Douglas A-26 Invader PDF eBook & Aircraft Flight Manuals

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June 1974

  • Douglas A-26 Invader
  • Whine From The Jug, Part III the Thunderbolt in Combat
  • Air Racer Roscoe Turner, Something “Special”

November 1989

  • Story of the Douglas A-26 Invader
  • Dogfighting to Air Defense, Low Level Ground Support in the F-16

February 1993

  • Night Must Fall, The Douglas B-26 in Korea
  • The Other “Hundred”, Acro Canada’s CF-100

February 1994

  • Night Missions over Korea in the Douglas B-26
  • Grumman’s Flying Barrels, Golden Age of Biplane Carrier Fighters

August 2001

  • Nightbomber: Invaders in Korea
  • First Combat over Pearl Harbor
  • In the Cockpit of the Nieuport 17
  • Fast Freight Mosquitos

Manuals & Photos

  • A-26 Flight Manual
  • A-26 Pilot Training Manual
  • A-26 B&C/JD-1 Operating Instructions
  • A-26 B&C Flight Manual
  • A-26K Parts Breakdown
  • Over 170 photos of the A-26 Invader

Douglas A-26 Invader

  • A-26B Specifications
  • Variants
  • On Display
  • Cutaway

General Characteristics

a26-diagram

  • 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” radial engine, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 355 mph (308 kn, 570 km/h)
  • Range: 1,400 mi (1,200 nmi, 2,300 km)
  • Service ceiling: 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
  • Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min (6.4 m/s)
  • Wing loading: 51 lb/ft² (250 kg/m²)
  • Power/mass: 0.145 hp/lb (108 W/kg)

Armament

  • Guns:
    • 6 or 8 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in solid, “all purpose” nose: or 2 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in glass “bombardier” nose
    • Up to 8 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns paired in four optional under wing pods: or 3 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in each outer wing panel
    • 2 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in remote-controlled dorsal turret
    • 2 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 machine guns in remote-controlled ventral turret
  • Rockets: Up to 10 5-inch (12.7 cm) HVAR rockets on “zero length” launch pylons, five under each outer wing panel
  • Bombs: Up to 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) capacity – 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) in the bomb bay plus 2,000 lb (910 kg) carried externally on underwing hardpoints
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.
 
A-26B
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 (A-26B-5-DT to A-26B-25-DT) plus 1,150 at Long Beach, California (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.
 
A-26C
Attack bomber. Production totals: 1,091 A-26Cs were built and delivered, five at Long Beach, California (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-26Cwith 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; 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;[41] a contract for 2,150 A-26E-DTs was cancelled following V-J Day.
XA-26F
Serial no. 44-34586 prototype for a high-speed A-26F powered by two 2,100 hp (1,600 kW) R-2800-83 engines driving four-bladed propellers with a 1,600 lbf (7.1 kN) s.t. General Electric J31 turbojet installed in the rear fuselage. The prototype reached a top speed of 435 mph (700 km/h) 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 there were enough A-26 aircraft 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 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 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) 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) modified for night photography missions.
B-26N
Unofficial designation applied to B-26s operated by the French Air Force (Armée de l’air) in Algeria as night fighters. These aircraft were modified B-26Cs fitted with AI Mk X radar taken from obsolete 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.

 

