Douglas A-26 Invader
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The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined
light bomber A light bomber is a relatively small and fast type of military bomber aircraft that was primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance. The earliest light bombers were intended to dro ...
and
ground attack In military tactics, close air support (CAS) is defined as air action such as air strikes by fixed or rotary-winged aircraft against hostile targets near friendly forces and require detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement ...
aircraft. Built by
Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer based in Southern California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas; it then operated as ...
during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the Invader also saw service during several major
Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
conflicts. A limited number of highly modified
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
aircraft served in
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
until 1969. It was a fast aircraft capable of carrying a large bomb load. A range of guns could be fitted to produce a formidable ground-attack aircraft.Wheeler 1992, p. 82. A redesignation of the type from A-26 to B-26 led to confusion with the
Martin B-26 Marauder The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engined medium bomber that saw extensive service during World War II. The B-26 was built at two locations: Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska, by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in t ...
, which first flew in November 1940, some 20 months before the Douglas design's maiden flight. Although both aircraft were powered by the widely used
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family of engines. The R-2800 saw widespread use in many importan ...
18-cylinder, double-row
radial engine The radial engine is a reciprocating type internal combustion engine configuration in which the cylinders "radiate" outward from a central crankcase like the spokes of a wheel. It resembles a stylized star when viewed from the front, and is ca ...
, they were completely different and separate designs, with some 5,300 Marauders produced to 2,503 Invaders.


Design and development

The A-26 was Douglas Aircraft's successor to the A-20 (DB-7) Havoc, also known as Douglas Boston. Designed by
Ed Heinemann Edward Henry Heinemann (March 14, 1908 – November 26, 1991) was a military aircraft designer for the Douglas Aircraft Company. Biography Heinemann was born in Saginaw, Michigan. He moved to California as a boy and was raised in Los Angeles. A ...
, Robert Donovan, and Ted R. Smith,Francillon 1979 the innovative NACA 65-215 laminar-flow airfoil wing of the A-26 was the work of project aerodynamicist
A.M.O. Smith Apollo Milton Olin Smith (usually referred to as A.M.O. Smith) (July 2, 1911 – May 1, 1997) was an important figure in the aerodynamics field at Douglas Aircraft from 1938 to 1975 and an early pioneer in the area of computational fluid dynamics. ...
. The Douglas XA-26
prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and Software prototyping, software programming. A prototyp ...
(AAC Ser. No. 41-19504) first flew on 10 July 1942 at
Mines Field Los Angeles International Airport , commonly referred to as LAX (with each letter pronounced individually), is the primary international airport serving Los Angeles, California and its surrounding metropolitan area. LAX is located in the ...
, El Segundo, with test pilot Benny Howard at the controls. Flight tests revealed excellent performance and handling, but engine-cooling problems led to
cowling A cowling is the removable covering of a vehicle's engine, most often found on automobiles, motorcycles, airplanes, and on outboard boat motors. On airplanes, cowlings are used to reduce drag and to cool the engine. On boats, cowlings are a cove ...
changes and elimination of the
propeller A propeller (colloquially often called a screw if on a ship or an airscrew if on an aircraft) is a device with a rotating hub and radiating blades that are set at a pitch to form a helical spiral which, when rotated, exerts linear thrust upon ...
spinners on production aircraft. During testing, the nose wheel was found to be structurally inadequate, thus the nose gear was redesigned and made more structurally sound. The early A-26 versions were built in two configurations: * The A-26B gun-nose could be equipped with a combination of armament, including .50 caliber machine guns, 20 or 37mm auto cannon, or an experimental 75mm pack howitzer (never used operationally). The 'B' gun-nose version housed six (and later, eight) .50 caliber machine guns, officially the "all-purpose nose", later known as the "six-gun nose" or "eight-gun nose". * The A-26Cs "glass" "Bombardier nose", contained a
Norden bombsight The Norden Mk. XV, known as the Norden M series in U.S. Army service, is a bombsight that was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) and the United States Navy during World War II, and the United States Air Force in the Korean and t ...
for medium-altitude precision bombing. The A-26C nose section included two fixed M-2 guns, but those were eliminated after underwing gun packs or internal guns in the wings proved effective during colder weather. After about 1,570 production aircraft, three guns were installed in each wing, coinciding with the introduction of the "eight-gun nose" for A-26Bs, giving some configurations as many as 14 .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in fixed forward mounts. An A-26C nose section could be replaced with an A-26B nose section, or vice versa, in a few hours, thus physically (and officially) changing the designation and operational role. The "flat-topped"
canopy Canopy may refer to: Plants * Canopy (biology), aboveground portion of plant community or crop (including forests) * Canopy (grape), aboveground portion of grapes Religion and ceremonies * Baldachin or canopy of state, typically placed over an ...
was changed in late 1944 after about 820 production aircraft, to a clamshell style with greatly improved visibility.Thompson 2002 Alongside the pilot in an A-26B, a crew member served as
navigator A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation.Grierson, MikeAviation History—Demise of the Flight Navigator FrancoFlyers.org website, October 14, 2008. Retrieved August 31, 2014. The navigator's primar ...
and gun loader for the pilot-operated nose guns. In an A-26C, that crew member served as navigator and bombardier, and relocated to the nose section for the bombing phase of an operation. A few A-26Cs were fitted with dual flight controls, some parts of which could be disabled in flight for access to the nose section. Access for the bombardier was through the lower section of the right instrument panel; he normally sat next to the pilot. This was similar to British designs such as the Lancaster, Blenheim/ Beaufort,
Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
, etc. A tractor-style "jump seat" was behind the "navigator's seat". In most missions, a third crew member in the rear gunner's compartment operated the remote-controlled dorsal and ventral gun turrets, with access to-and-from the cockpit via the bomb bay only if that was empty. The gunner operated both dorsal and ventral turrets via a novel and complex (and problematic) dual-ended periscope sight, a vertical column running through the center of the rear compartment, with traversing and elevating/depressing periscope sights on each end. The gunner sat on a seat facing rearward looking into a binocular periscope sight mounted on the column, controlling the guns with a pair of handles on the sides of the column. Aimed above the centerline of the aircraft, the mirror in the center of the column 'flipped', showing the gunner a limited view similar to the view the upper periscope was seeing. As he pressed the handles downward, and as the bead passed the centerline, the mirror automatically flipped, transferring the sight "seamlessly" to the lower periscope. The guns aimed in the approximate direction the periscope was aimed, automatically transferring between upper and lower turrets as required, and computing for parallax and other factors. While novel and sound in principle, the developers invested a great deal of time and effort in their attempts to get the system to work effectively, delaying production. As might be expected, the complex system was difficult to maintain in the field.Johnsen 1999


