The Amazing Bomber That Pilots Initially Despised: Douglas A-26 Invader

In this video, we talk about the Douglas A-26 Invader, a bomber and ground attacker made during World War 2 that was designed to be a high performance, multirole attacker. We first look at its sort-of predecessor in the Douglas A-20 Havoc and its early performance in the beginning stages of WW2 and how the A-26 improved over that. We look at its fantastic performance in testing and how much the test pilot adored it. We look at all three initial prototypes and where they differed, and which of these prototypes "won".
We then talk about the first A-26's sent overseas into the Pacific, and how pilots there absolutely hated them for one specific reason. We look at how DOuglas fixed this in the short term and in the long term, and how the long term solution led to the A-26 being a fantastic plane. We lastly look at the usage of the A-26 after WW2, being renamed to the B-26, and seeing combat in the Korean War, Vietnam War, Bay of Pigs, Laotian Civil War, and various smaller conflicts.

[@deanmccormick8070]

Long story but i think it's worth it. This from my old neighbor, the late Reg Krause, who was a production test pilot for Douglas at the Long Beach plant. As WW II ended, the Army ordered all aircraft in production that were past a certain percentage of completion to be finished and the Army would take delivery. (Everything was on a cost-plus-percentage contract.) So when enough planes were complete, the final test flight was combined with a ferry flight to McClellan Field near Sacramento, where the Army accepted delivery and immediately put them into storage. They'd then ferry the pilots home in a DC-3. Several years later, during the Korean Conflict, when the early jets had trouble with bombing accuracy, somebody decided that what they really needed were A-26's! So planes were prepped for ferry flights back to Long Beach for refurbishing, they did the same thing in reverse. Ferry a DC-3 load of pilots to Sacramento and fly a gaggle of A-26's back to Long Beach. My neighbor was involved in both operations, and he said it was spooky to get into a 6 year old airplane where the ONLY FLIGHT in the logbook was the one he himself made back six years before!

[@EneTheGene]

A very cool story! Thank you for sharing.

[@devinlewis3096]

Thx for sharing

[@babboon5764]

One of the under-appreciated aspects of KZbin comments is that on articles like this they get on record a lot of almost 'folklore'/word of mouth history which only the older generations toady know from the tales of the generation that went before them - Often doing by today's standards quite astonishing things. That account's one for later millitary historians for sure dean 👍

[@deanmccormick8070]

@@babboon5764 Thanks for your comment. This little historic factoid is true to the best of my knowledge and belief, but probably undocumented anywhere else.

[@CrusaderSports250]

A great little bit of history, probably not important in the scheme of things but in many ways even more important to tell, my mum used to tell of the times when as a young girl she lived on the heavy bomber bases which my grandfather was helping to construct, dispite not even having the runways finished the bases were operational, my grandparents and their three children lived in a caravan that my grandfather towed behind the lorry when they moved to the next base, I love hearing about personal history unfortunately so little of it is recorded, thank you for your glimpse into another time.

[@charleshunter3287]

I'm pretty certain that the tallest member of the crew photo at minute 16 is my father, Jack Hunter, who flew B-26, A-20, and A-26 in France in WWII. He flew an A-26 from France to Africa, to Brazil, then to Georgia after VE day and was ready to fly to the Pacific when the atom bomb was dropped. Luckily, he didn't have to go back to war. He loved the A-26, it flew like a big hot rod but was easy to control.

[@raygreenberg6720]

A lot of civilian A-26s were used for many years as firefighters, dropping water or retardant on forest fires.

[@keppscrossing]

The movie, "Always" uses it as the starring water bomber.

[@TheOrdomalleus666]

@@keppscrossingI watched that movie as a kid and feverishly tried to research what aircraft it was.

[@carlpeters8690]

Came to say the same thing. I remember seeing them a lot as a kid. They were used in Western Canada by a company called Air Spray.

