1/72 Testors SBD Dauntless 

conversion to Mexican A-24B Banshee

by Billbuccaneer (aka Billy Calzada)

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  Happy 16 de  Septiembre! 

 

Testors 1/72 SBD Dauntless finished as A-24B Banshee of the Mexican Air Force (FAM) circa 1950 in Yucatan.  The natural metal airplane has a replacement wing and cowling from an American A-24. Incidentally, A-24 was the USAAF designation for their version of the Navy Dauntless dive bomber.  The A-24 lacked the tailhook and employed a larger pneumatic tailwheel.  A-24s were supplied to Mexico for anti-submarine patrol beginning in 1943.  The Mexicans lost several ships to German U-boats during the second world war.  The A-24s were finally withdrawn from service in 1960.

Click on images below to see larger images

My sources for this build included the Latin American Aviation Society website (www.laahs.com), and a fascinating article by Mr. Manuel Guajardo.  A picture of this aircraft can be found in the Squadron SBD booklet.

This model includes a scratch-built interior and white metal .30 caliber twin tail guns by Aeroclub.  I don't know if these were utilized by the Mexicans but they are too good to leave out. The metal exhausts are by Moskit and rubber tires by Equipage. The markings are by Aztec Decals. The gun tub and gun doors, as well as landing gear and nav lights, are scratch built.

Billy

Photos and text © by Billy Calzada