Operational history


World War II


Pacific

The Douglas company delivered production model A-26B aircraft to the
United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
(USAAF) on 10 September 1943, with the new bomber seeing action with the
Fifth Air Force The Fifth Air Force (5 AF) is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Pacific Air Forces (PACAF). It is headquartered at Yokota Air Base, Japan. It is the U.S. Air Force's oldest continuously serving Numbered Air Force. The organizat ...
in the
Southwest Pacific theater The South West Pacific theatre, during World War II, was a major theatre of the war between the Allies and the Axis. It included the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies (except for Sumatra), Borneo, Australia and its mandate Territory of ...
on 23 June 1944, while
Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
-held islands near
Manokwari Manokwari is a coastal town and the capital of the Indonesian province of West Papua. It is one of only seven provincial capitals of Indonesia without a city status. It is also the administrative seat of Manokwari Regency. However, under pro ...
were attacked. The pilots in the 3rd Bomb Group's 13th Squadron, "The Grim Reapers", receiving the first four A-26s for evaluation, suddenly discovered the downward view from the cockpit was hindered by the engines, and woefully inadequate for its intended role as ground support. General
George Kenney George Churchill Kenney (August 6, 1889 – August 9, 1977) was a United States Army general during World War II. He is best known as the commander of the Allied Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA), a position he held between Augu ...
, commander of the
Far East Air Forces Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) is a Major Command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force and is also the air component command of the United States Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM). PACAF is headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam (fo ...
, stated, "We do not want the A-26 under any circumstances as a replacement for anything."O'Leary 2002, p. 42. Until changes could be made, the 3rd Bombardment Group requested additional
Douglas A-20 Havoc The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) is an American medium bomber, attack aircraft, night intruder, night fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft of World War II. Designed to meet an Army Air Corps requirement for a bomber, it was o ...
s, although both types were used in composite flights.Mesko 1980, p. 17. The 319th Bomb Group worked on the A-26 in March 1945, joining the initial 3rd BG, with the 319th flying until 12 August 1945. The A-26 operations wound down in mid-August 1945 after a few dozen missions. Some A-20 and B-25 AAF units in the Pacific received the A-26 for trials in limited quantities.


Europe

Douglas needed better results from the Invader's second combat test, so ferried A-26s arrived in Europe in late September 1944 for assignment to the
Ninth Air Force The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force headquartered at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. It is the Air Force Service Component of United States Central Command (USCENTCOM), a joint De ...
. The initial deployment involved 18 aircraft and crews assigned to the 553d Squadron of the 386th Bomb Group. This unit flew their first mission on 6 September 1944. No aircraft were lost on the eight test missions, and the Ninth Air Force announced they were satisfied, eventually replacing their A-20s and B-26s with the A-26 Invader. The first group to convert to the A-26B was
416th Bombardment Group 416th may refer to: *416th Air Expeditionary Operations Group, provisional unit assigned to the United States Air Force Air Mobility Command *416th Bombardment Wing, inactive United States Air Force unit *416th Engineer Command (TEC), US Army Reser ...
. With it, they entered combat on 17 November, and the 409th Bombardment Group, whose A-26s became operational in late November. Due to a shortage of A-26C variants, the groups flew a combined A-20/A-26 unit until deliveries of the glass-nosed version caught up. Besides bombing and strafing, tactical reconnaissance and night interdiction missions were successful. In contrast to the Pacific-based units, the A-26 was well received by pilots and crew alike, and by 1945, the 9th AF had 11,567 missions, dropping 18,054 tons of bombs, recording seven confirmed kills while losing 67 aircraft.Mesko 1980, p.12. In Italy, the
Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to ...
's 47th Bomb Group also received the A-26 starting in January 1945. They were used against German transport links, and for direct support and interdiction against tanks and troop concentrations in the Po Valley in the final campaigns in Italy.