[@carlpeters8690]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3aloIF_idKflbc

[@lessharratt8719]

they were stationed at Williams Lake, BC Canada in the 70"s when I was taking my ppl. I thought they where beautiful.@@carlpeters8690

[@stunick1573]

Give you guys some true inspirations of this plane. First off most of this is from my dad who flew the A-26B attack version in Korea. His love of this plane was never surpassed by any other air frame. 2nd he said the plane could turn to the right with the Mustangs flying in Korea. Both engines had a right hand prop rotation, not counter rotating like most twin engines. Giving this plane during the Korean war a wicked right hand torque. He stated coming in to land he could crank it as hard right as the Mustangs. The B models carried the same bomb load as a B-17 configured for long range missions. He could set the top turret locked forward and have 14 forward firing 50 cals. He had some of the coolest 8mm film of strafing off Okinawa during the 1950's. The Air Force put large frame guys in Bombers so was sent to the A-26B due to his size. Being 6'2" he was to big for Mustangs which he said in hind sight was good since he needed the extra leg room. Dad's wing commander was a train ace, he would fly out over Korea and find a train track leading into China and drop in an fly along it until a train came along. Which was a bad day for a train.

[@stunick1573]

Just a brief comment, during the 1950's Fatima air station on Okinawa was own by the Airforce and later transferred to the Marines who operated it when I was there in the 1970's. The strafing runs were on a large rock/coral head sticking out of the ocean some where off Okinawa. This was after the Korean war went stale (Armistice) and the Wing went back to Okinawa for peace time duties.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

There's an obscure novel by Robin Moore that opens with an attack mission by a B 26. Train busting. 8 .50 caliber guns and bombs. The book is about a commando mission to blow up a bridge on the Chinese border. Pretty good read.

[@stunick1573]

@@nomadmarauder-dw9re will have to find it. thanks

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@stunick1573 Well, I went to Google. Robin Moore bibliography. Search result NEGATIVE. TBH I read the book 50 years ago. Maybe I got the author wrong? But I do remember now there was a co author. As this was early in Moore's career I know it's not like we've seen with Griffin or Clancy. Still, it's aggravating.

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

@@stunick1573 I found a book by Moore and Edward E. Mayer called The Cobra Team. No info re plot or setting. Plus, the published date is 1978 or 1981. Cover has badass guys with guns, but they look like Vietnam era. And I thought I read it before joining up in 74. It's on Amazon, Thrift books, etc. I probably got the time period of when I read it wrong. Or something. And the one I remember had a different title? LOL, getting old sure is fun! Anyway, that's all I've got for now.

[@lancerevell5979]

Sadly, in any venue, there will always be haters. The A-26 has always been one of my favorite twin-engine combat planes. 😎👍

[@kennethpaladino4948]

Me 2!

[@skipperclinton1087]

Lance: This and the Mitchell.

[@brianjones3191]

My fav. is the Beaufighter, very similar to these.

[@ChristianRB89]

If nothing else, it just looks sooooo good.

[@mase7557]

I agree. It is a beautiful airplane.

[@SeattleJeffin]

The A-26 is just a gorgeous aircraft. I recall an episode of the old History channel show "Wings" showing gun camera footage of an A-26 on the tail of a BF-109. The show stated that there were certain conditions where an A-26 had a better turn rate than an 109's. I do not state this was true but anyone finding themselves in front of a "Gun nose" A-26 was in for a "significant emotional event".

[@meaders2002]

@SeattleJeffin An experience described as the 'brown trouser moment.'

[@junanougues]

Formative.

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

​@@junanougues Heavily de-formative ....😂😉

[@clivestainlesssteelwomble7665]

Probably closest in ability's to the Mosquito. Made models of the black bomber variant but love the gunship versions culminating in the Counter invader.😎

[@nomadmarauder-dw9re]

​@@meaders2002oh, s##t moment. Or Oh, f###k me moment.

[@jayspenser2316]

