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.
Douglas A-26 / B-26 Invader on YOUTUBE
Specification
MODEL
B-26B
CREW
3
ENGINE
2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27 or -79 Double Wasp, 1491kW
I earned my wings at LaJunta, Col in aug 44,Flew B5 there, sent to DelRio, Tex, Laughlin Fld, for oper tng in Martin B26. Next was Barksdale Fld Shreveport, La.Assigned a crew ready to go. Jan 45 orders cancelled.Sent to Florence AAfb to fly The Dream Bird A26. One pilot,engineer gunner in rear, 6 50's in nose for pursuit and strafing and bomb bay for skipping. All tng was low level and night . Nov 45 wwii had ended , sent to WestoverFld, Mass, flew transition for couple months,in active reserve, FOB in Dalhart, Tex. Always wanted to get to fly the Bird. I agree, one helluva bird. Always brought ya home.Fast, easy to fly, forgave alot, outran the Jugs at SumterFld, SC many time, never won in a dog fght, cruised in sgl eng with no problem. Happy day's. Sorry I never got to go to combat.
I was a tow reel operator on B-26's during 1951 to 1953. I was in the 4th tow target squadron based at Georgge AFB in Victorville Califotnia and also flew at our remote base,Larson AFB, in Moses Lake Washington. We towed both banner and sleeve targets for the sixth army On the west coast.it was always an exciting aircraft and very versatile. Great memories!
I crewed the B26 then A26s at England AFB supporting the training of what would become the Nimrods in Thailand. I truly regret not getting to go to Thailand with a great plane and a great bunch of guys. Tail #641 is in Tucson at the Pima Air Museum and I crewed that aircraft.
I was an instructor navigator in the A-26A flying out of England AFB, LA, '68-69 for aircrews heading for NKP, Thailand. It was the best and most challenging job a nav could have. As a right seater, you were actually a co-pilot controlling mixtures, armament switches, coordinating with the pilot on almost everything. Some navs with more time in the aircraft than I did actually did take-offs and landings. I did get lots of stick time in the air. One of our aircraft is on display at Hurlburt Field, FL. Every time I see it I get homesick.
I was a plane captain on a Invader with 800 hrs flying in one from 52-55. It was for towing for the navy at Gitmo VU-10. Navy bought 150 from the AF for this type mission. The A-26c was renamed navy JD-1. A good airplane, would always take you and bring you back.
Stumbled onto the site and what great stories. I currently crew on an Invader on the airshow circuit repping the 13th B /S during the Korean War and have done so for 10 years. To those of you who have either flown or turned wrenches on these beautiful birds, we also honor your experiences and efforts. To be around an Invader is to be smitten, something we all share whether it be 'then' or now.
FLEW THE B-26 AT K-9 IN KOREA. FANTASTIC AIRCRAFT. FLEW THE F-84 AND B-57 LATER. NOTHING COMPETES WITH THE B-26 FOR A REAL FLYING MACHINE. SOMETIMES WE WOULD DOG FIGHT WITH THE ROK F-51s FROM THE OTHER FIELD AT PUSAN AND WE WOULD WIN EVERY TIME BELOW 10,000 FT. ABOVE THAT IT WAS NO CONTEST.
Our squadron had 2 B-26's which had been modified to towtarget aircraft. I was a tow target operator for 3596 Training Squadron(Combat Crew) which was formed at the beginning of the Korean War, June 1950, at Nellis AFB, Nevada. We towed 6x9 flag(banner) targets for aerial gunnery at 12000, or 20000 ft. We started with F-51's, converted to F-80's, and then to F-86's. We even tried to tow a series of canard winged gliders, with not much success. Hundreds of hours in the B-26, both in aerial gunnery missions, and also we flew cross country to retrieve any live ammunition from some of our aircraft which didn't make it back from cross-country trips. I was also an instructor at the Armament School at Lowry Field, Denver Co. Was sent TDY to Nellis for the USAF gunner meet in March-April 1950, and then was reassigned to Nellis at the start of the Korean War.