Postwar era


United States

With the establishment of the
United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signal ...
(USAF) as an independent service in 1947, the
Strategic Air Command Strategic Air Command (SAC) was both a United States Department of Defense Specified Command and a United States Air Force (USAF) Major Command responsible for command and control of the strategic bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile ...
operated the again redesignated B-26 as an RB-26 reconnaissance aircraft in service 1949 to 1950.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
continued operating the B-26 until 1957.
Tactical Air Command Tactical Air Command (TAC) is an inactive United States Air Force organization. It was a Major Command of the United States Air Force, established on 21 March 1946 and headquartered at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. It was inactivated on 1 J ...
operated the aircraft as both a B-26 and later designated back to A-26; the final variant was designated B-26K until 1966, then it again became the A-26A. This final version continued in service through the late 1960s with active-duty special-operations TAC units, and through 1972 with TAC-gained special-operations units of the Air National Guard. The
U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...
obtained Invaders from the USAF to use these aircraft in their utility squadrons (VU) for target towing and general utility until superseded by the DC-130A variant of the
C-130 Hercules The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built by Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin). Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 ...
. The Navy designation was JD-1 and JD-1D until 1962, then the JD-1 was redesignated UB-26J. The JD-1D was also used under the designation of DB-26J. The CIA also used the type for covert operations. The last A-26 in active US service was assigned to the Air National Guard; that aircraft was retired from military service in 1972 by the USAF and the National Guard Bureau, and donated to the
National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the Nat ...
.


=Korean War

= B-26 Invaders of the 3rd Bombardment Group, operating from bases in southern Japan, were among the first USAF aircraft engaged in the
Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
, carrying out missions over South Korea on 27 and 28 June, before carrying out the first USAF bombing mission on North Korea on 29 June 1950, bombing an airfield near
Pyongyang Pyongyang (, , ) is the capital and largest city of North Korea, where it is known as the "Capital of the Revolution". Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River about upstream from its mouth on the Yellow Sea. According to the 2008 populatio ...
.Horne 1984, p. 50. On 10 August 1950, the Air Force Reserve's 452d Bombardment Wing was activated for Korean service."452 Operations Group (AFRC)"
''Air Force Historical Research Agency'', December 1997. Retrieved: 18 April 2010.
It flew its first missions in November 1950 from Itazuke, Japan, providing daylight support, with the 3rd Bomb Wing, consisting of the 8th, 13th, and 90th Bomb Squadrons, flying night missions. Because of the Chinese intervention, they were forced to find another base, so they moved to
Miho Air Base Miho Airbase (美保飛行場) , also known as Yonago Airport is a Japan Air Defense Force (JASDF) base located 11 km northwest of Yonago in Tottori Prefecture. It is owned and operated by JASDF and shares the runway with civil activities. ...
on the west coast of Honshū. In early 1951, they moved to
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base Pusan East (K-9) Air Base was a United States Air Force (USAF) and Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) air base adjacent to the Suyeong River in Haeundae District, Busan, South Korea. It was redeveloped in the 1990s as Centum City, a commercial ...
, continuing their daylight and night-intruder missions. In June 1951, they joined the 3rd Bomb Wing ( Kunsan (K-8)) in night activity only, dividing the target areas, with the 452nd taking the eastern half and the 3rd the western. For their efforts in the Korean War, they received two unit citations and the Korean Presidential Citation. They also received credit for eight campaign operations. In May 1952, they were inactivated. Their aircraft and equipment along with their personnel were absorbed by the 17th Bomb Wing. During their time as an active unit, the 452nd flew 15,000 sorties (7,000 at night) with a loss of 85 crewmen. B-26s were credited with the destruction of 38,500 vehicles, 406 locomotives, 3,700 railway trucks, and seven enemy aircraft on the ground. On 14 September 1951, Captain John S. Walmsley Jr. attacked a supply train. After all his guns simultaneously jammed, he illuminated the target with his searchlight to enable his wingmen to destroy the train. Walmsley was shot down, and posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
. Invaders carried out the last USAF bombing mission of the war 24 minutes before the armistice agreement was signed on 27 June 1953.Francillon 1978, p. 228. In addition to the standard attack versions of the B-26 for night interdiction missions, modified WB-26s and RB-26s of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flew critical weather observation and reconnaissance missions in supporting roles.