Really well done! The only oversight is that the twin-engine Martin B-26 Marauder medium bomber was overlooked. In reality, it wasn't just the Douglas A-20 that Douglas' new A-26 Invader was replacing when the war in Europe ended (V-E Day). It was also and primarily the B-26 Marauder. Only three bomb groups flew the obsolescent A-20 out of England in WWII whereas eight flew he newer, faster, larger, more heavily armed, and more versatile Marauder. Both these types -- the A-20 and B-26 -- attacked targets at or near the front lines in direct support of ground operations. While the former engaged more in low-level ground attack, the latter performed precision bombing from medium altitude with legendary accuracy (Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighters excelled at low-level ground support, but that's another discussion). This complementary "tactical" use of the A-20 and the B-26 Marauder stands in marked contrast to four-engine Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Consolidated B-24 Liberator heavy bombers, whose "strategic" mission was to fly far beyond the lines to deny the enemy the means to make war in the first place. Their targets were generally factories, oil refineries, railroad marshalling yards, and so on. The performance of the brand-new Douglas A-26 Invader led the U.S. Army Air Forces to select it to take over the Ninth Air Force's tactical bombardment mission, replacing both the A-20 and the B-26. So jaw-dropping was the Invader that it relegated the A-20 in the stone age, carried a Marauder's bomb load with half as many crew members (3 versus 6), and flew faster than both (nearly as fast as a Mustang, in fact). This phased equipment transition was underway but not far along when the war ended, denying the A-26 a starring role in WWII. Of course, the A-26 was redesignated B-26 after the war, causing endless confusion, but that's another story....

[@roberthumphrey1304]

Your explanation cleared the muddy waters to murky. I was confused over the relationship of these 3 planes.

[@darkknight1340]

The longevity of the A/B-26 was remarkable,that it served during the latter part of WW2 and was still relevant 30 years later in Vietnam as the B-26K counter invader is amazing.

[@shanewiley5470]

Not really 😂 they're flying it over Vietnam! Not exactly a dangerous country to fly over they probably could've use biplanes and of been fine

[@alanbaxter7191]

A georgeous airframe on the ground or in the air, piston aircraft designs are the graceful art in aviation history.

[@terrancealexander5621]

I was an aircraft propeller repairman in the Air Force on 1965 in Vietnam War. And I remember salvaging parts when and where ever we could to keep these few planes serviceable. Really cool blog !!

[@madmikie8564]

My dad started out on A-20's during WW II and transitioned to the A-26. During the Battle of the Bulge he was part of a 6 plane flight that caught a German supply column going through a pass and took out the entire column in traditional fashion. First vehicle, last vehicle, then it was like shooting ducks in a barrel with the rest of them. After V-E day he was transferred to the Pacific and flew B-25's and A-26's flying around VIP's until he was discharged a couple of years after V-J day.

[@Dv087]

This has always been one of my favorite aircraft. It's also in the movie " Always "

[@doogleticker5183]

They made a movie about Tampons?

[@MyBlueZed]

I wonder what service history the aeroplane used in ‘Always’ had? 😊 It’s a terrific movie.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

One of my favorite WW2 planes. Just a great looking machine. Thank you for presenting this beauty.

[@aaaht3810]

Certainly a beautiful aircraft.

[@jimrichards1289]

My uncle flew as a gunner on this bird with the Army Air Corps starting in WWII, then through Korea, and onto Vietnam. He loved this aircraft. He retired in 1970 and was my inspiration to make the Air Force a career.

[@conradnelson5283]

Thank you for your service

[@NBZW]

Went to school with a fellow who flew the A-26 his comment “You’re constantly chewing holes in the seat, but my God the exhilaration especially during takeoff.”

[@echo5delta]

We got to remove all the instruments and dials that had Radium paint from the A-26’s back in the 90’s. We found some really cool little things stuffed in here and there from WW2 on.

[@chriswilson8757]

Details please,sounds very interesting perhaps an update Post ?

[@dereksollows9783]

My friend, now long deceased, flew Bostons in the RAF. He loved them. He did a lot, and throughout the whole war ending up as a test pilot. He was 'meh' when I asked about the A-26. He had flown one at some stage and I suspect it was before the upgrades. He might have loved it AFTER the upgrades. RIP Paul

[@bostonrailfan2427]

not surprised, Brits tend to be that way regarding any non-British things…especially their aircraft

[@papalegba6796]

@@bostonrailfan2427 not true. A lot of British pilots loved American planes. Also, I suspect this guy may have been confusing the A26 Invader with the B26 Marauder, which the RAF did use & was a scary plane to get used to.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

@@papalegba6796 multiple sources and historians beg to differ, they tout everything British while bashing anything American to them they want toy to believe that the Brits won the war on their own with no help whatsoever from Americans or any non-British Commonwealth country 🙄

[@rickkieffer5028]

This was very well done. The only attack aircraft that flew in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. There are photos of one with at least 18 - 50 cals facing forward. Gotta be standing on the gas when you push that go button. My friend purchased one in 1987 in Van Nuys. I helped ferry it up to Paine Field. We did the NW air show circuit for a few years. It is a fast, however a bit unforgiving wing. Best plane I ever flew. It was one of the On Mark planes. There is still one flying out of Renton Wa. Thanks for posting this.

