The A-36A dive bomber was the first US Army Air Forces version of North American's famous Mustang, the latter originally developed for the RAF in 1940. It was used in the Mediterranean and Italian campaigns in 1943 but by 1944 it had been found that the high-altitude P-47 and P-51 fighters were more suitable for low-level missions when fitted with bomb racks than the A-36As. The museum's example was raced by the Essex Wire Corp as NX39502 '44' between 1946 and 1949, eventually being donated in 1971. It is painted as an A-36A flown by the 522nd FBS in combat over North Africa and Italy

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.

28 Oct '42: TOS USAAF. By 8/43: HQ Squadron, FSEF Training Group at Eglin Field, FL. By 1/44: HQ Squadron, 1st SEG Training Group. 2/45: RFC, Cincinnati, OH. 1946 to 1949: Registered NX39502, owners used it for racing. Ca.1950: Registered as N39502. 1952: Stored iat Council Bluffs, IA, where it ended up being dismantled and stripped. 1954: Walter H. Erickson, Minneapolis, MN and trucked from Council Bluffs. 1963: Charles P. Doyle, Rosemount, MN; partially restored it before donating it to the Air Force Museum in 1971. 1973: Restored by the Minnesota ANG.

On display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. The Apache was the dive bomber version of the Mustang. It was used by the USAAF in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and India. This Apache is painted to represent the aircraft flown by Capt. Lawrence Dye of the 522nd FBS, 27th FG in World War II.

The A-36A Apache dive bomber was the first USAAF version of the Mustang (the Mustang was officially developed for Britain in 1940). This example is on display at the National Museum of the USAF and was restored by the 148th Fighter-Interceptor Group, Minnesota ANG. It is painted as the A-36A flown by Capt. Lawrence Dye, 522nd FBS in Tunisia, Sicily and Italy during WWII.