=Southeast Asia

= The first B-26s to arrive in Southeast Asia deployed to
Takhli RTAFB Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base is a Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) facility in central Thailand, approximately 144 miles (240 km) northwest of Bangkok in Takhli District, Nakhon Sawan Province. Units Takhli is the home of the Royal Tha ...
,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
in December 1960. These unmarked aircraft, operated under the auspices of the U.S. CIA (
Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
), were augmented by an additional 16 aircraft— 12 B-26Bs and B-26Cs plus four RB-26Cs under
Operation Millpond Operation Millpond, which operated from 13 March 1961 through August 1961, was an American covert operation designed to introduce air power into the Laotian Civil War. A force of 16 A-26 Invader, B26s, 16 Sikorsky H-34s, and other military materi ...
. Their mission was assisting the Royal Lao Government in fighting the Pathet Lao. The repercussions from the
Bay of Pigs invasion The Bay of Pigs Invasion (, sometimes called ''Invasión de Playa Girón'' or ''Batalla de Playa Girón'' after the Playa Girón) was a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in 1961 by Cuban exiles, covertly fina ...
meant no combat missions are known flown, although RB-26Cs operated over Laos until the end of 1961. Then, the aircraft operated in South Vietnam under Project Farm Gate. The only other deployment of B-26 aircraft to Laos prior to the introduction of the B-26K/A-26A was the deployment of two RB-26C aircraft modified for night reconnaissance during May–July 1962 under Project Black Watch. These aircraft, drawn from Farm Gate stocks, were returned at the end of these missions.Smith 1966, p. 7. The aircraft from Laos participated in the early phase of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
with the USAF, but with Vietnamese markings as part of Project Farm Gate. Although Farm Gate operated B-26Bs, B-26Cs, and genuine RB-26Cs, many of these aircraft were operated under the designation RB-26C, although they were used in a combat capacity. During 1963, two RB-26Cs were sent to
Clark AB Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...
in the Philippines for modifications, although not with night systems similar to those modified for Black Watch. The two aircraft returned from Black Watch to Farm Gate were redesignated RB-26L to distinguish them from other modified RB-26Cs, and were assigned to Project Sweet Sue. Farm Gate's B-26s operated alongside the other primary strike aircraft of the time, the
T-28 Trojan The North American Aviation T-28 Trojan is a radial-engine military trainer aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation and used by the United States Air Force and United States Navy beginning in the 1950s. Besides its use as a trainer, ...
, before both aircraft types were replaced by the
Douglas A-1 Skyraider The Douglas A-1 Skyraider (formerly known as the AD Skyraider) is an American single-seat attack aircraft in service from 1946 to the early 1980s. The Skyraider had an unusually long career, remaining in front-line service well into the Jet Age ...
. The B-26s were withdrawn from service in February 1964 after two accidents related to wing-spar fatigue, one during combat in Southeast Asia in August 1963 and one during a demonstration at
Eglin AFB Eglin Air Force Base is a United States Air Force (USAF) base in the western Florida Panhandle, located about southwest of Valparaiso in Okaloosa County. The host unit at Eglin is the 96th Test Wing (formerly the 96th Air Base Wing). The 9 ...
, Florida, in February 1964. On 11 February 1964, two pilots from the
1st Air Commando Wing The 1st Special Operations Wing (1 SOW) at Hurlburt Field, Florida is one of three United States Air Force active duty Special Operations wings and falls under the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). The 1st Special Operations Wing i ...
stationed at Florida's
Hurlburt Field Hurlburt Field is a United States Air Force installation located in Okaloosa County, Florida, immediately west of the town of Mary Esther. It is part of the greater Eglin Air Force Base reservation and is home to Headquarters Air Force Spe ...
died in the crash of a B-26 on Range 52 at Eglin AFB after it lost a wing during pull-out from a demonstration strafing pass. The aircraft was participating in a demonstration of the Special Air Warfare Center's counterinsurgency capabilities, and completed a strafing run demonstration before the incident. SAWC presented the demonstration on an average of twice each month for the previous two years. B-26 aircraft used by USAF Commandos in Vietnam were grounded 8 April 1964 following an investigation into the 11 February incident. B-26 aircraft in use by the South Vietnamese Air Force were also grounded in accordance with the U.S. ruling. In response to this, the
On Mark Engineering On Mark Engineering was an American aircraft remanufacturing company established in 1954 at Van Nuys Airport in California. Its most significant products were rebuilding military surplus A-26 Invaders into executive transports—the Marketeer w ...
Company of
Van Nuys, California Van Nuys () is a neighborhood in the central San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles, California. Home to Van Nuys Airport and the Valley Municipal Building, it is the most populous neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley. History In 1909, ...
, was selected by the USAF to extensively upgrade the Invader for its new
counterinsurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the activities of guerrillas or revolutionari ...
role. The first production flight of the B-26K was on 30 May 1964 at the
Van Nuys Airport : ''For the United States Air Force use of the airport (1942–1990), see Van Nuys Air National Guard Base'' Van Nuys Airport is a public airport in the Van Nuys neighborhood of the City of Los Angeles. The airport is operated by Los Angeles ...
. On Mark converted 40 Invaders to the new B-26K Counter-Invader standard of upgraded engines, propellers, and brakes, remanufactured wings, and wing-tip fuel tanks for use by the
609th Special Operations Squadron The 609th Special Operations Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with the 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Navy Base, Thailand. The squadron served for two and a half years co ...
. In May 1966, the B-26K was again redesignated A-26A for political reasons (Thailand did not allow U.S. bombers in-country at the time, so the Invaders were redesignated again with an "A", for attack aircraft), and deployed in Thailand to help disrupt supplies moving along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Two of these aircraft were modified with a forward-looking infrared radar (FLIR) system under project Lonesome Tiger, as a part of
Operation Shed Light Operation Shed Light was a crash development project in aerial warfare, initiated in 1966 by the United States Air Force to increase the ability to accurately strike at night or in adverse weather. During the 1960s the United States military w ...
.


