The Douglas XBT2D-1 was designed in the early 1940s and was first flown in prototype form (BuAer 09086) on 18 March 1945 by LaVerne Brown, the type entering service as the AD-1 in 1946 and commenced service in the Korean War with the US Navy and US Marine Corps.

n 1938 Curtiss Wright was developing a new dive bomber for the US Navy known as the SB2C (scout bomber, 2nd type, Curtiss), and it eventually became known as the Helldiver in November 1941.

In the 1920s Curtiss developed a series of biplane fighters, variants of which were built as civil aircraft, including the Conqueror Mailplane, D-12 Mailplane, and the Lindbergh Special built specially for Charles Lindberg.