[@steveschainost7590]

The movie Always (1989) featured the A-26 in its later role as a firefighter.

[@markthomas6436]

I was just trying to remember this when I read your comment. It starred Richard Dreyfuss. 😊

[@adamdavis4690]

I wasn’t sure, I always thought that it looked like badass plane

[@markm2348]

I remember that movie and I think I have a VHS copy of it. It had Richard Dreyfuess in it I think.

[@Jimbo-in-Thailand]

My dad flew A-20s, then later flew B-25s over N. Africa in 1943 during WWII. He loved both of them and said they were both excellent airplanes. I'm sure that had something to do with the initial reluctance of aircrews to want to switch to A-26s. By the time the A-26 was used in the Vietnam War (officially I guess) there weren't many airworthy aircraft remaining. Those that were there were very effective. Sadly, wing spars began to crack under the punishing loads of close air support missions and there were simply no replacement parts available by then. By the time I served in the late Vietnam War (1972-73) as a young F-4E Phantom jet crew chief at Ubon Royal Thai AFB, I didn't see any A-26s. There were, however, a couple of AC-47 gunships and a few modified T-28s with machine guns and missile racks installed. These particular bad-ass T-28s were painted gray, unmarked IIRC, and flown by the CIA.

[@jacobbrouwer5829]

Born in 1940, I have a career as fighter and airline pilot, flying among others F104 andMD11. In 1994 a friend bought an A26 and had it completely restored to its original condition. Since he was not a pilot, he asked me to fly it. I did the ground school in Red Deer Canada where it was used for extinguishing bush fires and thereafter did the FAA flight check for the type rating. Flew the plane to Oshkosh, where the owner received the award for best restauration. The plane was later ferried to Amsterdam where with a group of four pilots we used it for demo’s, among them D-day rememberance. I loved to fly this plane and to feel the power of its engines. Hope I did something to keep the memory alive for all those pilots who gave their lives and made it possible for me to live in a free country.

[@Mygg_Jeager]

Holy crow! I'm pretty sure I've seen the exact model you're talking about on display at an Aviation Museum in Alberta!

[@damndirtyrandy7721]

Was this the plane identified as “The Gray Ghost” a smuggler plane the DEA could never catch up with? 😂

[@jacobbrouwer5829]

@@damndirtyrandy7721 1:52 It was named “Hard to get”.

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

The Imbortal Bot guy.

[@JeffreyWilliams-dr7qe]

What version of the Invader.?

[@kiwidiesel]

Awesome thank you for doing a piece on my favorite plane. The A26 is a beast and gets so little attention when compared to the Martin B26 and the B25.

[@bessarion1771]

The RAF crews LOVED Boston III, because it was such a great improvement over Blenheim....

[@bobparis2259]

In the Pacific theater the A-26 was used down low on strafing attacks just like the A-20 and B-25. The big problem was the R-2800’s obstructing most of the vision to the sides, making the pilot oblivious to defensive positions as he flew down a sort of tunnel. This was unnerving to the crew, but in Europe they flew more as bombers than attack aircraft and the poor peripheral vision was less of a factor. Note the relative position of the engine nacelles on the A-20 and B-25. These both gave the pilot a much better view of what was coming at him down low, very important in strafing attacks.

[@drzoidbergmd3200]

Saw one of these in a display in England in the 80s. It was the maddest display of flying i had ever seen, banking llow over the sea the wing tips were below the level of the yacht masts. Never seen anything like it, i think it crashed and the pilot was killed later that year. Great looking plane and it looked like the pilot was having a great time in it.

[@derekkinsley5631]

I think you will find the pilots name was Don Bullock, he used to display the B17 ‘Sally B’ from Duxford in the late 70’s and early 80’s!……..spectacular in the very least!…

[@radiosnail]

I was at Biggin Hill when Don Bullock crashed it. Took several passengers with him. Used to see the Invadeer flying very low over Bexleyheath in it as well.

