North American A-36
| A-36 Mustang/Apache/Invader | |
|---|---|
| North American A-36A | |
| General information | |
| Type | Ground-attack/dive bomber |
| Manufacturer | North American Aviation |
| Designer | |
| Primary user | United States Army Air Forces |
| Number built | 500 |
| History | |
| Introduction date | 1942 |
| First flight | October 1942 |
| Retired | 1945 |
| Developed from | North American P-51 Mustang |
The North American A-36 (company designation NA-97, listed in some sources as "Apache" or "Invader", but generally called Mustang) is the ground-attack/dive bomber version of the North American P-51 Mustang, from which it could be distinguished by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. A total of 500 A-36 dive bombers served in the Mediterranean and Southeast Asia theaters during World War II before being withdrawn from operational use in 1944.
The A-36 project was a stopgap measure intended to keep North American Aviation (NAA) assembly lines running during the first half of 1942 despite the US having exhausted its funds earmarked for fighter aircraft.