Basically similar to the USN SBD-5 Dauntless, this was one of the 615
A-24B-DTs built for the USAAF. Ordered by Contract AC-28716 of
November 12, 1942, it was delivered in 1943 with s/n 42-54582. In 1954
it was sold to Marsh Aviation, Litchfield, Arizona and registered as
N4488N. Between 1959 and 1970 the aircraft was owned by the City Of
Portland Mosquito Control and operated by Aero Flite, Inc, Troutdale,
Oregon, as a spray aircraft to combat mosquitoes over Portland and
Multnomah County, Oregon.
In 1970 it was sold to John and Barrett Tillman of Pacific
Aeronautical Corp, Lake Oswego, Oregon who restored the aircraft. In
1974 it was sold to Douglas Champlin of Windward Aviation, Enid,
Oklahoma and re-registered N17421. From March 1975 till 2002 the
aircraft has been on display as an SBD-5 at the USMC Museum, MCAS
Quantico, Virginia. Thereafter is has been on display at the National Museum of
the USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio.
