A-DE Dauntless Originally A-24A-DE 42-6783 remanufactured as drone aircraft
Sources:
- American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982.
- U.S. Army Aircraft, 1908-1946, James C. Fahey, Ships and Aircraft, 1946.
Sources:
- American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982.
- The Dauntless Dive Bomber of World War II, Barrett Tillman
- McDonnel Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume 1, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute Press, 1988.