=CIA

= In early 1961, about 20 B-26Bs, most converted from B-26C configuration, were "sanitized" at Duke Field (also known as Auxiliary Field Three at Eglin AFB), Florida. They had defensive armament removed, and were fitted with the eight-gun nose, underwing drop tanks, and rocket racks. They were flown to a CIA-run base in Guatemala, where training was under way for B-26, C-46, and C-54
Cuban exile A Cuban exile is a person who emigrated from Cuba in the Cuban exodus. Exiles have various differing experiences as emigrants depending on when they migrated during the exodus. Demographics Social class Cuban exiles would come from various ec ...
air crews by personnel from the
Alabama Air National Guard The Alabama Air National Guard (AL ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Alabama, United States of America. It is, along with the Alabama Army National Guard, an element of the Alabama National Guard. As state militia units, the units in ...
. After transfer to Nicaragua in early April 1961, they were painted in the markings of the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria (FAR), the air force of the Cuban government. On 15 April 1961, crewed by Cuban exiles, eight B-26s of the ''Fuerza Aérea de Liberación'' (FAL) attacked three Cuban airfields to destroy FAR combat aircraft on the ground. On 17 April 1961, FAL B-26s supported the seaborne
Bay of Pigs Invasion The Bay of Pigs Invasion (, sometimes called ''Invasión de Playa Girón'' or ''Batalla de Playa Girón'' after the Playa Girón) was a failed military landing operation on the southwestern coast of Cuba in 1961 by Cuban exiles, covertly fina ...
of Cuba. The conflict ended on 19 April, after the loss of nine FAL B-26s, ten Cuban exiles, and four American aircrew in combat. The FAR flew B-26Cs in the conflict, one of which was downed by friendly fire from a CIA "command ship" with the loss of four Cuban aircrew. The
CIA The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...
contracted pilots, some employed during the Bay of Pigs Invasion, to fly B-26Ks for ground attack against ''Simba'' rebels in the
Congo Crisis The Congo Crisis (french: Crise congolaise, link=no) was a period of political upheaval and conflict between 1960 and 1965 in the Republic of the Congo (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo). The crisis began almost immediately after ...
. Newly remanufactured B-26K Counter-Invaders were delivered to the Congo via Hurlburt Field in 1964.


France

In the 1950s, the French Air Force's (') bombing groups (') including
Bombardment Group I/19 Gascogne A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire or by dropping bombs from aircraft on fortifications, combatants, or towns and buildings. Prior to World War I, the term was only applied to the bombardment of defenseless or undefended objects, ...
(GB I/19) and GB 1/25 ''Tunisia'', used B-26s, during the
First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh (Democratic Republic of Vi ...
, lent to France by the USAF.Dorr and Bishop 1996, pp. 8–10. Haiphong Cat Bi-based Douglas B-26 Invaders operated over Dien Bien Phu in March and April 1954 during the
siege of Dien Bien Phu The Battle of Dien Bien Phu (french: Bataille de Diên Biên Phu ; vi, Chiến dịch Điện Biên Phủ, ) was a climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War that took place between 13 March and 7 May 1954. It was fought between the Fr ...
. In this period, a massive use of
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
-based USAF B-29s against the
Viet Minh The Việt Minh (; abbreviated from , chữ Nôm and Hán tự: ; french: Ligue pour l'indépendance du Viêt Nam, ) was a national independence coalition formed at Pác Bó by Hồ Chí Minh on 19 May 1941. Also known as the Việt Minh Fro ...
heavy artillery, including the potential use of nuclear weapons, was planned by the U.S. and French
Joint Chief of Staff The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is the body of the most senior uniformed leaders within the United States Department of Defense, that advises the president of the United States, the secretary of defense, the Homeland Security Council and the ...
as
Operation Vulture Operation Vulture (french: Opération Vautour) was the name of the proposed U.S. operation that would rescue French forces at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 via B-29 raids based in the Philippines. The French garrison had been surrounded ...
, but was cancelled by the governments, while at the conclusion of the battle, some of the beleaguered French troops managed to escape through the jungle to neighboring Thailand.


