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The USAAF issued a requirement for an attack aircraft in 1940, before it had information on World War II combat operations in Europe. Consequently, three prototypes were ordered in differing configurations: the Douglas XA-26 attack bomber with a bomb-aimer's position; the XA-26A heavily-armed night-fighter; and the XA-26B attack aircraft with a 75mm cannon. After flight testing and careful examination of reports from Europe and the Pacific, the A-26B Invader was ordered into production, and initial deliveries of the 1,355 built were made in April 1944.
The A-26B had six 12.7mm machine-guns in the nose, remotely controlled dorsal and ventral turrets each with two 12.7mm guns, and up to 10 more 12.7mm guns in underwing and underfuselage packs. Heavily armoured, and able to carry up to 1814kg of bombs, the A-26B was potentially a formidable weapon. Moreover, its two, 1491kW Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines conferred a maximum speed of 571km/h, making the A-26 the fastest US bomber of World War II. Invaders'remained in USAF service until well into the 1970s.
Missions with the 9th Air Force in Europe began in November 1944, and at the same time the type became operational in the Pacific. The A-26C with a bomb-aimer's position and only two guns in the nose entered service in 1945, but saw only limited use before World War II ended. A-26C production totalled 1,091. With little employment ahead of them, so far as anyone could see, one A-26B and one A-26C were converted to XJD-1 configuration, this pair being followed by 150 A-26Cs converted as target tugs for the US Navy with the designation JD-1; some were converted later to launch and control missile test vehicles and drones, under the designation JD-1D. These designations became UB-26J and DB-26J in 1962.
USAF A-26B and A-26C aircraft became B-26B and B-26C in 1948, and retained this designation until 1962. Both versions saw extensive service in the Korean War, and were again used in a counter-insurgency role in Vietnam. A special COIN version with very heavy armament and extra power was developed by On Mark Engineering in 1963, a prototype being designated YB-26K and named Counter Invader. Subsequently about 70 B-26s were converted to B-26K standard, 40 later being redesignated A-26A. Some were deployed in Vietnam, and others were supplied to friendly nations under the Military Assistance Program. B-26s were used also for training (TB-26B and TB-26C), transport (CB-26B freighter and VB-26B staff transport), RPV control (DB-26C), night reconnaissance. (FA-26C, from 1948 redesignated RB-26C) and missile guidance research (EB-26C). After the war, many A-26s were converted to executive, survey, photographic and even fire-fighting aircraft. Brief details of the two semi-production marks are given in the variants list.
| MODEL | B-26B |
| CREW | 3 |
| ENGINE | 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27 or -79 Double Wasp, 1491kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 15876 kg | 35001 lb |
| Empty weight | 10365 kg | 22851 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 21.34 m | 70 ft 0 in |
| Length | 15.24 m | 50 ft 0 in |
| Height | 5.64 m | 19 ft 6 in |
| Wing area | 50.17 m2 | 540.02 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 571 km/h | 355 mph |
| Cruise speed | 457 km/h | 284 mph |
| Ceiling | 6735 m | 22100 ft |
| Range | 2253 km | 1400 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 10 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 1814kg of bombs |
| Chester Gasiorowski, markgski(@)charter.net, 19.03.2010 Looking for pictures of A26'S 119th utility squadron 1949 to 1854. | | Chester A. Gasiorowski, markgski(@)charter.net, 19.03.2010 Hi I'm looking for info on my old squadron. The 119th fighter squadron out of Newark NJ. back in 1949 to 1954. Trying to find my old accident report when I crashed my P-51. | | Robert E. Reynolds, rerslr(@)cableone.net, 02.03.2010 A damn fine aircraft. I flew 52 missions with the 17th BW, 34th BS as a gunner/observer from K-9 AFB, Pusan East in 1952. Also flew the B-26 Invader with the 452nd BW, 728th BS in the AF Reserves from Long Beach, CA until we
