<hi style=afpcap>The Douglas A-24 was produced for the Army in response to the need to match the capabilities of the Junkers Ju 87 Stukas which had been employed which such devastating effect by the Luftwaffe. The A-24 was an attack bomber similar to the Navy SBD but with the carrier deck operating equipment deleted. The Army requirement was considered to be sufficiently urgent for the Navy production line at El Segundo to divert 168 examples. These were basically Navy aircraft with the designation SBD-3A (for Army), stencilled on the tail. The tail hook was deleted and the solid tail wheel replaced with a pneumatic type. Despite being found to be short of range and rather slow , and therefore vulnerable for sustained combat operations, the Army ordered 170 A-24As in 1942 and 615 A-24Bs in 1943. Some remained in service until 1950, changing designation to the F-24A and F-24B. These were engaged on trails connected with the tactics of dive bomber attacks by fighters. </hi>