Indonesia

Concerned about Indonesian President Sukarno's communist leanings, the CIA started Operation Haik in 1958 to overthrow his
Guided Democracy in Indonesia Guided Democracy () was the political system in place in Indonesia from 1959 until the New Order began in 1966. It was the brainchild of President Sukarno, and was an attempt to bring about political stability. Sukarno believed that the parl ...
regime. The covert operation committed at least a dozen B-26 Invaders in support of rebel forces. On 18 May 1958, American contract pilot Allen Pope's blacked-out B-26 was initially hit by antiaircraft ground fire and then brought down by a
North American P-51 Mustang The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in April 1940 by a team ...
flown by Capt. Ignatius Dewanto (the only known air-to-air shoot-down in the history of the
Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force ( id, Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU), literally "''Indonesian National Military-Air Force''") sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF, is the aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The I ...
). The capture and trial of Lieutenant Pope brought a quick end to Operation Haik, but the capabilities of the Invader were not lost on the Indonesian government. In 1959, the government purchased six aircraft at Davis-Monthan AFB, which were ferried to Indonesia in full military markings during mid-1960. Used in a number of actions against rebels in various areas, these aircraft went on to long follow-up careers. The last operational flights of three final survivors were in 1976, supporting the Indonesian invasion of East Timor. In 1977, the last two flying aircraft were retired.


Portugal

The
Portuguese Air Force , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = 1 July , equipment = , equipment_label ...
purchased Invaders covertly for use in
Portuguese Angola Portuguese Angola refers to Angola during the historic period when it was a territory under Portuguese rule in southwestern Africa. In the same context, it was known until 1951 as Portuguese West Africa (officially the State of West Africa). I ...
in 1965, during the
Portuguese Colonial War The Portuguese Colonial War ( pt, Guerra Colonial Portuguesa), also known in Portugal as the Overseas War () or in the former colonies as the War of Liberation (), and also known as the Angolan, Guinea-Bissau and Mozambican War of Independence, ...
.Hagedorn and Hellström 1994


Democratic Republic of the Congo

B-26s were used in support of the Dragon operations to liberate Western hostages held by Simba terrorists during the Congo Crisis.Andrew Hudson, 2012, "Congo Unravelled: Military Operations from Independence to the Mercenary Revolt 1960–68 (Africa@War Book 6)", Chapt.6


Biafra

Biafra Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised secessionist state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the predominantly Igbo-populated form ...
used two provisionally armed ("provo") B-26s in combat during
Nigerian Civil War The Nigerian Civil War (6 July 1967 – 15 January 1970), also known as the Nigerian–Biafran War or the Biafran War, was a civil war fought between Nigeria and the Republic of Biafra, a secessionist state which had declared its independence f ...
in 1967, flown, among others, by
Jan Zumbach Jan Eugeniusz Ludwig Zumbach (14 April 1915, Ursynów, Congress Poland, Russian Empire – 3 January 1986, France) was a Polish- Swiss fighter pilot who became an ace and squadron commander during the Second World War. During the Cold War, he ...
.


