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American Combat Planes of the 20th Century is an incredible reference for anyone who is interested in any American Combat Plane History. There are 758 pages and 1700 b/w photos in this substantial labor of love by Ray Wagner, who has been passionately researching and writing about aircraft for over 50 years. Whether you are already familiar with his past works, or just discovering this accomplished author for the first time... This is the book that you've been waiting for!

If you'd like to see the book's Table of Contents ... Click here. You can also browse the entire Index Section to get an idea of the extensive amount of information that is covered within this book.

Search our site for other combat planes. A- 1 Eaton A- 4 Skyhawk A- 6 & A- 7 Air Weapons AV- 8 to A- 10 A- 20 Havoc A- 22 Martin Maryland A- 23 Martin Baltimore A- 24 Douglas A- 26 Douglas Invader Attack Planes B- 2A, F-111, F-117 Stealth B- 17 Flying Fortress B- 24 Liberator B- 25 North American B- 26 Marauder B- 29 Superfortress B- 32 Dominator B- 35 Flying Wing B- 36 B- 47 Stratojet B- 50 Boeing B- 52 Stratofortress B- 57 Canberra B- 58 Hustler Biplanes Biplanes, Army Pursuits Bombers, B- 70 to Stealth Bombers, First Big Curtiss Falcon CO- 1 DH- 4 De Havilland F3D- Douglas Skyknight F3H- McDonnell Demon F4D- 1 Skyray F4F Grumman Wildcats F- 4U Corsair F6F Grumman F7F Grumman F7U Vought F9F G. Cougar F9F G. Panther F- 16 Fighting Falcon F- 84 F- 86 Sabre F- 89 to F-94 F- 100 to F-108 First Fighters Flying Boats GAX Iraq to Afghanistan Martin Bombers Missile Era Fighters Navy Fighers Navy Flying Boats O- 2 Douglas P- 35 Seversky P- 36 to 42 Curtiss P- 38 Lightning P- 39 Airacobra P- 40 Line P- 47 Thunderbolt P- 51 Mustang Fighter P- 61 Black Widow P- 63 Kingcobra P- 79 to P-81 P- 82 Twin Mustang SB2C Helldiver TBF-TBM Avenger Thomas-Morse Torpedo Planes V- 11 Vultee XB -28 XP -48 / 77

A-24 Douglas & A-25

Page 2 CURTISS A-25A (SB2C-lA)

The A-25A was armed with four .50-caliber wing guns, a single .50-caliber flexible gun on a power-boosted rear cockpit mount, and an internal bomb bay for one 1,000-pound or a 1,600-pound armor-piercing bomb. Under wing racks could add two 58-gallon drop tanks or 500-pound bombs. Additional protection added under the nose and around the cockpits increased armor weight from the Navy’s 195 pounds to 669 pounds on the Army version, which had no carrier gear and different wheels than its Navy sisters, and only the first ten had folding wings.

All these changes increased the weight to 10,363 pounds empty, and 15,076 pounds gross. Performance was reduced to a top speed of 285 mph and a 24,500 foot service ceiling. This data shows what wartime increases in armament, armor, and fuel often cost in performance.

The first A-25A was flown September 29, 1942, but not accepted until December, and only ten more were accepted by March 22, 1943, when an Air Force Board rejected the dive-bomber concept. Two-seat dive-bombers like the A-24, A-25, and A-35 were too slow to evade enemy fighters and should be replaced by single-seat fighter-bombers like the A-36 and P-39. CURTISS A-25A for Australia 13-78 SDAM

By June 12, 1943, the A-25A contract was reduced and production ended in March 1944 with 900 built, none of them ever deployed in combat units. Australia was to get 150, but only ten were actually delivered in November 1943. The last 410 went to the Marines and Navy as SB2C-lA operational trainers, the remainder considered “in excess of all military requirements.”

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