Curtiss A - 18 Shrike The Curtiss A - 18 " Model 76A Shrike II " was a 1930s United States twin - engine ground - attack aircraft . It was the production test version of that company ' s Curtiss A - 14 Shrike . Design and development . In the years leading up to World War II , the United States Army Air Corps were interested in attack aircraft capable of carrying larger bomb loads with greater firepower . The attack aircraft design standard essentially became a light bomber with firepower only slightly less than the medium bomber s being developed as the standard machine gun generally was replaced by ones on new aircraft in development . The Curtiss YA - 14 prototype that emerged in 1935 was one of the first single - mission attack aircraft . Although it looked purposeful with its slender fuselage , thin nose and sleek streamlining , the A - 14 was hampered by a lack of power , despite its two Wright Whirlwind radial engines . Nevertheless , the prototype was able to achieve a maximum speed of , outstripping the front line Boeing P - 26 fighter by . Re - engined with Curtiss R - 1670 - 5 engines , it was delivered to the Army under serial number 36 - 146 . Operational history . A newly improved variant , the Y1A - 18 had upgraded Wright R - 1820 - 47 radial engines with three - blade propellers replacing the original two - blade models . Thirteen aircraft were produced , serial numbers 37 - 52 through 37 - 64 , and although successful in testing , further production was not ordered due to a lack of funds and the availability of more advanced aircraft ( such as the Douglas A - 20 Havoc ) under design . After completion of service testing , the Y1A - 18s were re - designated A - 18 . They were assigned to the 8th Attack Squadron , 3rd Attack Group at Barksdale Field , Louisiana in 1937 . The squadron won the coveted Harmon Trophy for gunnery and bombing accuracy in their first year of service . During its service with the 8th Attack Squadron , the retractable landing gear of the A - 18 had an inherent weakness , with no less than eight of the 13 A - 18s suffering from a landing gear collapse on landing or roll - out . The last of the A - 18s with the 8th were replaced by early - model A - 20 Havoc s in 1941 . The A - 18 was only used for a short time before being replaced by more advanced attack aircraft . After its service with the 8th AS , the aircraft were assigned to several Light Bombardment Squadrons during 1940 - 42 , likely being used as support aircraft . The last A - 18 Shrike II was retired from front line squadrons in 1942 ; none of the aircraft were ever used in combat . Lastly , four of the A - 18s ( 37 - 52 , 37 - 56 , 37 - 61 and one other un - identified ) were assigned to the Caribbean Air Force in late November 1941 and were based initially at Albrook Field . Three of the aircraft were first assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron , 12th Pursuit Wing , while the fourth aircraft was assigned to HHS Bomber Command ( later VI Bomber Command ) at Albrook . The aircraft remained with these units though February 1942 . By December 1942 , two or three of the aircraft were still airworthy . One was employed as a tow target tug , the other two were operated as reconnaissance aircraft by the 108th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Special ) from Howard Field , patrolling the approaches to the Panama Canal . A - 18 37 - 61 was damaged in a landing accident at Albrook field on 22 February 1943 , and cannibalization kept at least one aircraft flying until it was grounded due to a lack of spare parts . Serial 37 - 56 was transferred to instructional airframe training at Howard . All were eventually scrapped in the Canal Zone by the end of 1943 .