[sci.military] Attack Plane Designations

jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) (10/24/90)

From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher)

There have been recurring questions about attack aircraft in recent postings.
I spent a few pleasant hours gathering together the information I had on
planes in the A for attack designation category.  Hope you enjoy!

Some degree of confusion has resulted from the fact that there were TWO A-
series of aircraft.  The first A series of attack planes referred to aircraft
used by the US Army in the years between 1926 and 1948.  The other A series 
is an entirely separate and distinct set of attack aircraft used by all the
services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) in the years since 1962.

I'll start with the initial A series, which was used exclusively by the Army.
The Army introduced the A designation category in 1926.  It applied to attack
and light bombardment categories of combat aircraft.   

This is the original A-series, which covered the years 1926-1948:

Cox-Klemm XA-1			Designation given to an ambulance plane.
				This designation doesn't really fit in the
				A series.  I don't know why the Army considered
				this aircraft as part of its attack series.
				Perhaps it was due to some bureaucratic
				blunder.   Does anyone have any details?

Douglas XA-2                    Conversion of O-2 two-seat observation biplane
                                to attack configuration.
                                One Liberty V-1410 inverted air cooled engine.  
				Six 0.30 cal guns firing forward (2 in nose,
                                2 in lower wing, two in upper wing) plus two
                                flexible 0.30 cal guns in rear fuselage. 130 
                                mph at sea level.  Lost out to Curtiss A-3
			        in attack plane competition.  Only one built.

Curtiss A-3 Falcon		O-1B observation plane adapted to attack role
                                by addition of bomb racks and additional 0.30
                                cal gun in each lower wing.  Curtiss V-1150
                                liquid-cooled engine.  144 built.

Curtiss XA-4 Falcon 		A-3 modified to test 440hp P & W R-1340 Wasp
                                radial engine.  137 mph.  Only one built.

Curtiss XA-5			Attack counterpart of XO-16 two-seat observation
                                biplane.  Canceled before any could be 
                                delivered.

Curtiss XA-6			Attack counterpart of XO-18 two-seat observation
                                biplane.  Canceled before any could be 
                                delivered.

General Aviation (Fokker)       Two-seat low-wing monoplane ground attack plane.
           XA-7                 One Curtiss V-1570 liquid-cooled engine.  Thick
                                cantilever wing, wheel pants, open cockpits.
				Four 0.30 cal guns in wings, one 0.30 cal gun
                                in flexible position in rear cockpit.
                                Lost out to Curtiss A-8 for production orders.

Curtiss YA-8 Shrike             Two-seat monoplane ground attack aircraft. One
                                Curtiss V-1570 liquid-cooled engine.  Externally
                                braced wing, fixed undercarriage.    The two
                                crew members sat in widely-separated enclosed
                                cockpits.  Four fixed, forward-firing 0.30 cal
                                guns in undercarriage fairings.  Flexible 0.30
                                cal gun in rear cockpit.  197 mph at sea level.
                                8 built.

Lockheed YA-9                   Two-seat monoplane attack aircraft.  Attack 
                                version of Lockheed YP-24 experimental pursuit
                                aircraft.  Fully retractable landing gear,
                                flaps, and enclosed cockpits.  Five ordered.
                                One Curtiss V-1570 liquid-cooled engine.  Parent
                                company (Detroit Aircraft) went belly-up and
                                none were produced.

Curtiss YA-10 Shrike            First YA-8 reequipped with a 625 hp P&W Hornet
                                radial engine.  175 mph.  Proved that radial
                                engine was preferable to liquid-cooled engine
                                for attack role, and convinced Army to have A-8B
                                aircraft on order be produced as A-12.

Consolidated A-11               Development of Lockheed YA-9.  Two-seat 
                                monoplane attack aircraft.  One Curtiss V-1570
                                liquid-cooled engine.  Four fixed wing guns,
                                one flexible gun in rear cockpit.  10 30-lb.
                                bombs.  228 mph at sea level.  Performance was
                                well advanced over its contemporaries, but the
                                Army disliked liquid-cooled engines for ground
                                attack planes.  Pursuit versions were P-30 and
                                PB-2A.