Designation USAAF Serial Displayed Identity Status Current location
A-26B 41-39161 436874 R Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, Virginia. N26RP
A-26B “JD-1” 41-39215 446928 D National Naval Aviation Museum, NAS Pensacola, Florida
A-26B 41-39221 N26GT S South Mountain High School, Phoenix, Arizona. (On Mark Marksman)
A-26B 41-39223 R Ailes Anciennes, Toulouse, France
A-26B “A-26C” 41-39230 139230 DA Commemorative Air Force, Enid, Oklahoma. N9682C, Named “Lady Liberty”
A-26B 41-39288 5159 (FAB) D Museu Aeroespacial, Campo dos Afonsos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A-26B 41-39303 434324 D Pacific Coast Air Museum, Santa Rosa, California. Named “City Of Santa Rosa”
A-26C 41-39327 863 (FACh) D Cerro Moreno AB, Antofagasta, Chile
A-26B “A-26C” 41-39359 39359 S Marine Aviation Museum, Wilmington, Delaware.
A-26B “A-26C” 41-39401 R Fantasy of Flight, Polk City, Florida. N39401
A-26B 41-39427 437140 A Commemorative Air Force, Meacham Field, Texas. N240P
A-26B 41-39472 435648 D Castle Air Museum, Castle Airport (former Castle AFB), Atwater, California. Named “Lil Sal”
A-26B 41-39516 0-139516 D Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, Horseheads, Elmira, New York
A-26B 41-39537 840 (FACh) D Museo Nacional Aeronáutico y del Espacio de Chile, Cerrillos, Chile
A-26B “A-26C” 43-22258 434220 D Grand Forks AFB, Grand Forks, North Dakota
A-26B 43-22357 CF-BMS D British Columbia Aviation Museum, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. (Civil air tanker configuration)
A-26B 43-22444 434156 D Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma
A-26B “A-26C” 43-22494 322494 D Pima Air & Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona
A-26C “A-26B” 43-22499 322499 D New England Air Museum, Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Named “Reida Rae”
A-26C 43-22602 R MAPS Air Museum, Canton, Ohio.
A-26C “B-26K” 43-22652 43652 D Jimmy Doolittle Air & Space Museum, Travis AFB, Fairfield, California
A-26C 43-22653 (C-GPTW) S Bankstown Airport, Sydney, Australia
A-26C “A-26B” 43-22679 612 D Royal Saudi Air Force Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
A-26B 44-34104 N99420 A 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum, Geneseo, New York
A-26B 44-34134 5176 (FAB) D? Museu de Armas e Veículos e Avioes Motorizados Antigos, Bebedouro, São Paulo, Brazil
A-26B 44-34165 S Air Force Flight Test Center Museum, Edwards AFB, California
A-26B “A-26C” 44-34313 434313 A Black Crow Aviation, Santa Rosa, California. N4313, Named “Miss Michelle”
A-26B “A-26C” 44-34423 434423 S Armed Forces and Aerospace Museum, Spokane Valley, Washington
A-26B 44-34508 R W.S. Glover, Mount Pleasant, Texas. N74874
A-26B 44-34520 434520 A Lauridsen Collection, Glendale, Arizona. N126HP, Named “Lu Lu”
A-26B 44-34535 937 S Museo del Aire, San Antonio de los Baños Air Base, Cuba
A-26B “A-26C” 44-34538 434538 DA Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana, California. N34538, Named “Feeding Frenzy”
A-26B 44-34559 0-34559 D Mississippi Air National Guard – 172nd Airlift Wing, Jackson ANGB, Jackson, Mississippi
A-26B 44-34602 434602 A Nordic Warbirds, Västerås, Sweden. N167B, named “Sugarland Express”.
A-26B 44-34610 S National Air and Space Museum, Chantilly, Virginia
A-26B 44-34665 434665 D Strategic Air and Space Museum (adjacent to Offutt AFB), Ashland, Nebraska
A-26B 44-34722 4434722 DA Jack Erickson / Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Oregon. N3222T
A-26B 44-34741 848 (FACh) D Plaza de la Cultura Pablo Neruda, Mejillones, Chile
A-26B 44-34746 D VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) Post 382, El Reno, Oklahoma. Named “Sonny”
A-26B “A-26C” 44-34749 434749 A Abrams Airborne Manufacturing Inc, Avra Valley, Arizona. N4959K, Named “Puss & Boots”
A-26B 44-34759 D Iranian Aerospace Exhibition Centre, Mehrabad, Iran
A-26B 44-34765 434765 D Musée Royal de l’Armée, Brussels, Belgium. Named “Mission Completed”
A-26B 44-34766 N26BK A H.B. Keck / Thermco Aviation, Thermal, California
A-26B 44-34769 434769 D Sea Link Aviation, Tanagra Air Base, Greece. N500MR
A-26B “A-26C” 44-34773 435740 D Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace, Le Bourget, Paris, France
A-26B 44-34778 RCAF 098 A Air Ross (1980) Inc, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. C-GWLT
A-26C 44-35204 435204 D Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, Texas
A-26C 44-35224 435224 D March Field Air Museum, March ARB, Riverside, California. Named “Midnight Endeavour”
A-26C 44-35323 435323 DA Planes of Fame Grand Canyon, Valle, Arizona. N8026E, Named “Ahaulin”
A-26C 44-35326 435326 D Indiana Military Museum, Vincennes, Indiana.
A-26C 44-35371 435371 S Marine Aviation Museum, Houston, Texas. N4818E
