Douglas
A-24B Banshee / SBD Dauntless
Douglas A-24B — Serial Number 42-54682
In the early years of World War II, one aircraft earned a reputation that would echo through history: the Douglas SBD Dauntless. Flown by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, the SBD became one of the most decisive weapons of the Pacific War—best known for its role in the Battle of Midway, where it helped turn the tide against Japan. But alongside the Navy’s Dauntless was a lesser-known counterpart. The U.S. Army Air Forces needed a dive bomber of its own, and rather than develop a new aircraft from scratch, it adopted the same proven design—without carrier equipment—and gave it a different name:
The A-24 Banshee. Structurally and visually similar, the two aircraft shared the same DNA. But their roles—and their histories—diverged quickly. The Navy’s SBD would become legendary in combat. The Army’s A-24 would become something else entirely: rare, overlooked, and, in the case of serial number 42-54682… remarkably enduring.
Built for War—Redirected by History
In late 1943, 42-54682 was delivered as an A-24B, the most refined Army variant of the design. It was built for precision dive bombing—steep descents, controlled release, and pullouts that demanded both engineering strength and pilot skill. But it would never fly those missions for the United States. Instead, almost immediately after acceptance, the aircraft was transferred south under Lend-Lease to serve with the Mexican Air Force. Before it could define itself in combat, its path had already changed.
Saved by the First Generation of Warbird Collectors
After the war, the aircraft slipped quietly out of military service and into civilian life. By the early 1960s, it had been repurposed as an aerial survey aircraft in Mexico, but like so many warbirds of its era, it was eventually grounded.
In 1964, pioneering warbird collector Frank Tallman purchased the aircraft and brought it back to the United States. At the time, few people were preserving military aircraft—fewer still were thinking about flying them again. Tallman didn’t just see an old airplane. He saw history.
Over the following years, the aircraft passed through several hands and eventually found a home with the Admiral Nimitz Foundation, where it was restored for static display. For two decades, it stood as a representation of the Dauntless family—preserved, but silent.
Did You Know?
The SBD had perforated dive brakes for controlled vertical attack
Heavy structural strength for repeated dive-bombing stress
The Return to Flight
Its most dramatic transformation came in the 1990s. Acquired by the Lone Star Flight Museum through Air-Srv Inc., the aircraft underwent a comprehensive, flightworthy restoration—a process that required far more than cosmetic work. In June of 1997, 42-54682 flew again. More than half a century after it was built, the Banshee returned to the sky—not as a relic, but as a living aircraft. Like many restored examples, it was finished in the markings of a Navy Dauntless—honoring the combat legacy of the design it shares. Following its restoration, the aircraft flew for years as part of the living history movement—demonstrating not just how these aircraft looked, but how they sounded, moved, and felt.
A New Chapter At Fagen Fighters
Summer of 2025, seriral number 42-54682 was delivered to our museum where it is currently at home in the Navy Hangar for the public to see. At Fagen Fighters, our mission has always been to preserve these aircraft not just for display, but for experience. That means keeping them alive—maintained, operated, and flown—so that future generations can see, hear, and feel what history was really like. We’re proud to be part of its story. And even more proud to share it.
Specifications
General Characteristics
Crew: 2 (Pilot + Rear gunner/radioman)
Length: 33 ft 1 in (10.08 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 6 in (12.65 m)
Height: 13 ft 7 in (4.14 m)
Wing Area: 325 sq ft (30.2 m²)
Powerplant
Engine: Wright R-1820 Cyclone
Horsepower: 1,200 hp
Propeller: 3-blade constant-speed
Performance
Maximum Speed: ~255 mph (410 km/h)
Cruise Speed: ~185 mph (298 km/h)
Range: ~1,115 miles (1,795 km)
Service Ceiling: 25,530 ft (7,780 m)
Rate of Climb: ~1,700 ft/min
Armament
Forward Guns:
2 × .50 caliber machine guns (fixed, forward-firing)
Rear Defense:
2 × .30 caliber machine guns (flexible mount)
Bomb Load:
Up to 2,250 lbs total
1 × 1,000 lb bomb (centerline)
2 × 500 lb bombs (underwing)
Learn More About The SBD Dauntless
Check out this informational documentary by Rex’s Hangar, to learn more about the origins and development history of the Douglas SBD Dauntless, the 'Slow but deadly' hero of the battle of Midway.
The National Museum of World War II Aviation also has a very good video about the A-24 Banshee’s role in the war. Watch that here.