Curtiss A-12 Shrike             Two-seat monoplane attack aircraft.  Adaptation
                                of A-8 design to 690 hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone 
                                radial engine.  Rear crew member moved further
                                forward.  Four fixed, forward-firing 0.30 cal
                                guns in undercarriage fairings.  Flexible 0.30
                                cal gun in rear cockpit.  177 mph at sea level.
                                500-pound bombload.  Forty-six A-12s built for
                                U. S. Army.  20 export versions sent to China.
                               
Northrop XA-13                  Two-seat monoplane attack aircraft.  One Wright
                                R-1820 radial engine.  Enclosed cockpit, fixed
                                landing gear.  Extensively modified version of
				Gamma 2C commercial monoplane.  Four fixed 0.30
                                guns in wings, one flexible 0.3 cal gun in rear
                                cockpit.  207 mph at 3300 ft.  600 lbs of bombs.                               
Curtiss XA-14 Shrike            Two-seat, twin-engined ground attack aircraft.
				Two Wright R-1670 radials.  Four 0.30 cal guns
                                fixed in nose, one flexible 0.30 cal gun in
                                rear cockpit position.  Fuselage bomb bay with
                                20 30-lb bombs.  243 mph at sea level.  Only one
                                built.

Martin XA-15                    Attack version of Martin YB-10 bomber.  Two
                                Wright R-1820 radials.  214 mph at 4500 ft.  
                                Abandoned in design stage in favor of Curtiss
                                XA-14.

Northrop XA-16                  XA-13 fitted with 950 hp P&W R-1830-7 radial. 
                                Only one built.  Test results indicated that the
			        aircraft was overpowered and that production
				aircraft should have either a smaller engine
				or larger tail.  (Note: this is one of the few
				cases I've uncovered where an aircraft was
				deemed to be OVERpowered).

Northrop A-17                   Two-seat, single-engine attack aircraft.  One
                                825 hp P&W R-1535 radial engine.  A-17 had fixed
                                landing gear, A-17A had retractable landing
                                gear.  220 mph at 2500 ft.
				Four fixed 0.30 cal guns, one flexible 0.30 gun.
				Was revised version of A-16 with lower-powered
				engine and simplified undercarriage.
				110 A-17s (fixed undercarriage) and 129 A-17As
				(retractable undercarriage) delivered to Army.
				Most were resold to Britain and France, where
				they were found to be totally unsuited for 
				combat.
				Basic Northrop design adapted by Douglas as the
				Model 8-A for export to several foreign nations.

Curtiss Y1A-18 Shrike           Two-seat, twin-engined ground attack aircraft.
                                Two Wright R-1820 radials driving 3-bladed 
                                props.  Same armament as XA-1, but bombs were
                                carried in wing bays rather than in fuselage.
                                13 built.  Used primarily for operational
                                training.

Vultee YA-19                    Two-seat attack aircraft.  Evolved from V-11GB
                                export attack aircraft.  One P&W R-1830 radial.
                                6 0.30 cal guns and 1080 lbs of bombs.  230 mph
                                at 6500 ft.  Five built.  Some were used as 
				engine testbeds.

Douglas A-20 Havoc		Twin engine, three-seat attack bomber
				Most widely-used aircraft in the A series.
				Produced in many different versions with many
				different armament schemes.  7478 built.
				Saw action in Pacific, Europe and North Africa,
				primarily in the low-altitude attack role.
				3125 examples were sent to the Russian front.
				A-20G was the most widely-used version.  
				6 0.50 cal guns in nose, two 0.50 cal guns in
				dorsal power turret, and one 0.50 cal gun in
				ventral tunnel.  339 mph at 12,400 ft   
				Two Wright R-2600-23 Double Cyclone radials,
				1600 hp each.  2600 lbs of bombs.  
				F-3 was photo recon version.
				P-70 was night-fighter adaptation equipped with
				radar.

