Vultee Vengeance
Vultee Aircraft · Dive Bomber / Dive Bombing · USA · WWII (1939–1945)
The Vultee A-31 / A-35 Vengeance was a U.S.-designed dive bomber built primarily for export to the Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Indian Air Force, and Brazilian Air Force during WWII. Vultee Aircraft built 1,931 Vengeances between 1941 and 1944. The aircraft was originally designed to a French Air Force 1940 specification but France fell to Germany before any deliveries; the entire production run was diverted to British Empire and other Allied users. The Vengeance saw heavy combat in the China-Burma-India theatre as the principal Royal Air Force / Indian Air Force / Royal Australian Air Force dive bomber against Japanese forces 1942-1944.
The Vengeance was a two-seat low-wing all-metal aircraft with the unusual feature of zero wing dihedral and zero wing incidence — the wing was bolted onto the fuselage at exactly horizontal angle. Power: Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone 14-cylinder radial (1,700 hp). Maximum speed 273 mph; range 1,200 miles; service ceiling 22,300 ft. Bomb load: 2,000 lb internal in the bomb bay. Defensive armament: typically four wing-mounted .30-cal Browning machine guns + one flexible .50-cal in the rear cockpit. The wing geometry was driven by the French 1940 dive-bomber specification's requirement for an extremely-vertical 90° dive angle (vs. the typical 70° dive of contemporary U.S. and British dive bombers).
Combat use was concentrated in the China-Burma-India theatre. RAF, RAAF, and Indian Air Force Vengeances flew in the 1942-1944 Burma campaign against Japanese forces, supporting British and Commonwealth ground forces in the Arakan, Imphal, and Kohima battles. The aircraft was effective against Japanese supply dumps, tank concentrations, and shipping along the Burmese coast. By mid-1944 the Vengeance was being phased out in favour of the more-versatile Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito for close-support air support. Brazilian Air Force Vengeances flew anti-submarine patrols off the South Atlantic coast 1942-1944.
The Vengeance had a mixed reputation. Aircrew praised the aircraft's stability in the dive — the unique wing geometry let the type make near-vertical dive attacks more accurately than contemporary American or British dive bombers. But the aircraft was slow, vulnerable to fighter attack, and underpowered for sustained operations in the heat of Burma's monsoon climate. Production ended in 1944 after 1,931 airframes; the type was retired from front-line service by V-J Day. Only 2 Vengeance airframes survive today: one at the Royal Australian Air Force Museum at Point Cook, Australia, and one at the Camden Museum of Aviation in New South Wales.
For Kids — a shorter, friendlier version
The Vultee Vengeance was a dive bomber used in World War Two. It was designed in America and built mainly for other countries to use. Vultee Aircraft made 1,931 of these planes between 1941 and 1944. That is a lot of aircraft!
The Vengeance was first designed for France. But Germany took over France before any planes could be delivered. So all the Vengeances went to British, Australian, Indian, and Brazilian air forces instead.
This plane fought hard in the jungles of Burma and China. It was the main dive bomber used against Japanese forces from 1942 to 1944. Pilots would dive steeply toward targets and drop bombs very accurately. The Vengeance was a trusted workhorse in that part of the war.
The Vengeance carried two crew members — a pilot and a gunner. It had metal wings that were completely flat, with no upward or downward tilt at all. This flat wing design was very unusual for aircraft of that time. The plane could carry bombs heavier than most family cars can hold.
Fun Facts
- Nearly 2,000 Vengeance planes were built in just three years.
- The Vengeance was designed for France, but France never received a single one.
- Its wings were bolted on perfectly flat — most planes have wings that angle upward.
- The Vengeance could fly faster than 270 miles per hour.
- It could carry a bomb load heavier than a large motorcycle — about 2,000 pounds!
- The plane had a range longer than a drive from New York to Chicago.
- It flew in the steamy jungles of Burma, India, and China during the war.
- The Vengeance had four machine guns in the wings and one more in the back seat.
Kids’ Questions
What is a dive bomber?
A dive bomber is a plane that flies high, then dives steeply down toward a target. The pilot releases bombs at just the right moment during the dive. This made the bombs much more accurate than dropping them from flat flight.
Why were the Vengeance wings so flat?
Most plane wings angle slightly upward, which helps keep the plane steady. The Vengeance had wings bolted on at a perfectly flat, horizontal angle — no tilt at all. This was a very unusual design choice for its time.
Who flew the Vengeance in battle?
Pilots from Britain, Australia, and India flew the Vengeance in combat. They used it mainly against Japanese forces in Burma and China. It was the main dive bomber for those air forces in that part of the world.
Variants
- A-31 / Vengeance Mk I-IV
- Original 1941-1942 production. Wright R-2600-A5B engine. Most went to RAF as Vengeance I-III. About 1,000 built combined.
- A-35 / Vengeance Mk IV (USAAF designation)
- Improved 1943-1944 production with R-2600-13 engine, wing armament increased to four .50-cal Browning machine guns. About 831 built.
Notable Operators
- Royal Air Force / Royal Australian Air Force / Indian Air Force
- Largest combined user. About 1,500 Vengeances served Empire forces in the China-Burma-India theatre 1942-1944. RAF Squadrons 82, 84, 110, 8, 45, 110 used the type in the Burma campaign.
- Brazilian Air Force
- About 31 Vengeances delivered. Used for South Atlantic anti-submarine patrols 1942-1944.
- Free French Air Force
- About 14 Vengeances delivered to Free French squadrons in North Africa and Italy. Service was brief.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Vengeance have zero wing dihedral?
The original 1940 French Air Force specification required a 90° vertical dive angle (vs. the typical 70° dive of contemporary U.S. and British dive bombers). To make 90° dive accurate, the wing had to be mounted at exactly horizontal angle — zero dihedral and zero incidence — so the pilot could use the wing's leading edge as a sighting reference for the nearly-vertical dive line.
Where did the Vengeance fight?
Primarily the China-Burma-India theatre. RAF, RAAF, and Indian Air Force Vengeance squadrons supported British and Commonwealth ground forces during the 1942-1944 Burma campaign — Arakan, Imphal, Kohima, and the recapture of Burma. Brazilian Vengeances also flew South Atlantic anti-submarine patrols.
How many Vengeances were built?
1,931 airframes between 1941 and 1944. Production was at Vultee's Nashville, Tennessee plant. The aircraft was originally designed to a French specification before France's 1940 fall; the entire production run was diverted to British Empire and other Allied users.
Why was the Vengeance phased out?
By mid-1944 the more-versatile Bristol Beaufighter and de Havilland Mosquito were proving more useful for the close-support air-support role in Burma. The Vengeance was slow, vulnerable to fighter attack, and underpowered for sustained operations in monsoon climate. RAF and Commonwealth users withdrew the type from front-line service by late 1944.
Are any Vengeances preserved?
Only two airframes survive worldwide. One at the Royal Australian Air Force Museum at Point Cook, Victoria; one at the Camden Museum of Aviation in New South Wales. No flying restoration is in progress.
Sources
See Also
- Douglas SBD Dauntless — U.S. Navy carrier dive-bomber contemporary
- Curtiss SB2C Helldiver — Sister U.S. dive-bomber contemporary
- Junkers Ju 87 Stuka — German dive-bomber contemporary (the design Vengeance attempted to match)
- Bristol Beaufighter — RAF Burma-campaign close-support aircraft (eventual Vengeance replacement)
- de Havilland Mosquito — RAF close-support-strike aircraft (Vengeance replacement in 1944)