Warbird Information Exchange

I just added a page to my Aero Vintage website Tallmantz section that details history of the A-24B (s/n 42-54682) obtained by Frank Tallman in 1964. There's more to the story: I am awaiting receipt of the AAF aircraft record card to document the military history of the aircraft, which also may add information as to how it ended up in Mexico during the postwar period. Worth a look if you are into such things...

https://www.aerovintage.com/the-tallmantz-a-24b/

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Scott, have you seen this document about the Commemorative Air Force SBD? https://dixiewing.org/wp-content/upload ... 54532-.pdf

They found that theirs was mistakenly assigned the USAAF Serial No. 42-54532 (an A-24B) around the time it was sold surplus, but in-fact is really US Navy BuNo. 54532 (an SBD-5). I have since suspected that the same must hold true for the ex-Tallmantz/Lone Star Flight Museum aircraft as well, really being SBD-5 BuNo. 54682, not A-24B 42-54682.

John,

Yes, that’s the document linked in the section on the CAF SBD.

The circumstances of the two aircraft in Mexico are different and the records from Mexico seem pretty clear that the Tallmantz aircraft is 42-54532. The trail of the A-24B from the AAF to Mexico remains an open question. I await the record card but based on a careful review of the available information, I think it is correctly identified.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Thank you Scott. Last night I didn't quite make it to the end of the page to see where you had that linked. You have provided a great history of the Tallmantz/LSFM aircraft (I always enjoy reading your work). Hopefully when you receive the record card it will provide enough information to definitively put an answer to, one way or the other, its USAAF identity.

I received the AAF aircraft record card the other day. The Tallmantz A-24B, 42-54682, was accepted by the Army on 11/8/1943 and was immediately earmarked to go to Mexico. It was flown to the San Antonio Air Depot where, the card notes, Mexican pilots would pick up the airframe. This pretty much confirms that 42-54682 was one of the 30 A-24Bs transferred to the Mexican Air Force, though its serial does not appear on the only tie-up listing I could find (in Douglas SBD Dauntless by Robert Peczkowksi) showing the Mexican A-24Bs.

Another peculiarity is the record card shows the airplane manufactured by Douglas at Santa Monica, but this is clearly incorrect as primary or secondary sources do not show that any A-24Bs were built at Santa Monica...they were built at Tulsa. Perhaps the airplane was actually 'delivered' at Santa Monica but that really makes no sense. It's hard to understand how a basic reference would be incorrect...the whole batch of A-24B cards were presumably prepared at the same time and they show the wrong manufacturing plant? Mysterious.

In any event, I updated the page at my Tallmantz site: https://www.aerovintage.com/the-tallmantz-a-24b/. A copy of the record card is on that page.

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Scott Thompson
Aero Vintage Books
http://www.aerovintage.com
WIX Subscriber Since July 2017

Good stuff, Scott! Would be cool if another Dauntless could take on those Leppla and Liska markings.

Now to track down these two other ex-Mexican Air Force A-24s, seen in Acapulco, from the 1964 movie Ensign Pulver:

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All right, Mister Dorfmann, start pullin'!
Pilot: "Flap switch works hard in down position."
Mechanic: "Flap switch checked OK. Pilot needs more P.T." - Flight report, TB-17G 42-102875 (Hobbs AAF)