[@sonorousbelchpipe1021]

Just because he's an expert pilot does not forgive him for continually pushing the envelope until too late. It's amazing how some people are allowed to sit in a cockpit.

[@luckeyhaskins1734]

Never fly with a pilot crazier than you.

[@brookeshenfield7156]

Once again, you ably and interestingly describe an underestimated aircraft. Mahalo!

[@paulm749]

The A-26 was almost the twin-engine counterpart to the P-51D Mustang. Like the Mustang, it looked like it was years ahead of everything else in its class and it had the performance to back it up. Just a brilliant plane. Thanks for putting this together.

[@Slide164]

I grew up in northern BC and distinctly remember the a26 fire retardant bombers winding up their engines and taking off out of Ft Nelson. The company was conair out of BC. Plus they flew the DC 6. Red and white. The sound and sight was amazing.

[@cynthiakoehne7004]

AND we still use them as "CAP" and fire bombers here in the U, S. I was bombed twice by b-26 bombers fighting the fire in Pebble beach back in 1987 and I still see them flying in and out of Monterey airport along with BRONCO's doing the job of fire "CAP" to this day!

[@jreynii]

A great narration of this plane's history (and involvement in history) and seemingly very thorough. Well done!

[@bigblue6917]

I remember seeing three of these fly passed my home on the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Quite a surprise

[@lesliereissner4711]

These were very cool airplanes, another winner with the involvement of design genius Ed Heinemann. The On Mark company modified 40 of them for counter-insurgency work as the B-26K with a lot of upgrades after the wings fell off of one in 1964 and the fleet in Vietnam was grounded. On Mark actually built a series of executive A/B-26s, culminating in the Marksman, which had a pressurized cabin, with six of those for private customers and two for special CIA operations. The executive versions were pretty fast for those pre-business jet days but must have been brutally noisy inside. For many years when driving eastbound along Highway 401 in Toronto you could see a B-26 sitting on the roof of a moving van company on the south service road. It was there for decades and a child I always looked out for it but long gone now.

[@larryweitzman5163]

While Ed Heinemann was a great designer (my dad worked directly with Heinemann as he was the leadman in prototype at Doug El Segundo), but the design of the A/B-26 really came from Ted Smith, who designed the Aero Commander and Aerostar. Smith worth under Heinemann and it was really Smith's design.

[@projectpacer]

The video unfortunately does not talk about the B-26 reverting back to the A-26 during the Vietnam conflict as the Thai govt did not want a bomber stationed in their country so the designation was changed back to the A-26. The A-26K model was different animal than previous A-26s. The On Mark model was like the difference between a F-15C and a F-15E....they are almost completely different. The A-26K was a beast, my dad flew one of the 40 that were converted by the On Mark company. He flew with the AeroCommandos out of Thailand. I believe at 26:03 this is a A-26K or "Special K" photo in the video. You can tell with the huge paddle props. Nice video. Always like vids about aircraft designs that most people do not know about. The A1 Skyraider and the A-26 Invader were designs that went way past what they were originally designed for and are examples of aircraft that military tried to retire but there was no replacements in the jet age to meet their special tasks. They are like the current A-10 warthog....keep trying to retire but it is just too good at what it does.

[@larryweitzman5163]

@@projectpacer My dad built the very first prototype A-1 or (AD-1) directly under Heinemann. Heinemann liked to keep close tabs as his prototypes were being built.

[@CrusaderSports250]

​@@larryweitzman5163worked in design for twenty five years and this is often the case, the lead man sets the concept, everyone else does the work and he gets the credit, can only suppose it's like that in all walks of life!.

[@larryweitzman5163]

@@CrusaderSports250 Actually with respect to my dad as leadman in prototype from the AD through the F5D, my dad was in prototype actually building the very first prototype or modification of each new aircraft at Douglas El Segundo and often worked directly with Heinemann. He was not an engineer, he actually built and supervised the construction of prototype aircraft. leadman was a designation of advancement and supervisory status as is a manager, director, AVP or some other title designation in the corporate world. Since El Segundo closed 60 years ago, no one knows of my dad except me and my brother. His name is not in Ed Heinemann's book aptly titled Ed Heinemann. Also not mentioned is Aero Commander/Aerostar's Ted Smith.