became a Transport wing with C-46's and later C-119's in 1957. | | Eddie Stough, estough1(@)hot.rr.com, 23.02.2010 Engineer on the B-26 1949-1950 in the Alabama National Guard, Birmingham, Alabama. Loveed flying the ship. | | cecil j. poss, 26.01.2010 I flew the B's and C's in the reserve at Dobbins Air Force Base. Also flew 50 missions in Korea as a night intruder pilot Great a/c! We kept all the lights out north of the bomb line in North Korea and also got cedit for two trains destroyed. | | Gareth Fabor, gareth.fabor(@)boeing.com, 19.01.2010 Sirs, does anyone know Kenneth P. Juhl? He was my grandfather. He was a test pilot for the b-25 and the a-26 over North Africa. If anyone you knew him (he has since passed), please e-mail me. I am looking for old pictures and flight logs. Thank you! | | Ken Grace, kengrace(@)earthlink.net, 09.01.2010 I worked on this aircraft in 1966 while stationed at England AFB with the 1st Air Commando Wing. We rotated these in and out of Vietnam. It was an honor to work on the engines of such an aircrft with such a great history. | | Bill Arthur, az83(@)bellsouth.net, 01.01.2010 I went through advanced training in the B-26 but got stuck as a flight instructor in B-25s. Later flew the B-26 in Reserve at longbeach AFB. Shocked when they were replaced with C-45s and later C-119s. Loved flying the B-26, a great airplane, plenty of power and just plain fun to fly. | | Jack L Brewer, amberjack2001(@)yahoo.com, 08.10.2009 My father was Col. William C. Brewer he flew 45 Missions in this plane in Korea had many stories of his missions , said it was his favirot plane to fly, was a dream, he also had 25 missions in a B-17 WWII, Cold War B-52, Vietnam 26 missions B-52 Day Commander Utipio, did not loose a single crew member,
Proud Son of a SAC Commander , Jack | | Ned, Snapper92(@)peoplepc.com, 02.07.2009 I was a kid living on Clark AFB, Philippines in the mid-late 1950'S. I remember quite a few ex-French B-26s parked out-of-the-way while the USAF was deciding what to do with them. The aircraft had been returned to USAF control at the conclusion of French-Viet conflict. | | Russ Kovach, RFKovach(@)Comcast.net, 26.09.2008 I was Crew Chief on B-26B 4139267 at Long Beach Municipal Airport (California) 1954-55. We had an array of B's and C's returned from Korea that reserve pilots kept up their flying time in.Also was crew member. Loved that plane that could be flown as a fighter . | | Bill Query, queryb(@)bellsouth.net, 30.08.2008 I flew the JD for 2 years at Gtmo in VU-10--1960/62. Also flew the FJ and F8 during that time. I enjoyed the JD---single pilot, fast and a challenge to make a good landing. Landed at the Coast Guard base in San Juan (3,000ft) at night---it took two tries and I still think it was a dumb mission for the senior types to send me on, especially as I had not landed at night before. | | Thomas, Crosby, 14.08.2008 I was a metalsmith (AMH-2) in VU-2 at Quonset Point R.I. and worked on the JD'S ,FJ's and Drones. The Jig-dog was a good old plane and ez to work on. I also was a crew member and had a ball doing it. Yes sir, the good old day's. | | Jack Brewer, amberjack2001(@)yahoo.com, 22.07.2008 My Father Is a retired Col. (USAF) He flew 45 Missions 1950-51 Korea as pilot with two Navigators at night. His Assignment was to blow up anything that moved, stated it was the finest plane with Props the he ever flew, he received the Distinguished Flying Cross after Korea (He has 23,000 Hrs Behind the stick with the air force,WWII, Korea, SAC, Vietnam, His name is William C. Brewer, He is still flying at 85, He has told us at times he had up to 80 holes in this plane and it would still Fly, It also had a flat wing design for speed, For it's time it was quite possibly the best medium Bomer ever built. | | Jim Warner, jmwrnr(@)bellsouth.net, 07.07.2008 I flew the JD-1 in Utility Squadron 2 out of NAS Quonset Point to tow targets for Destroyers out of Newport. It flew like a fighter. Also no co-pilot to make smart remarks. | | Alex Brewer, Jr., mach2hustler(@)gmail.com, 14.06.2008 I flew 50 mission in the RB-26 Recon version of the B-26 during the Korean War. This was a very reliable airplane with good performance, even with an engine shot out. A B-26 dropped the first Bombs of the Korean War and also dropped the last Bombs. Later B-26s were modified and saw action in the Vietnam war.
Lt/Col Alex Brewer, Jr. USAF (Ret) | | george sobodos, gasbds(@)aol.com, 27.05.2008 I was a gunner on this aircraft in 1944-45 and a profile veiw showing the peroscopic heads are very seldom shown.Why? | | Dave Robinson, aashanti(@)juno.com, 14.05.2008 The B-26 was also used to tow targets for army AAA out of George AFB and tracking for Nike sites. |
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