Stearman XA-21                  Three-seat, twin-engine light bomber.  Two P&W
                                R-2180 radials.  High mounted wing.  Flexible
                                0.30 cal gun in nose, one 0.30 cal gun in 
                                turret behind the wing, two guns in the side,
                                and one 0.30 cal gun in belly position.  Four
                                wing guns.  257 mph at 5000 ft.  720 mi range
                                with 1200-lb bombload.  No production orders.
                                Only one built.

Martin A-22 Maryland            Twin engine, three-seat attack aircraft.
				Two P&W R-1830 radials. 304 mph at 13,000 ft.
                                Crew 3.  1200 lbs of bombs.  Four 0.30 cal guns
                                in wing, one gun in dorsal turret, and one gun
                                in ventral position behind bomb bay.
                                Lost out to Douglas A-20 for Army production
                                orders, but ordered by French.  Flew in combat
                                during German invasion.  After French collapse,
                                remaining Marylands were taken over by British.
                                Served with British units in Mediterranean and
                                North Africa.  Some service with Vichy French. 

Martin A-23                     Proposal for twin-engine attack aircraft powered
                                by Wright R-3350 radials.  Project was dropped.

Douglas A-24 Dauntless          Army version of SDB Dauntless carrier-based
                                dive bomber.  One 1000-hp Wright R-1820 radial
                                engine, crew of 2.  Two 0.50 cal guns in nose,
                                two 0.30 cal guns in flexible mount on rear
                                cockpit.  1200-lb bombload.  254 mph at 15000 
                                feet.  A-24 was similar to Navy SBD except for
                                removal of deck landing gear and a new tail
                                wheel.  953 built.  Saw combat in Java, the 
                                Gilberts, and Kiska.  Considered too slow,
                                too short-range, and too weakly armed to be
                                useful in Army service.

Curtiss A-25 Helldiver          Army version of SB2C-1 Helldiver carrier-
                                based dive bomber.  Larger wheels, no arrestor
                                gear, no folding wings.  One Wright R-2600
                                radial, crew of 2.  Four 0.50 cal guns in wing,
                                one flexible 0.30 cal gun in rear cockpit. 
                                285 mph at 12,400 ft.  1090 mi range with 
                                2000-lb bombload.   900 delivered to US Army.  
                                Army eventually decided that it didn't need
                                dive bombers, and A-25 never entered combat.  
                                Most used as trainers and target tugs.  Ten were
                                delivered to Australia.
     
Douglas A-26 Invader            Twin-engine light bomber.  Two P&W R-2800 
                                radials.  371 mph at 10,000 feet.  Various
                                different armament packages available.  
                                Late B version had 14 0.50 cal guns, 8 fixed
                                in nose, 6 fixed in wings.  Early versions had
                                two remote-controlled turrets, each containing
                                2 0.50 cal guns.  Internal bomb bay could 
                                carry up to 4000 pounds of bombs.  Service in
                                European and Pacific theater during closing
                                months of World War 2.  Extensive service in
                                Korean War.  Served with French in Vietnam and
                                in Algeria.  Served in Vietnam with American
                                forces.
                                In June 1948, the A category was eliminated, and
                                the designation of the Invader was changed to
                                B-26. 

North American A-27             Designation for 10 NA-69 export attack planes
			        ordered by Thailand, but siezed by Army lest 
                                they fall into Japanese hands.  NA-69 was an
                                attack version of the well-known AT-6 
                                advanced trainer.  Four 100-lb bombs, 2 0.30
                                guns in nose, one 0.30 cal gun in rear cockpit.
                                One Wright R-1820 radial.  250 mph at 11,000 ft.
 				Used only for training.
 
Lockheed A-28 Hudson            Hudson was military adaptation of Model 14
				commercial airliner designed to British
				requirements.  Nearly 2000 Hudsons were 
				acquired by British, either by direct purchase
				or via Lend-Lease.  Substantial numbers were
				also supplied to the Army under the designation
				A-28.  Two P&W R-1830 Twin Wasp radials.  Served
				with Army largely in non-combat roles such as 
                                troop transport, training, target towing, and
				air-sea rescue.

