" A DAY WITH THE A-36s" WWII P-51 MUSTANG / A-36 APACHE GROUND ATTACK AIRCRAFT 80052

About

This Film Communique from WWII, "A Day with the A-36s" (1944) shows North American A-36 Invaders operating in Italy, performing ground strike missions against German targets in Southern Italy including roads leading to Mt. Etna. The North American A-36 Mustang (sometimes also dubbed the "Invader" by members of the USAAF) was the ground attack/diver bomber version of the North American P-51. (Nomenclature note: during WWII, the 12th Air Force petitioned to have the A-36 called the "Invader", but that name was already assigned to the Douglas A-26. The aircraft was also informally nicknamed the Apache.) It could be distinguished from the P-51 by the presence of rectangular, slatted dive brakes above and below the wings. A total of 500 A-36 dive bombers served in North Africa, the Mediterranean, Italy and the China-Burma-India theater during World War II before being withdrawn from operational use in 1944.

The film provides a wartime narrative covering U.S. Army Air Force operations during the Sicilian campaign of World War II. It describes the role of A-36 Invader dive bombers, their missions against German positions, and the contributions of ground crews and workers supplying bombs, fuel, and equipment. The footage highlights successful air raids on enemy targets, including pillboxes, bridges, and supply routes, emphasizing the speed and precision of these aircraft. The latter portion shifts to captured German newsreel footage showcasing Nazi propaganda, boasting increased arms production, including tanks, submarines, and aircraft, as well as forced labor in war industries. The narrative counters these claims by reaffirming American industrial efforts and the ongoing Allied bombing campaign targeting German factories to cripple their war machine.

0:20: An Army Air Force group flies dive bombers over Sicily.

0:50: The aircraft are A-36 Invaders, adapted from P-51 Mustangs, used as fighters and bombers for dive bombing and strafing.

1:21: Combat cameramen capture the Sicilian campaign.

1:49: Pilots return to base for refueling and rearming, with a nod to workers producing war supplies.

2:33: Captured enemy aircraft litter the airfield; Sicilians offer grapes and goodwill.

3:00: New bombs arrive from an ordnance depot to meet high demand.

3:18: A briefing targets German pillboxes, a farmhouse, railroad yards, and a supply route to aid ground troops.

3:59: Ground crews load 500-lb bombs, ammo, and fuel, stressing high-octane fuel production.

4:45: Pilots check equipment, don parachutes, and prep for takeoff.

5:26: The formation takes off, reaching 10,000 feet to target a camouflaged German pillbox.

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