Variants


Douglas/U.S. military variants

Many of the A-26/B-26 Invader's production run of 2,452 were early A-26Bs and A-26Cs. ;XA-26 :Serial no. 41-19504 served as the prototype for the series; initially flown with dummy armament ;XA-26A :Serial no. 41-19505 served as a prototype night fighter with a crew of two - pilot plus radar-operator/gunner ;XA-26B :Serial no. 41-19588 was a prototype "solid-nosed" attack variant with crew of three: pilot, gun loader/navigator (in front cockpit) plus gunner in rear, and carrying a forward-firing 75 mm (2.75 in) cannon.Francillon 1978, p. 217. ; :Attack bomber with solid nose carrying six or eight 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. Production totals: 1,355 A-26Bs were built and delivered, 205 at
Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa () is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States. The population was 413,066 as of the 2020 census. It is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with ...
(A-26B-5-DT to A-26B-25-DT) plus 1,150 at
Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
(A-26B-1-DL to A-26B-66-DL). About 24 more airframes were built at Long Beach but not delivered to USAAF, some of those later sold to other civil and military customers. A-26B was redesignated ''B-26B'' with USAF in 1948. ;TB-26B :Unarmed variant converted from B-26B for training purposes. ;VB-26B :Unarmed variant converted from B-26B for administrative purposes. ; :Attack bomber. Production totals: 1,091 A-26Cs were built and delivered, five at
Long Beach, California Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...
(A-26C-1-DL and A-26C-2-DL) plus 1,086 at Tulsa, Oklahoma (A-26C-16-DT to A-26B-55-DT). About 53 more airframes were built at Tulsa but not delivered to USAAF, some of those later sold to other civil and military customers. A-26C was redesignated ''B-26C'' with USAF in 1948. ;RB-26C :Unarmed photo reconnaissance variant converted from B-26C; it carried cameras and flash flares for night photography. Designated ''FA-26C'' prior to 1962. ;TB-26C :Unarmed variant converted from B-26C for training purposes. ;XA-26D :Serial no. 44-34776 prototype for the proposed A-26D attack bomber with uprated Chevrolet manufactured R-2800-83 engines, and late model A-26B armament of eight 0.50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in solid nose and six 0.50 in (12.7 mm) guns in the wing;Mesko 1997, p. 18. series of 750 A-26Ds was cancelled after V-J Day. ;XA-26E :Serial no. 44-25563 prototype for the A-26E attack bomber. As with the XA-26D, but with an A-26C-type glass nose; a contract for 2,150 A-26E-DTs was cancelled following
V-J Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...
. ;XA-26F :Serial no. 44-34586 prototype for a high-speed A-26F powered by two
R-2800 The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family of engines. The R-2800 saw widespread use in many important ...
-83 engines driving four-bladed propellers with a s.t.
General Electric J31 The General Electric J31 was the first jet engine to be mass-produced in the United States. Design and development After a visit to England mid-1941, General Henry H. Arnold was so impressed by flight demonstrations of the Gloster E.28/39 je ...
turbojet installed in the rear fuselage. The prototype reached a top speed of but the series was cancelled as performance gains were not sufficient. ;A-26Z :Unofficial designation for a proposed postwar production version of the A-26. It was to have a more powerful version of the Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engine and was to be fitted with such features as a raised pilot's cockpit canopy, an improved cockpit arrangement, and wingtip drop tanks. If produced, the unglazed nose version would have been designated A-26G and the glazed nose version A-26H. However, in October 1945, the USAAF concluded that enough A-26 aircraft were available to meet postwar needs; consequently, the A-26Z version was not produced. ;JD-1 :U.S. Navy version with one A-26B (AAF Ser. No. 44-34217) and one A-26C (AAF Ser. No. 44-35467) redesignated during World War II, postwar, 150 surplus A-26s for use by land-based Navy utility squadrons (VU) as target tugs and later, drone directors (designated JD-1D) and general utility aircraft. In 1962, the JD-1 and JD-1D were redesignated UB-26J and DB-26J respectively. ;YB-26K :
On Mark Engineering On Mark Engineering was an American aircraft remanufacturing company established in 1954 at Van Nuys Airport in California. Its most significant products were rebuilding military surplus A-26 Invaders into executive transports—the Marketeer w ...
prototype for refurbished attack bomber; modifications included rebuilt, strengthened wings, enlarged tail assembly, new R-2800-103W engines with reversible propellers/propeller spinners, dual controls, wingtip tanks, newer avionics, and increased hardpoint/armament enhancements. ;B-26K :On Mark Engineering conversions of 40 B-26Bs or TB-26Bs with two B-26Cs and a single JB-26C; changes included fitting of R-2800-52W engines with no propeller spinners and the six wing guns deleted. During operations in Vietnam, in May 1966, the aircraft were reassigned the old attack designation of ''A-26A''. The A-26As were retired in 1969 when they had reached the safe limits of allotted flying time. ;RB-26L :Two RB-26Cs (44-34718 and 44-35782) were modified for night photography missions. ;B-26N :Unofficial designation applied to B-26s operated by the French Air Force (') in Algeria as night fighters. These aircraft were modified B-26Cs fitted with AI Mk X radar taken from obsolete Gloster Meteor#Variants, Meteor NF 11 night fighters, two underwing gun packs each with two 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns and SNEB rocket pods. ;WB-26 Weather reconnaissance version first produced and used in the Korean War, 2 used by NOAA from 1960 to 1975.


Third-party civil variants

Since 1945, over 300 A-26s have been on the FAA U.S. Civil Aircraft Register. Perhaps up to 100 of those were probably only registered for ferry flights from USAF bases such as Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, and Hill AFB, UT, to civil airports and stored as candidates for sale on the civil or overseas military markets. The initial main civil uses were as "executive" personnel transports with minimal modifications such as removal of military features, bomb-bay doors sealed shut, passenger-entry stairs in bomb bay, and the conversion of the fuselage to accept six to eight passengers. Improvements developed considerably until the early 1960s, when purpose-built executive types such as the turboprop Gulfstream I became available.Grinsell 1974, p. 44. During the mid-1950s, A-26s were tested and used as air tankers for suppression of forest and wildland fires, and briefly used borate-based retardants, hence the inaccurate and unofficial term "borate bombers". Borate was later discontinued due to its undesirable ecologic effects, replaced with retardant mixtures of water, clays, fertilizers, and red dyes. That use of A-26s on USDA contracts was discontinued in major regions by about 1973, after many of the A-26 air tankers found willing purchasers in Canada. Much early development of conversions was carried out by Grand Central Aircraft, whose drawings and personnel were taken up by the On Mark Engineering Company of Van Nuys, California, from about 1955. By the 1960s, On Mark had an exclusive license from Douglas Aircraft Company for manufacture and sale of parts for A-26s. The on Mark Executive (1956), the On Mark Marketeer (1957), and the pressurized On Mark Marksman (1961) were products of this effort. A significant conversion was the Rock Island Monarch 26, while less numerous and more basic conversions for executive operations were carried out by Wold Engineering, LB Smith Aircraft Corp., R. G. LeTourneau Inc, Rhodes-Berry Company and Lockheed Corporation, Lockheed Aircraft Service Inc. Garrett AiResearch used two A-26 variants as testbeds for turbine engines; see also XA-26F above.


