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A-26 Invader

Douglas A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader:B-26
USAAF A-26B-35-DL
Type Light bomber/attack aircraft
Manufacturer Douglas Aircraft Company
Maiden flight 1942
Retired 1972
Primary users United States Army Air Forces
United States Air Force
Unit cost US$242,595[1]

First flown in 1942, the American Douglas A-26 Invader (after 1948, the B-26, and after 1966, the A-26A) was a twin-engined light attack bomber aircraft built during World War II and seeing service in both the Korean and Vietnam wars. A limited number of highly modified aircraft served in combat until 1969. The last A-26 was retired from service in 1972 by the National Guard Bureau and donated to the National Air and Space Museum.


Contents

Design and development

The A-26 was an unusual design for an attack bomber of that period, as it was designed as a single pilot airplane. The traditional co-pilot's seat did not have flight controls. Instead, a crew person who served as a navigator and bombardier sat in that position.

The Douglas XA-26 prototype first flew July 10, 1942. The A-26 was originally built in two different configurations: the A-26B had a solid nose, which normally housed six or eight .50 caliber machine guns, while the A-26C’s glass nose contained a Norden bombsight and was used for medium altitude precision bombing. Some aircraft were armed with additional guns in their wings, giving some configurations as many as fourteen .50 caliber machine guns fixed forward.

Operational service

The Douglas company began delivering the production model A-26B in August 1943. Douglas Invaders began arriving in England in September 1944 for assignment to the 9th Air Force and entered combat two months later on Nov. 19. Invaders appeared in the Pacific Theater in January 1945 and proved to be highly effective during the remaining months of the war. It proved to be one of the finest aircraft developed in World War II.

The USAF Strategic Air Command had the B-26 (RB-26) in service from 1949 through 1950. The US Navy also used a small number of these aircraft in their utility squadrons for target towing and general utility use. The Navy designation was JD-1 and JD-1D until 1962, when the JD-1 was redesignated UB-26J and the JD-1D was redesignated DB-26J.

In the 1960s, Invaders provided by Intermountain Airlines were flown by Cuban exiles during the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. CIA mercenary pilots in the Congo also flew them against "Simba" rebels who were supported by the Chinese and Soviets.

During the early phase of the Vietnam War, the On Mark Engineering Company from Van Nuys, California was selected by the Air Force to extensively upgrade the Invader for a Counter Insurgency role. On Mark converted 40 Invaders to the new B-26K Counter Invader standard, which included upgraded engines, re-manufactured wings and wing tip fuel tanks. In May 1966, the B-26K was re-designated A-26A and deployed in Thailand to help disrupt supplies moving along the Ho Chi Minh trail.

Civilian use

After military service, many A-26 aircraft were converted to "water bombers" and used to fight forest fires in the United States and Canada. Still other A-26 aircraft were converted to executive transport aircraft and were used into the 1990s.

A-26 Invader:A B-26 water bomber at the BC Aviation Museum, Sidney, BC
Enlarge
A B-26 water bomber at the BC Aviation Museum, Sidney, BC

Two A-26s were used in the 1989 Steven Spielberg film, Always, as fire bombers. The flying for the movie was performed by well-known movie pilot Steve Hinton and Dennis Lynch, the owner of the A-26s.

Military operators

Specifications (A-26B-60-DL Invader)

General characteristics<h3>
  • Crew: 3
  • Length: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
  • Wingspan: 70 ft 0 in (21.34 m)
  • Height: 18 ft 3 in (5.64 m)
  • Wing area: 540 ft² (50 m²)
  • Empty weight: 22,850 lb (10,365 kg)
  • Loaded weight: 27,600 lb (12,519 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 35,000 lb (15,900 kg)
  • Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27 "Double Wasp" radials, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each
<h3>Performance<h3><h3>Armament<h3>
  • Guns:
    • 8× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in the nose
    • 6× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in the wings
    • 2× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in remote-controlled dorsal turret
    • 2× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in remote-controlled ventral turret
  • Bombs: 6,000 lb (2,700 kg)-4,000 lb in the bomb bay and 2,000 lb external on the wings

Survivors

Note: This list is incomplete - please help us

References

  1. ^ Knaack, MS (1988). Post-World War II bombers, 1945-1973. Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-16-002260-6.

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<h3>Designation sequence<h3>

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Korean War aircraft | U.S. attack aircraft 1940-1949 | U.S. attack aircraft 1960-1969 | U.S. bomber aircraft 1940-1949 | U.S. bomber aircraft 1950-1959 | Vietnam War aircraft | World War II American ground attack aircraft

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