A Day with A-36 Dive Bombers in Sicily -1943 - NEW HD Exclusive Extended Version - Restored

Exclusive - Now in HD with additional footage showing new scenes added in 2023. The A-36 was the ground attack variant of the P-51 Mustang and was known as "the Invader" This exciting film includes incredible cockpit views of screaming, nearly vertical dive bombing runs. This is very rare color combat footage of an A-36A fighter-bomber squadron in action in Sicily. I compiled and edited this unique extended restored color version of the film using multiple sources. The A36A was equipped with the Mustang's original Allison engine, as opposed to the Rolls Royce Merlin adapted so successfully in the high altitude escort versions, which worked just fine for low level work. Note the quad 20mm canons on this fast and powerful attack plane, very unusual on an American fighter. You'll also see ground crews doing their critical support work, including fueling, rearming and maintaining these sleek birds.
Hidden gems in this film are up close views of captured or destroyed Axis aircraft, including an He 111 and a very rare color view of an intact Italian Macchi 202 "Folgore" in full desert cammo.
And yes, I know there was another US aircraft introduced later in World War 2 also called "The Invader," the Douglas A-26. Apparently, the Army Air Force really liked that name.
Zeno, Zeno's Warbird Video Drive-In
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[@ZenosWarbirds]

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[@hughbeein1265]

Terrific color work. Great to see.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

Thanks! I found archival copies of parts of the film that are much clearer than what I had 10 years ago that I swapped out. They were faded, but I could fix that, correct the color etc.

[@markjones7185]

Off the main topic, and this is great historical footage, but that Italian Macchi fighter should be in a museum, never saw such a detailed look of one.

[@ronhudson3730]

A fascination video. A comment and a request if you don’t mind. Not sure the music is in the original mix but it seemed somewhat out of place and the volume seemed too high related to the voiceover - which I assume was on the original film? Is it possible to annotate the video with captions to provide more biographical, technical and geographical explanation? Thank you.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

When the narrator is speaking, the music is the original background music and it’s the original mix. That kind of swing/jazz was popular at the time. I did a bit of equalization to add more emphasis to the vocal, but that only made a slight difference. It is what it is. I pondered adding a few explanatory graphics, but I decided to keep it uncluttered.

[@sabeda1647]

love the chin guns and the cannon mustang cameos

[@stulynn2005]

Interesting I never knew the designation change for the 51 before this and never heard of it as a dive bomber squadron

[@tristanholland6445]

There was far more than one squadron of A-36. They were used extensively in the CBI as well. The A-36 was a P-51A with dive brakes.

[@captainclone1367]

@@tristanholland6445 Dive brakes AND 4 20mm cannons on later models! The P-51A had 4 .50 cals!

[@robertwarner5963]

@@captainclone1367 American factories struggled to build reliable 20mm Hispano-Suiza cannons, so most USAF WW2 airplanes got reliable Browning .50 caliber machine guns.

[@maxcleveland3446]

Initially named "Apache" which didnt stick. Allison engines were great; Simple and strong. Just suffered from a low critical altitude.

[@robertspence831]

This is good stuff. Thanks!

[@ZenosWarbirds]

You are welcome!

[@06savoy]

VERY nice !!! Thanks Z !!

[@WarblesOnALot]

G'day, Wow ! Thanks for locating, re-mastering, and posting this...; it's bloody marvelous, a real Humm-Dinger ! Well done. Keep on keepin' on... Stay safe. ;-p Ciao !

[@ZenosWarbirds]

My pleasure👍

[@ftargr]

holy shit a macchi c202

[@nunyabeeswax3936]

Was this done in Scicilly prior to the Straffing & bombing of Italy's railroads and such by Thunderbolt P 47s?

[@ZenosWarbirds]

There’s a slate on the raw footage for this A-36 film that reads 8/14/43. William Wyler shot the 57th fighter group for Thunderbolt in the spring of 1944. So yes, this was shot prior.

[@thomasheckhaus205]

Can you lower the music volume and raise the commentary volume during restoration? The dang music is very distracting. Otherwise great video. Thanks

[@ZenosWarbirds]

When the narrator is speaking, the music is the original background and it’s the original mix. I did a bit of equalization to add more emphasis to the vocal, but that only made a slight difference. It is what it is.

[@jb6027]

Interesting. There's a lot written lately as to how "Invader" wasn't not actually used as a name for the A-36. This film is proof that "Invader" was at least a collo.quial name for he A-36 by at least those who flew and worked on them.

[@ZenosWarbirds]

“Invader” is actually written on the fuselage of some of the aircraft. It was used later for the A-26. The Army Air Corps wasn’t very strict about that kind of thing.

[@jb6027]

@@ZenosWarbirds Yes, Sir, I'm aware of that. My point is that some authors are maintaining that the A-36 was always know as a Mustang, and the Invader name was a mythical name that was never used. Your video pretty much puts that assertion to rest. 👍

[@dennissmith8947]

The Allison engined Mustangs are slimmer, sleeker and better looking than the Merlins

[@tristanholland6445]

Yeah but that Allison engine just didn’t cut it and looks don’t win against a Luftwaffe experten in a Me-109 of Fw-190. And my opinion the P-51B with the Packard Merlin is the best looking.

[@Ian-mj4pt]

@@tristanholland6445 exactly

[@jiminmichigan01]

Greetings all. I'm looking for any info regarding the crash site of the B-24 Utah Man. Thanks in advance.

[@thehighwayman78]

The audio gate is as trigger happy as the pilots 😅