<p>The majority of military aircraft produced by the US industry during the 'between wars' years evolved from requirements of the nation's armed forces and, because of this, enjoyed the benefit of government finance during the development stages. When, in due course, examples became available for export markets, they were costed at a realistic price, one which was not saddled with a share of high development costs. The Vultee V-11/V-12 single-engined light attack bomber was, however, an exception to the foregoing. Developed as a private venture, it was sold in the middle and late 1930s, in what were then considered large numbers, to Brazil, China, Turkey and the USSR. In late 1938, when the US Army Air Corps became interested in the type, only seven were built for service trials under the designation YA-19 (described separately), but no production order materialized.
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<p>Development of the basic design continued, and bearing in mind the interest in dive-bombing techniques which had evolved in the USA and Germany, and been demonstrated as effective in the Spanish Civil War, Vultee ensured that its new V-72 would have the capability of deployment in such a role. In 1940 a British purchasing mission, which had received plenty of confirmation of the capabilities of the dive-bomber, placed an order for 700 of these aircraft under the designation Vengeance, and the first of these aircraft for Britain (AN838) flew initially in July 1941. A fairly large mid-wing monoplane of all-metal construction, it had hydraulically operated air-brakes on the wings for control in the dive and hydraulically retracted tailwheel-type landing gear. The powerplant comprised one 1,700-hp (1,268-kW) Wright GR-2600-A5 Cyclone 14 twin-row radial engine.
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<p>The British order comprised 400 Mk I aircraft and 300 Mk II, built by Northrop and Vultee, respectively, since the latter had insufficient production capacity. Subsequently, after the introduction of Lend-Lease in 1941, the USAAF ordered 300 more aircraft for Britain, allocating the designation A-31.
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<p>When the US became involved in the war, at least 243 of the aircraft intended for Britain were commandeered by the USAAF and put into service as V-72s or RA-31s. Further production was initiated for the USAAF, these equipped to US Army standards, and with armament comprising five 0.50-in (12.7-mm) machine guns. Vultee built 99 under the designation A-35A, followed by 831 A-35Bs with the Wright R-2600-13 engine and increased armament. Many were used as target tugs. Variants included one XA-31B with a 3,000-hp (2,237-kW) Wright XR-4360-1 Wasp Major radial engine installed for test purposes, and five YA-31Cs with 2,200-hp (1,640-kW) R-3350-13/-37 Cyclone engines installed for development purposes.
<item><hi format=bold>Performance:</hi> maximum speed 279 mph (449 km/h) at 13,500 ft (4,115 m); cruising speed 230 mph (370 km/h); service ceiling 22,300 ft (6,800 m); range 2,300 miles (3,701 km)
<item><hi format=bold>Weights:</hi> empty 10,300 lb (4,672 kg); maximum take-off 16,400 lb (7,439 kg)
<item><hi format=bold>Dimensions:</hi> span 48 ft 0 in (14.63 m); length 39 ft 9 in (12.12 m) ; height 15 ft 4 in (4.67 m); wing area332 sq ft (30.84 m<su>2</su>)
<item><hi format=bold>Armament:</hi> six 0.50-in (12.7-mm) machine guns, plus up to 2,000 lb (907 kg) of bombs
