The A-36 Apache was the ground-attack and dive bomber version developed on the first batches of the famous fighter North American P-51 Mustang. The Apache was used by several U.S Air Force Squadrons during the last stages of North African campaign, during the invasion of Sicily and the campaign of Italy. Thanks to Its powerful V12 engine, with 1,325 HP, A-36 was able to reach a maximum speed of 600 Km/h. Armed with 6 Browning M2 0.5 machine guns, the A-36 Apache was able to load, in its two under wings hard points, up to 1,000 lb. of bombs. The dive breaks and the reinforced wing structures gave the A-36 a great stability and a great efficiency and precision in ground-attack missions. However, by mid of 1944, the A-36 were replaced, to perform ground-attack operating duties, by the more modern and more powerful Republic P-47 Thunderbolts