Operators (military and civilian)


Surviving aircraft


Specifications (A-26B Invader)


Notable appearances in media

In July 2005, the archaeological television program ''Time Team'' of the UK's Channel 4, along with members of RAF Millom#Museum, RAF Millom Museum, took part in a major project to excavate the crash sites of two A-26 Invader aircraft after the aircraft collided shortly after take-off over marshes close to the then USAAF BAD 2 airbase at RAF Warton, Warton in Lancashire on 29 November 1944. The aircraft, A-26B-10-DT ''43-22298'' and A-26B-15-DT ''43-22336'', were en route to Brétigny, Oise, in northern France for service with the 341st Air Refueling Squadron, 641st Bombardment Squadron of the 409th Bombardment Group."A-26B Invaders - Warton - 29th November 1944 - Bombers in the Marsh"
''Lancashire Investigative Team''. Retrieved: 19 December 2010.


See also


References


Notes


Citations


Bibliography

*A Former USAF Pilot. "Talkback". ''Air Enthusiast''. No. 9, February–May 1979. p. 80. * Dorr, Robert F. and Chris Bishop. ''Vietnam Air War Debrief''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1996. . * Dorr, Robert F. and Warren Thompson. ''Korean Air War''. St. Paul, Minnesota: MBI, 2003. . * Francillon, René. "The Douglas Invader Story". ''Air Enthusiast'', Number Seven, July–September 1978, pp. 215–234. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1978. * Francillon, René. ''McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Since 1920: Volume I''. London: Putnam, 1979. . * Futrell, Robert F. ''The United States Air Force in Korea, 1950–53''. Washington, D.C.: Air Force History Office, 1997, First edition 1961. . * * Gallemi, Francis. ''A-26B/C Invader (Warbird Profile 1)''. Vaudreuil, Quebec, Canada: Aries Publications, 1994. . * * Grinsell, Bob. "Invader". ''Wings'' Vol. 4, No. 3, June 1974. * Hagedorn, Dan. ''Central American and Caribbean Air Forces''. Staplefield, West Sussex, UK: Air Britain (Historians Ltd.), 1993. . * Hagedorn, Dan and Leif Hellström. ''Foreign Invaders, the Douglas Invader in Foreign Military and US Clandestine Service''. Earl Shilton, Leicester, UK: Midland Publishing, 1994. . * * Horne, John E. "Douglas B-26s in Korea". ''Air Enthusiast'', Number 24, April—July 1984. Bromley, Kent UK: Pilot Press. pp. 50–59. *Hunnicutt, Richard P. "Talkback". ''Air Enthusiast''. No. 9, February–May 1979. p. 79. * Johnsen, Frederick A. ''Douglas A-26 Invader''. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 1999. . *Lopes, Mario Canoniga. "Talkback". ''Air Enthusiast''. No. 9, February–May 1979. p. 79. * Mesko, Jim. ''A-26 Invader in Action'' (Aircraft Number 37). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1980. . **''A-26 Invader in Action'' (Aircraft Number 134). Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1993. . **''VNAF, Republic of Vietnam Air Force 1945-1975''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1987. . * Mikesh, Robert C. "Flying the Invader: Pilot Notes for the Douglas A-26". ''Air Enthusiast'', Number Seven. July–September 1978. Bromley, Kent, UK: Pilot Press Ltd., 1978, pp. 234–236. * O'Leary, Michael. "Database:Douglas Invader". ''Aeroplane'', May 2002, Vol. 30, No.5, pp. 37–58. London: IPC. * *Roeder, Jim. ''A-26 Invader Units of World War 2: Osprey Combat Aircraft 82''. Botley, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2010. * Smith, Mark E. ''USAF Reconnaissance in South East Asia (1961–66)''. San Francisco: Headquarters, Pacific Air Force, Department of the Air Force, 1966. * Thompson, Scott. ''Douglas A-26 and B-26 Invader''. Ramsbury, Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK: Crowood Press Ltd., 2002. . * Thompson, Warren. ''B-26 Invader Units over Korea''. Botley, UK: Osprey Publishing, 2000. . * ''Volume I Operation Shed Light Study Report''. Washington, D.C.: Headquarters, DCS Research and Development, Headquarters, United States Air Force, 1966. * Wheeler, Barry C. ''The Hamlyn Guide to Military Aircraft Markings''. London: Chancellor Press, 1992. . * Winchester, Jim. "Douglas A-26 Invader". ''Aircraft of World War II''. London: Grange Books, 2004. . *


External links


Photo of prototype XA-26 41-19504Manual: (1945) AN 01-40AJ-2 Erection and Maintenance Instructions for Army Models A-26B and A-26C AirplanesA-26 Lady Liberty - Confederate Air ForceHill Aerospace Museum: ''Douglas A-26 "Invader" Information''Hurlburt AFB: ''Fact Sheets: A-26 Counter-Invader''Martin J Simpson's A-26 history website''Popular Science'', July 1945, "Plane of Many Faces"Spherical panoramas of the interior of the 'Spirit of North Carolina'
{{Authority control Aircraft first flown in 1942 Douglas aircraft, A-26 Invader Mid-wing aircraft 1940s United States attack aircraft 1940s United States bomber aircraft World War II ground attack aircraft of the United States Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft