Douglas A-24 Dauntless (NX5254L)

Lyle, you're a very lucky person to have such opportunities. Thank goodness you actually know how to use a camera to maximize the opportunities

Just a perfect shot.

Nice Shot! Why are the flaps up and why do the flaps have vents/holes???

Those DIVE breaks are awesome. Were very effective as this was a dive bomber.

@themold - Those are 'dive brakes', not breaks. Brakes slow you down. Breaks can be catastrophic, or useful (e.g. breaking a fall)

Beautiful! Had no idea so many "SBD's" were built as A-24's for the Army Air Force! But this one appears to have a tail hook?

I just saw an SBD-6 on the USS Midway in San Diego - they turned the tide of the war . . .

Got about 20 hrs in the little Douglass Bomber "N93RW" at Lone Star Flight Museum. Never flew it in level flight with the "dive brakes"up, wonder how much power it takes to maintain that level flight???

That is a great photo! Thank you!

Don't know if this airframe was built for the Navy, but this aircraft was a fast-build inexpensive solution Douglas did in record time for the Navy, so I am given to believe (source a Douglas employed back in the day A&P) that when the Army wanted some, they just did not install the hook. They came off the same line as the Navies'.