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Description

Photo taken at the McMinnville Evergreen aviation and space museum in Northern Oregon. Photo taken by me, ask for permission to use.

The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is a twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II , the Invader also saw service during several major Cold War conflicts. A limited number of highly modified United States Air Force aircraft served in Southeast Asia 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.
A re-designation of the type from A-26 to B-26 led to confusion with the Martin B-26 Marauder , which first flew in November 1940, about 16 months before the Douglas design's maiden flight. Although both types were powered by the widely used Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder, double-row radial engine , they were completely different and separate designs — the Martin bomber originated in 1939, with roughly twice as many Marauders (nearly 5,300) produced in comparison to the Douglas design.

Role: Ground attack; light bomber
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
First flight: 10 July 1942
Retired: 1980 Colombian Air Force
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces , United States Air Force , United States Navy , French Air Force
Number built: 2,452
Unit cost: US$242,595 (1942)
Variants: On Mark Executive, Marketeer, and Marksman

General characteristics
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
Documentary on this aircraft:
Great Planes Douglas A-26 Invader

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Description

Photo taken at the McMinnville Evergreen aviation and space museum in Northern Oregon. Photo taken by me, ask for permission to use.

The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is a twin-engined light bomber and ground attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II , the Invader also saw service during several major Cold War conflicts. A limited number of highly modified United States Air Force aircraft served in Southeast Asia 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.
A re-designation of the type from A-26 to B-26 led to confusion with the Martin B-26 Marauder , which first flew in November 1940, about 16 months before the Douglas design's maiden flight. Although both types were powered by the widely used Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp eighteen-cylinder, double-row radial engine , they were completely different and separate designs — the Martin bomber originated in 1939, with roughly twice as many Marauders (nearly 5,300) produced in comparison to the Douglas design.

Role: Ground attack; light bomber
Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
First flight: 10 July 1942
Retired: 1980 Colombian Air Force
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces , United States Air Force , United States Navy , French Air Force
Number built: 2,452
Unit cost: US$242,595 (1942)
Variants: On Mark Executive, Marketeer, and Marksman

General characteristics
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
Documentary on this aircraft:
Great Planes Douglas A-26 Invader

Be sure to follow me on Dailymotion !