Lockheed A-29 Hudson            Designation given to Hudson light bomber
				acquired by US Army.  Differed from A-28 in
				being powered by two Wright R-1820 Cyclone
				radials.  Crew of 5, 5 or 7 0.30 cal guns,
				up to 1400 lbs of bombs.  253 mph at 15,000 ft.
                                A few went to US Navy under designation PBO.

Martin A-30 Baltimore           Twin-engine attack bomber built for British use
                                under Lend-Lease.  Two Wright R-2600 radials.
				Crew of 4, eleven guns (four fixed in wings, 
                                two in upper rear cockpit, one in ventral
                                position, and four fixed in belly and pointing
                                aft.  320 mph at 15,000 ft.  920 mi. range with
                                2000 lbs. of bombs.  Served exclusively in the
                                Mediterranean area with British, South African, 
                          	Greek and Italian Co-belligerent air forces.
                                None used operationally by USAAF.  1575 built. 

Vultee A-31 Vengeance           Two-seat, single-engined dive bomber.  One
                                Wright R-2600 radial engine.  Six 0.30-cal 
                                guns (four in wings, two on flexible mount in
                                rear cockpit.  Two 500-lb bombs in an internal
                                bay.  275 mph at 11,000 ft. 700 mile range
                                with 1500-lb bombload.  Most were sent to the
                                British under Lend-Lease.  Flown primarily on
                                the Burma front.  Some sent to Australia where
                                they flew some missions against Japanese-held
                                island bases.  Vengeances in US service used
                                primarily for training and never saw combat.

Brewster XA-32                  Single-seat attack bomber.  One P&W R-2800
                                radial. 4 20 mm cannon, 6 0.50 cal guns. 
                                Internal bomb bay with 1000-lb capacity, with 
                                another 1000-lb bomb under each wing.
                                311 mph at 13,200 ft.  500 mi range with 3000
                                lb bombload.  Speed and range performance fell
                                below expectation.  Project cancelled.

Douglas A-33                    Designation for 31 Douglas 8A-5 attack planes
                                taken over from Peruvian order.  8A was export
                                version of A-17 attack bomber.  Similar to
                                A-17A except for Wright R-1820 engine and
                                a hinged bombardier's window. Two 0.50 cal
                                and four 0.30 cal wing guns and a a flexible
                                0.30 cal gun in rear cockpit.  Up to 1800 lbs
                                of bombs.  248 mph at 15,700 ft.
                                Used for general utility service.  Never saw
                                any combat.

Brewster A-34 Bermuda           Designation assigned for purpose of Lend-Lease 
                                documentation of SB2A Buccaneer naval dive
                                bomber.  None ever served with AAF.

Vultee A-35 Vengeance           Two-seat, single-engined dive bomber.  
                                Modification of A-31 with four fixed 0.50 cal
                                guns in wing, one 0.50 cal gun in rear cockpit.
                                One Wright R-2600 radial engine.  279 mph at
                                13,500 ft.  550 mile range with 1000 lbs of
                                bombs.  Most sent to the British and the 
                                Australians.  Some given to Free French.
				Never saw combat in USAAF service, serving only
				in training and target-towing roles.

North American A-36 Mustang     Dive bomber version of P-51 Mustang fighter.
                                One Allison V-1710 liquid cooled engine.  Four
                                0.50 cal guns in wings, two 0.50 cal guns in
				fuselage, underwing racks for two 500-lb
                                bombs, and dive brakes under the wings.
                                500 built.  First version of Mustang to see
				action in USAAF service.  Saw action primarily 
				on Italian front and in India.

Hughes XA-37                    Twin-boom light bomber powered by two P&W
                                R-2800 radials.  Constructed of Duramold, a
                                material made of heat-bonded wood and plastic.
                                Carried no armament.  433 mph, 1000 mile range
                                with 2200 lbs of bombs.  Howard Hughes 
                                personally flew the prototype, but it was
                                destroyed by fire before it could be tested
                                by AAF.  Later served as inspiration for XF-11
                                reconnaissance aircraft.

