Vengeance III

Vengeance III, the final iteration of Vultee Aircraft’s renowned Vengeance series, first flew in late 1944 as a response to the United States Army Air Forces’ demand for a fast, low‑level attack bomber capable of delivering heavy ordnance with precision. Built on the proven airframe of the Vengeance II, the III incorporated a streamlined rounded nose, a fully retractable tricycle landing gear, and a strengthened wing spar to support a 2,000‑pound bomb load. Powered by a 1,850 hp Pratt & Whitney R‑2800‑C Double Wasp radial engine, it could reach 380 mph at 15,000 ft and sustain a combat radius of 850 nm. Advanced features included a fully analog fire‑control computer, an onboard radar‑mapping system, and a modular cockpit that allowed quick conversion between pilot‑only and two‑man crew configurations. Only 112 units were produced before the program was cancelled in 1947 as jet propulsion eclipsed piston‑engine designs. Though its operational record was brief, the Vengeance III demonstrated the limits of propeller‑driven attack aircraft and provided valuable data that influenced later tactical bombers such as the B‑26 and early jet‑age strike platforms. Today a handful survive in museums, reminding visitors of the ingenuity of late‑war engineering and the bridge between piston and jet combat design.