[@Dougeb7]

I've always had a soft spot for the Invader because my dad worked on them as a mechanic between WWII and Korea.

[@barrybarlowe5640]

My mother's first husband perished in one of these in France. Not the planes fault. As I understand it, some lieutenant in signals got word that a German convoy had been spotted not far away. On his own recognizance and without further intelligence, he order Capt. Mark Robb and his wing of 5 A-26s to depart on a low-level assault to take the convoy by surprise. They came in at tree top level. Unfortunately, the convoy they were "ambushing" heard them long before they arrived and were ready for them. The German convoy was one carrying the Third Reich's most advanced anti-aircraft systems to the front. Radar guided, stacked auto-cannon, wire guided anti-aircraft missiles, and several other types of similar weaponry. The Commander of the Convoy actually wrote a book about it, after the War, but I'm not sure if it was translated, or not. The 5 A 26's came in at tree top level as ordered, and only the last in line manged to escape, damaged but still flyable. The others were all too low to bail out, Captain Robb's plane hurtling below the level of a nearby church steeple as they tried to eject. They are buried over there. A 26s may have been fine ground attack bombers, but there were limits... As I understand the little piss that sent them out was never punished, either.

[@ttpechon2535]

Um, what?

[@RyllenKriel]

I do love the A-20 and A-26, thanks for the video!

[@raybame5816]

Nice presentation..Was always my fav twin eng vs Mitchell, Havoc, Marauder or whatever. I was aware of the vision criticism but you explained the solutions well and your photos were well done (no other planes snuck in for filler mat'l). Also the chg from A-26 to B-26 was appreciated. Earned you my sub and certainly like. I see a lot of video's I'm gonna like.

[@bluskytoo]

my dad flew these at night in the Korean war. He said he saw a Mig-15 in the moonlight once, and chased it into gun range. My dad said he had 14 forward firing 50 cals that night. He said he was about 5 seconds away from firing when the Mig started a descent and out paced his 26. It would have been a historic kill if it had happened.

[@hangar4851]

In contrast to the A-20 Havoc the pilot of the A-20 had a quite restricted view due to the engine nacelles , see 13:20. Similar to the DH Mosquito or Hornet. The pinnacle of "restricted view designs" most probably was the Westland Whirlwind, which was taken out of service after just 2 years.

[@rogertwitchell8197]

My Dad was a navigator in the RB-26C doing radar recon along the Iron Curtain in the mid-50s... He had some pretty good stories. Fast plane (for a prop), lots of Gs... It took wing root fatigue partly from flopping around on unfinished runways during Vietnam, its third war, to finally retire it! Thank for covering this wonderful design that did so much that so few know about.

[@fantabuloussnuffaluffagus]

Pickling an aircraft engine doesn't involve removing it from the aircraft or submerging it in oil. You change the oil, fog the cylinders with oil, and install desiccant plugs in place of half the spark plugs.

[@gort8203]

Interesting that George Kenny did not want the A-26, even though it was reportedly designed to meet the tactical requirements of the theatre commanders. As an A-20 on steroids it turned in bigger performance numbers, but apparently was not a better airplane to fly and employ in combat. It also inhabited the zone of size and capability between the medium bomber and the fighter bomber. It had a longer useful life than the medium bombers because it was closer to being a heavy fighter-bomber than a bomber, which in MHO was becoming and remains the better overall solution for a ground attack aircraft.

[@Jack-D-Ripper]

I always loved the A-26 as a boy; it looked so cool and powerful. Thanks for the video, it was very informative.

[@larryweitzman5163]

As I said below, the design of the A/B-26 stems from the DC-5, DB-7, and A-20, all very similar aircraft in the design concept. The engineer who started all these designs and who eventually headed the design team or was the lead engineer was none other than Ted Smith from Aero Commander and Aerostar fame which makes it easy to see the lineage, all mid-wing or high wing designs which was a Smith signature. Heinemann was a great designer, but these aircraft are Smith's concepts. My dad was a leadman for Douglas from about 1943 until the El Segunda prototype dept closed up shop in the mid 1960s and worked directly with Heinemann on several Dougs such as the AD, A2D, A3D, A4D, F3D, F4D, F5D and the D-558-1 (Skystreak) and D-558-2 (Skyrocket), the first plane with Scott Crossfield at the controls to exceed Mach II.