Beechcraft XA-38 Destroyer      Two-seat attack bomber.  Two Wright R-3350
                                radials.  Two pairs of 0.50 cal guns in upper
                                and lower remote control turrets.  One 75-mm
                                cannon and two 0.50 cal guns in nose.  External
                                racks for 2000 lbs of bombs.  376 mph at 4800
                                ft.  1070 mi range.  Delayed by lack of 
              			availability of engines, which were needed by
                                B-29.  Never reached production.
				Note: The XA-38 looked a lot like a Beech Model
				18 which had taken an overdose of steroids.

Kaiser-Fleetwings XA-39         Single seat, single-engined light bomber.
			        One P&W R-2800 radial.  Two 37-mm cannon and 
                                and 0.50 cal guns in wing.  Internal bomb bay
                                for either a 1000-lb bomb or a 2000-lb torpedo.
                                1000 lbs of bombs on wing racks.
                                Never got past the mockup stage.        

Curtiss XA-40			Single seat, single-engined light bomber.
			        One Wright R-3350 radial.  Two 37-mm cannon and 
                                and 0.50 cal guns in wing.  Internal bomb bay
                                for either a 1000-lb bomb or a 2000-lb torpedo.
                                1000 lbs of bombs on wing racks.
                                Never got past the mockup stage.        
    
Convair XA-41                   Single seat, single engine close-support
                                aircraft.  One P&W R-4360 radial.  Four 37-mm
                                cannon and four 0.50 cal guns in the wings.
                                Internal bomb bay could carry 3000 lbs of 
                                bombs.  Flight tests showed promise, but
                                Army close support was well provided for by P-47
                                Thunderbolt and A-26 Invader.  No production
                                orders.  Only one built.

Douglas XA-42                   Proposal for twin-engine attack aircraft powered
				by two Allison V-1710 liquid cooled engines 
				mounted in fuselage and driving two contra-
				rotating props in tail.  Armament of 16 0.50
				cal machine guns or one 75-mm cannon and two
				0.50 cal guns or two 37-mm cannon.  Design 
				showed greater potential as a medium bomber and
				was redesignated XB-42.

Curtiss XA-43                   Proposal for two seat, four jet attack plane.
				Project cancelled in early design stage.  Funds
				and serial numbers transferred to similarly-
				configured XP-87 Blackhawk night fighter.

Convair XA-44                   Tactical bomber with three 4000 lb. st. General
				Electric J-35 turbojets buried in the fuselage 
				and fed by two lateral intakes.  30-degree
				swept-forward wing.  Redesignated XB-53 in 1948.
				Cancelled before any could be built.

Martin XA-45			Three-jet light tactical bomber.  Redesignated
				XB-51 in 1948.

	[The original A series ends at this point.]


In 1948, the separate A category was eliminated from the Air Force designation
scheme.  Henceforth, all future Air Force planes that would fall in the attack 
category would be classified under B (for bomber).  At that time, only one
aircraft from the original attack series remained in service with the Air
Force--the Douglas A-26 Invader.  The Invader was redesignated as B-26.
There was no danger of confusion with the Martin B-26 Marauder, since all
Marauders had been removed from active service by that time.  So there were
TWO airplanes that carried the designation B-26, but they didn't both
serve at the same time!

Prior to 1962, the US Navy had its own separate designation scheme for
its attack aircraft.  In 1962, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara decided
to unify the aircraft designation schemes of all the services under one 
umbrella.  In addition, the A for attack category (which had been eliminated
in 1948) was reintroduced.  The Air Force initially had no aircraft listed in
the A category, but the Navy did have some and they were duly redesignated.
Later, the Air Force did acquire attack aircraft, and they were assigned
numbers in the A series in the order in which they were ordered into service.

The attack planes in the post-1962 A-category are:

Douglas A-1 Skyraider		Formerly designated AD.  Single-engine,
                                carrier-based attack aircraft.  One Wright
                                R-3350 radial. 322 mph at 15,000 ft.
				Four 20-mm cannon in wings, underwing load of
                                up to 10,000 pounds of bombs.  Night-attack,
                                antisubmarine warfare, ambulance, cargo,
                                and radar picket versions built.  Also served
                                with USAF, Royal Navy, France, Vietnam.
                                Served in Korean, Algerian, and Vietnam wars.  
				Total of 3180 built.

