Not the venerable Dauntless. Worth a bonus clue in addition to the daily.
Also, my availability for the next while is going to be... unpredictable. So I'm posting clues today that maybe won't quite give the game away, but will hopefully increase the odds of someone figuring it out:
1 - A significant aircraft yet often considered “second best”.
2 - It’s “deficiencies” could be blamed on different design requirements compared to its stablemate.
3 - However those requirements resulted in a more versatile aircraft.
4 - Those who flew in them really liked them. Possibly even over their "better" stablemate.
5 - For one thing, if things went south, you were more likely to survive.
6 - A change of engine in later designs gave it a noticeable increase in performance, as well as increased reliability and survivability.
7 - Saw service with at least four nations.
8 - No airworthy examples exist today.
9 - Saw service in Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Far East.
10 - Unusually for this type of aircraft, for a time some sported alternating black & white bands on the wings & aft fuselage.
11 - The manufacturer had long experience in building planes of this sort.
12 - Took part in many large-scale actions, some of which were as much for propaganda as for practical purposes.
13 - Retired from it's primary purpose fairly soon after the war ended.
14 - Over 6,000 built.
15 - The first prototype took its first flight in October 1939.
16 - In addition to its primary function, this aircraft was operated in ASW, ELINT, ECM and SOE roles.
17 - Among its aerial victories was an ME-163... shot down in a rare night encounter.