[@ricklowers8873]

I flew over 2,000 hours in the 500B/S Aero Commander. Absolutely LOVED the aircraft. One of (if not the most) my favorite types I’ve flown in my career. Ted Smith did a fantastic job of translating the A-26 design to a “light twin” civilian aircraft. Because of this I have always had great interest in the A-26. Wish I could get some stick time in one. Great video. Just wish you could have included some of its fire fighting history in this video. Maybe another time?

[@larryweitzman5163]

@@ricklowers8873 Yes, Aero Commander twins fly great. Ted Smith was a genius designer, following the adage, if it looks good it will fly great. I have only a couple of hours in a 680F, but can attest to its beautifully control response and wonderful handling. It was easy to fly, at least with both fans turning.

[@larryweitzman5163]

@@ricklowers8873Rick, there was a black B-26 based in BUR in my community hangar. Bob Hope kept his Jetstar there as well. I knew the guy who flew the B-26 and actually flew with him once right seat in a Piper Lance VNY to PVF. One time he forgot to put the nosewheel scissor/locking pin in before engine start and taxi. Anyway the nosegear pivoted sideways, collapsed and he had two prop strikes requiring two new O/H on the recently overhauled engines. It was a bad day for the "Goobs." The plane got fixed and attended OSH many times. It was black and beautiful. It later got sold tom a Canadian, I believe.

[@ThePckupelan]

This aircraft was put to it’s last service as gate guard near my house in early 70s. One of my favorite aircraft because huge number of forward guns (apart from the B25J) and its shark mouth scheme.

[@user-tf1rq9vg1j]

As a kid who loved building plastic model WW2 American aircraft, I always looked at the A-26 as a bomber that appeared to be designed by engeneers of the 70's. It just had that 'modern' look to it making it look sleek and awesome.

[@DrRinehardHeisenberg]

The A-26 is one of my favorite twin engine WWII aircraft. A very fast maneuverable aircraft that is a blast to fly.

[@proteusnz99]

It’s interesting to compare the production history of the A-26 and the B-66. The development of the A-26 was dragged out by continuous changes to armament choices, the remote turret controls development was difficult and the periscope sighting for the ventral turret never worked well for anything, I.e. the B-25 ventral turret. The original cockpit canopy was poor, limiting visibility, and difficult to leave in emergencies. The clamshell version was a big improvement. Gen Arnold was so disenchanted by the lengthy development process that he wrote that the A-26 was wanted for this war, not the next. As the video notes, the B-26 with it’s longer loiter time and lower maintenance demands compared to jets was useful in lower level conflicts. The B-66 was supposed to be a land variant of Douglas’s versatile A3D Skywarrior which had a long and successful career in the demanding carrier environment. However, by the time the B-66 emerged there was very little commonality left with the A3D aside from general layout. The cockpit, wings and tail were redesigned, the A3D J-57s were replaced by J-71s (an orphan engine not used by anything else). Basically, the B-66 was a large, sub-sonic light bomber in a world where the F-101/F-105 were becoming the strike aircraft of choice. Likewise, the RB-66 did not offer much that couldn’t be done as well or better by the RF-84F or RF-101. The B-66 did provide some useful service in the ECM role (RB-66C, EB-66E)

[@eottoe2001]

This is my new favorite video of yours now. There wasn't too much information or too little. I always assumed they were the ones used to bomb Japan early in the war by Doolittle but that was the B-25. That's all cleared. What an interesting plane that I knew nothing about. TY for the video!

[@s.marcus3669]

There is a TON of information on the Invader, both printed and Internet, all you have to do is look....

[@CrusaderSports250]

​@@s.marcus3669as the man says he knew nothing about the aircraft, so didn't look for something he didn't know about, the Internet is a great learning resource but you do need to know what to look for, and try to avoid the "rabbit holes" that take you down to all sorts of places😊.