North American A-2 Savage       Formerly designated AJ.  Three-engined carrier-
                                based strategic bomber.  Two P&W R-2800 radials
                                in underwing-mounted nacelles, one Allison J-33
                                jet in rear fuselage.  The jet engine was 
                                normally used only for short-duration dashes.
                                449 mph at 34,000 feet.  2475 mi. range with
                                3200-lb bombload in internal bay.  Total of 88
                                built.

Douglas A-3 Skywarrior		Formerly designated A3D.  Twin-jet, swept-wing
                                carrier-based heavy attack aircraft.  Two P&W
                                J-57 turbojets.  Two 20-mm cannon in radar-
                                guided, remote-controlled turret in tail.
				643 mph at sea level.  1380 mi combat radius 
                                with 4100 lbs of bombs.  Many converted to
                                aerial tankers, electronic countermeasures
                                planes, and trainers.  Total of 284 built.

Douglas A-4 Skyhawk             Formerly designated A4D.  Single-engine carrier-
                                based attack aircraft.  Versions A through D
                                powered by Wright J-65 jet.  E version powered
                                by P & W J-52 jet.  673 mph at sea level (clean)
				Up to 6000 lbs of bombs or missiles on underwing
                                racks.  2 20 mm cannon in wing roots.
				Extensive service with US Navy during Vietnam
				War. Served with IAF during "War of Attrition"
                                and Yom Kippur War.  Served with Argentina
                                during Falklands/Malvinas campaign.  Also
                                delivered to New Zealand, Singapore, and Kuwait.
				2960 built.

North American A-5 Vigilante    Formerly designated A3J.  Twin-engine carrier-
                                based supersonic strategic bomber and 
                                reconnaissance aircraft.  Two General Electric
                                J-79 turbojets with afterburners.  Crew of 2 in
				tandem seats.  Nuclear bomb ejected rearwards
                                from an internal linear bomb bay.  Underwing
                                stores also carried.  1320 mph at 40,000 ft.
                                1295 mi combat radius with one nuclear weapon
                                and two underwing drop tanks.  Replaced in
                                strategic bombing role by Polaris-armed nuclear
                                submarines.  Remaining A-5s all converted
                                to RA-5C configuration with additional fuel
                                in a hump behind the cockpits and the linear
                                bomb bay replaced by a reconnaissance package. 
 				156 built.      

Grumman A-6 Intruder            Formerly designated A2F.  Twin engine, two seat
                                carrier-based all-weather attack aircraft.
				Two P&W J-52 turbojets mounted below wing roots.
				The two crew members sit side-by-side in a
                                bulbous nose.  Up to 15,000 pounds of underwing
                                and centerline stores can be carried.  No guns.
				646 mph at sea level.  EA-6B Prowler is four-
                                seat electronic countermeasures version.
				Still in production.

Link/Temco/Vought A-7           Single seat attack and close support aircraft.
            Corsair II		Looks much like a snub nose F-8 Crusader.
				A, B versions are Navy carrier-based attack
				planes powered by P&W TF-30 turbofans and 
				armed with two 20 cannon.  D is Air Force land-
				based version with one Allison TF-41 turbofan
				and armed with one 20-mm rotary cannon.
				External load of 15,000 pounds of bombs on
				hardpoints under the wing.  
				699 mph at sea level (clean).

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8          Single-seat V/STOL close support and tactical
		Harrier         reconnaissance aircraft.  License-built
                                British Aerospace Harrier.

Northrop A-9                    Twin-engine, single-seat close air support
                                aircraft.  Two Lycoming YF102 turbofans under
                                the wing roots of a high wing.  Lost out to
                                Fairchild Republic A-10 for production orders.