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35439 435439 DA Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville, Oregon N74833, Named “Margie”.
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35440 931 D Wings Over Miami, Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, Miami, Florida
A-26C 44-35444 844 D Republic of China Air Force Museum, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35456 N5625S A Wade Eagleton, Shafter, California. N5625S
A-26C 44-35493 N576JB D War Eagles Air Museum, Santa Teresa, New Mexico
A-26C 44-35504 D Châteaudun Air Base, France
A-26C 44-35508 2504 (FAC) D Apiay AFB, Villavicencio, Colombia
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35523 435523 R Air Mobility Command Museum, Dover AFB, Dover, Delaware
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35562 NL7079G A Alien Invaders Inc, Medina, Washington. Named “Sexy Sue”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35586 5156 (FAB) D Augusto Severo AB, Natal, Brazil
A-26C 44-35596 0-435596 D Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii
A-26C 44-35601 435601 DA Commemorative Air Force, Mesa, Arizona. N202R, Named “Miss Murphy”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35617 435617 D Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Ogden, Utah. Named “Grim Reaper”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35620 404 (FAG) D Technical School, La Aurora, Guatemala
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35627 435627 D Dodge City Airport, Dodge City, Kansas
A-26C 44-35643 R Commemorative Air Force, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. N626SH, Named “Lil Twister”
A-26C 44-35696 4-35696 DR Collings Foundation / Aviation Museum of Texas, Uvalde, Texas. N8036E, Named “My Mary Lou”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35708 435708 A Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum, Hillsboro, Oregon. N26PJ
A-26C 44-35710 435710 DA Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Addison, Texas. N7705C, Named “Hard To Get”
A-26C “JD-1” 44-35721 435721 D Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs, California. N9425Z, Named “Invader”
A-26C 44-35724 434517 D Southern Museum of Flight, Birmingham, Alabama. Named “Monie”
A-26C 44-35732? 435732 D Museum of Aviation, Robins AFB, Warner Robins, Georgia
A-26C 44-35733 435733 D National Museum USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio. Named “Dream Girl”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35752 435752 DR Carolinas Aviation Museum, Charlotte, North Carolina. Named “Rude Invader”.
A-26C 44-35778 2519 (FAC) D Museo Aeroespacial Colombiana, Eldorado Air Base, Bogotá, Colombia.
A-26C 44-35788 N126HK A Cactus Air Force Wings & Wheels, Carson City, Nevada
A-26C 44-35859 R Conservatoire de l’Air et de l’Espace d’Aquitaine, Bordeaux-Merignac Air Base, France
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35892 4435892 D Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, Pueblo, Colorado
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35898 VH-VNI A R.W. McFarlane / Aviation Investments Pty, Archerfield, Brisbane, Australia
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35911 435911 A George W Lancaster, Wilmington, North Carolina. N6840D, Named “Spirit of NC”
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35913 4435913 D Dyess Linear Air Park, Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35918 434287 D USAF History and Traditions Museum, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. Named “Versatile Lady”
A-26C 44-35937 435937 D Jackson Barracks Military Museum, New Orleans, Louisiana
A-26C “A-26B” 44-35948 N381EC D Champaign Aviation Museum, Grimes Field, Urbana, Ohio. N381EC
A-26C 44-35986 435884 D Selfridge Military Air Museum, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Detroit, Michigan. Named “Stormy Weather”
B-26K (A-26A) 64-17640 17640 D South Dakota Air and Space Museum, Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, South Dakota
B-26K (A-26A 64-17651 64651 D KAI Aerospace Museum, Sachon, South Korea
B-26K (A-26A) 64-17653 64653 D Pima Air & Space Museum (adjacent to Davis-Monthan AFB), Tucson, Arizona
B-26K (A-26A) 64-17666 64666 D Air Commando Park, Hurlburt Field, Florida
B-26K (A-26A) 64-17676 64676 D National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio
B-26K (A-26A) 64-17679 N4988N R J.S. Reynolds, Fort Worth, Texas
A-26C unknown 227 (FAP) D Las Palmas AB, Lima, Peru
A-26C unknown 226 (FAP) D Pisco AB, Peru
A-26B unknown 601 (FAS) D Museo Nacional de Aviación, Ilopango AB, El Salvador
A-26B unknown M-264 (AURI) D Singosari AB, Abdulrachman Saleh, Malang, Java, Indonesia
A-26B unknown M-265 (AURI) D Museum Dirgantara Mandala (TNI-AU Museum), Adisucipto AB, Yogyakarta, Java, Indonesia