Last USAF F-38?

[LegendaryWings]

Where did you find the aircraft record card?

[JohnB]

Anyone notice in the photo above the drone has an AA buzz number prefix while the director has a ZF?

I have never heard of a ZF Buzz number prefix.

In the pre 1962 USAF designation system, "Z' was the status code for obsolete placed in front of the mission modified prefix, (Example the EZB-24, the last USAF Liberator used for ice research previously mentioned).
(The E is another status code....Exempt...meaning exempt from Tech Order modification requirements).

But the mission modifier for drone directors was " D" which meant a post 1947 F-24 would be a DF-24...or a ZDF-24.

[quemerford]

It was a ZDF-24A, as stated above.

These 'out-of-phase' buzz numbers are quite common: there was a 'JF' buzz-numbered (exempt) test F-86D for example. I suspect they were locally-applied interpretations. 'ZF' in the case of the [ZDF]/A-24 above being, I'd guess, a Wright-Patt signifier of 'obsolete fighter'. Equally they could have done 'ZA' or even 'DA'. It must have been quite difficult to identify an obsolete director-fighter, previously-attack aircraft.

[JohnB]

I saw your DZF-24 reference, I was just trying to explain the etymology for the designation.

I wonder if the type stayed in service longer in the Air Force than Navy. And while I'm sure someone here can find a post-'47 photo of an SBD, I can't say I've ever seen one.

[quemerford]

Bear in mind that there were two other A-24 serial number allocations: 48-044 and 045. Baugher lists these as ex-42-6783 and it could be assumed that the other one is ex-42-54664 but I'm not convinced this is correct. More likely I think is that both were transferred from the Navy and so it's possible that SBDs were in service (or at least available) into the late '40s.

[JohnB]

Aside from having some parked somewhere available to give away to foreign usets or the AF, is there any indication of actual USN use (Reserves, test aircraft, hacks) in the late 40s?

It seems like the Navy had so many available TBMs and Helldivers they didn't have much use for SBDs.

[Steve Nelson]

Fascinating thread. I'm actually going to be visiting the Bong Museum in a couple days.

SN