Fairchild Republic A-10         Twin-engine, single-seat close air support
          Thunderbolt II        aircraft.  Two General Electric TF34 turbofans
                                in pods above and behind low-mounted wings.
                                Primary armament is seven-barrel GAU-8/A
                                30-mm antitank cannon. 460 mph at 10,000 ft.
                              
A-11				This one appears never to have been assigned.
				The reasons are obscure.  One possibility is
				that the A-11 designation was not used because
				someone might "confuse" it with the "A-11"
				designation which LBJ erroneously applied 
				to the supersecret Lockheed A-12 spyplane.
 				Another possibility is that A-11 is the  
				designation given to an as-yet-unannounced
				"black" project.

McDonnell Douglas/General       Two-seat low-observable medium attack aircraft.
    Dynamics A-12		Extensive use of composites.  Designed as
       Avenger II  		replacement for Grumman A-6.  Large flying
				wing.  Typical A-6 weapons load internally.
				Additional ordinance can be carried externally
				when stealth is not important.  Range and
				speed supposedly exceed those of A-6.  Most
				details are classified. 


Sources:
	American Combat Planes, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982
	United States Military Aircraft Since 1909,  Gordon Swanborough and 
			Peter Bowers, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1989.
	McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, Rene J. Francillon, Naval Institute
		Press, 1988.
	Curtiss Aircraft, 1907-1947, Peter Bowers, Naval Institute Press,
			1979.


Joe Baugher				*************************************
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freeman@decwrl.dec.com (Jay R. Freeman) (10/26/90)

From: argosy!freeman@decwrl.dec.com (Jay R. Freeman)

In article <1990Oct22.035508.17238@cbnews.att.com> jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) writes:

>Some degree of confusion has resulted from the fact that there were TWO A-
                                                                     ###
>series of aircraft.  The first A series of attack planes referred to aircraft
>used by the US Army in the years between 1926 and 1948.  The other A series 
>is an entirely separate and distinct set of attack aircraft used by all the
>services (Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force) in the years since 1962.

Actually, there were three.  As Baugher indicates indirectly, later in
his excellent posting, the US Navy used the "A" designation for its
own aircraft during a period that started some time after WWII and
ended with the introduction of all-service identifiers in 1962.

The "A" designation was used in the same manner as all the others:
Thus "A3D" was the third type of attack aircraft manufactured by the
manufacturer whose code letter was "D" (Douglas).  Postfix numbers and
letters indicated major modifications to the type and other esoterica,
eg A3D2.  If the first number would have been a "1" it was omitted;
thus the Skyraider was the AD, not the A1D.

In an attempt to avoid too much confusion, the conversion to the new
nomenclature preserved as many of the old numbers as possible: Thus
the AD became the A1, the A4D the A4, and so on.  I have never been
sure whether this created less confusion or more.

There were many Navy types classified under the old system which were
not issued designations under the new one, simply because they were no
longer in service at the time the switch was made, or had never gotten
past the prototype stage in the first place.  For example, if memory
serves, Martin produced a potential competitor to the Skyraider which
was called the Mauler, and was designated the AM.

                                        -- Jay Freeman

	  <canonical disclaimer -- I speak only for myself>

military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) (11/05/90)

From: uunet!caleb!jdp (Jim Pritchett)
[]

Wasn't there an A-37 (B or D?) Dragonfly?  Aren't they still used today?
Does anyone out there have any info on this aircraft?  I didn't see it
mentioned in any of the A lists posted so far.


                                                Jim Pritchett


UUCP:  texsun.central.sun.com!letni!rwsys!caleb!jdp
 or    letni.lonestar.org!dms3b1!caleb!jdp

megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23) (11/29/90)

From: megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23)

In article <1990Nov4.205727.3085@cbnews.att.com>  writes:
>Wasn't there an A-37 (B or D?) Dragonfly?  Aren't they still used today?
>Does anyone out there have any info on this aircraft?  I didn't see it
>mentioned in any of the A lists posted so far.

Yes it started as the Cessna T-37 trainer. Low wing, side by side seating,
twin jets in the wing roots. The attack version is indeed the A-37 
Dragonfly.

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