+I WAS A PILOT WITH THE 391ST BG IN EUROPE WHEN THEY PHASED OUT THE B-26...I RECALL WHEN THEY DELIVERED THE FIRST A-26 TO OUR GROUP--A REAL FINE AIRCRAFT...THE GROUP AND SQUADRON LEADERS FLEW WITH THE NAVIGATOR IN THE PLEXIGLAS NOSE--ALL OTHERS CARRIED JUST A CREW OF TWO- THE PILOT AND THE GUNNER...---WE FLEW MISSIONS INTO THE ALPS--ALSO WAS ATTACKED BY EARLY GERMAN JET AIRCRFT--THEY WOULD MAKE JUST ONE PASS---OUR GUNNERS USING THE REMOTELY CONTROLLED GUNS FOUND IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK THE JETS..WE DID SOME BOMBING OF RAIL JUNCTIONS AND BRIDGES....EXCELLENT BOMBING RESULTS...WONDERFUL AIRPLANE --CARRIED HEAVY BOMB LOAD ...AFTER THE WAR ENDED IN EUROPE, WE TRAINED FOR LOW LEVEL FLYING BEFORE BEING ASSIGNED TO THE PACIFIC VIA THE AFRICA TO SOUTH AMERICA ROUTE OVER THE ATLANTIC...LARGE FUEL TANKS INSTALLED IN THE BOMB BAY..READY TO GO WHEN THE WAR IN THE PACIFIC ENDED--LEFT OUT PLANES IN HOLLAND AND SAILED HOME ON A LIBERTY SHIP... STILL HAVE FOND MEMORIES OF THOSE B-26 AIRPLANES...
The first time I saw this aircraft, only the big square rudder and fin were sticking up above a hangar as I was a million miles away, marching in formation as an aviation cadet at Maxwell field Alabama. Troop Carrier Command saw me in C-47's & later C-46's in England and France. After WW-2 it was Reserve flying in C-46's again, and later, navigating Douglas DC-4's with Alaska Airlines on the Anchorage-Tokyo run.
In January 1952 I saw the B-26 again at Kimpo airfield, Korea. I flew 41 missions as navigator in RB-26 aircrafts during Korean war-----12th Tactical Recon Squadron. Although I was not at all new to flying, but the more I flew in that Douglas creation the more I admired the Douglas aircraft designers. Rugged and reliable, you could depend upon it to get you out of a tight situation FAST, when you badly needed it. A truly impressive aircraft. The only fault I had with it was it was a terrificly NOISY aircraft---every cylinder of those beautiful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines, exhausting directly out into the atmosphere--and against the crew's eardrums.
But good 'Ol Uncle Sam has issued me excellent hearing aids, and at age 86 I'm still navigating a new pair of skis, and also bicycling and hiking. I'm not complaining at all, and what a splendid batch of memories I have!
My father, Carl Lindberg (a B-25 pilot from WWII), flew B-26s in 24 night intruder combat missions as a member of the 37th Bomb Squadron in Korea. He was awarded his second DFC and his fifth, sixth and seventh Air Medal for various actions during this inherently hazardous night flying during the period from 03DEC52 to 07NOV53. Dad was proud of his Korean War service, grew to like the B-26 almost as much as the B-25, but was unhappy that this war was forgotteen by many or just called a "Police Action". Dad retired in 1969 as a LTC and died in February, 2005.
I was an aircraft electrician and had just got stationed at Itazuke AB,Japan and I got sent to Bien Hoa, Vietnam TDY to the 1st Air Commando outfit and when I walked on to the flight line it was like I went back in history as the front line bomber we had was the Douglas B-26. Let me tell you this little aircraft was a jewel in my eyes. We had two glass nose, then we had a mixture of 26's with 6 and 8 guns in the nose and all of them had the 3 in each wing. I was with them for 6 months and enjoyed every day. The only thing I regret is that I never got a flight in one.
I was an aircraft electrician and had just got stationed at Itazuke AB,Japan and I got sent to Bien Hoa, Vietnam TDY in January 1963to the 1st Air Commando outfit and when I walked on to the flight line it was like I went back in history as the front line bomber we had was the Douglas B-26. Let me tell you this little aircraft was a jewel in my eyes. We had two glass nose, then we had a mixture of 26's with 6 and 8 guns in the nose and all of them had the 3 in each wing. I was with them for 6 months and enjoyed every day. The only thing I regret is that I never got a flight in one.
I flew 156 combat missions during 1968 and 1969 in the A-26A (B-26K). A great airplane for he mission we had. 609th Special Operation Sq. In late 1969 Air Force retired the A-26's and replaced them with AC-130 gunships.
I flew as a gunner on B-26's at K-8, Korea in 1952-53 for 50+ combat missions. I then returned to Langley AFB and flew B-26's there until the aircraft was replaced by B-57's in 1955. A great aircraft and a great experience.