[@luckeyhaskins1734]

As a Naval Aviator of 22 years I would have loved to have flown the A/B-26. I have a few 100 hours in the P-2 Neptune a larger plane than the A-26 but similar multiple function aircraft. When I was a teenager I built a flying scale model of the A-26 in balsa and tissue, which flew incredibly well and stable, usually I had to modify the model to make it fly better in smaller size, Planck’s constant is always there, since air molecules are the same size for models and full size planes which alters flight characteristics. From there I figured, as a kid, if the plane looked good in full size it would fly good in scale, another good example was the Spirit of St Louis, which flew well in smaller scale.

[@cdjhyoung]

In watching multiple videos about the weapons the US used in WW II, it is really amazing how few of them were fully developed, or even existed, when the US entered the war after Pearl Harbor. Consider that the P-38, P-51 B-24, B-25, B-26 were all either under development or had only been test flown at that time. When Doolittle conducted his raid, the B-25 had only been in service for less than 5 months. The Corsairs were still on the drawing boards. Even the Sherman tank, the backbone of American armor was not fully developed at the end of 1941. Much is written about the industrial might of the US in this time period. But I don't think enough emphasis is placed on the frenzied engineers that was going on. All of these machines of war had to be designed, but also the tools and the factories to build them.

[@nomdeguerre7265]

Makasi.... My step father flew a few missions in these in the Congo. Only the Cubans were supposed to fly them. But some guys are just badasses and you know how that goes.

[@twoheart7813]

Pilot debriefing: So, how did you like the A-26? Loved It!, fast as hell!, That is all, good job.

[@user-ii2yr6pc2s]

Just discovered your channel. I must say, cool logo you got!

[@ronaldbyrne3320]

👍🏻 I definitely learned something from this. 😊

[@musewolfman]

"Source of Annoyance" is a brilliantly snarky name for an attack plane.

[@alanpennie]

It's very Iain M. Banks.

[@icewaterslim7260]

My dad was an A20 and A26 Gunner in the 3rd Attack Group and I don't recall anything negative from him being passed on from their pilot about it but I was aware of the initial poor receptions from other sources. Theirs had 8 M2 .50 calibers in the nose and was used from the Philippines until the surrender and I believe their equipment while he was stationed in Osaka as part of the occupation. General Kenney's directive notwithstanding, his aircrew ferried replacement A26s from Formosa to Osaka trading in A20s. It was fast and gave the gunner a chance to get out if you ever had to ditch it. He claimed to never get the chance to use the high tech guns in defense because their escorts were P38 groups like the Aces loaded 475th and wouldn't let anything that could've actually caught them get anywhere near them. I don't recall hearing any regrets about that or not having to invade Kyushu although they had begun flying missions there. His trip back to the states was a seasick cruise on a Liberty Ship. I believe the aircraft was re-designated, by the USAF back to an A 26 in cooperation with the CIA's effort to fly out of Ubon Thailand because of a requirement at that time by the Thais not to have bombers operate from their airfields.Obviously the requirement was dropped later as Ubon became a B52 base. There was no cover for that function with a name change.The CIA's A26Ks were completely refurbished with either beefier new wing spars or wings with more hard-points for ordinance under them.and extra fuel tanks added to the outboard tips. The turrets and their gunnery apparatus were removed..

[@forbolden]

My dad flew the B26 Marauder over France and Germany for the 9th Air Force. He loved that bomber, however in early 45 they got the A26 and, in his words, Oh my God could it fly.

[@jerryandnancywertzbaugher7778]

My mother worked for Douglas during the war at the Long Beach plant. She initially workded on Douglas built B17s wiring the belly gun system, but later she was assigned to the A-26 wiring the cockpit. Douglas workers were extemely proud of the A26s performance both on-paper and in the field. Not noted in this excellent video was the fact that the A26 was very popular in Post War America as a Business Aircraft, modified to offer Busines Executives economical mobility. Before the advent of the modern Business Jet, the A26 was perhaps the most significant Business Airplane of the period.

[@greghardy9476]

I loved the A 26, my favorite light bomber/attack aircraft!

[@spykezspykez7001]

Fantastic. Thank you. Did you do a P-61 one yet? Thanks

[@TPW900GP35]

Thank you for this video! I’ve been a plane enthusiast all my life. One thing I have never been able to rectify, in my mind, anyway, was the confusion between having two planes with the 26 designation. The Martin B-26 Marauder and the Douglas A-26 Invader. Clearly, they are two different airplanes, even though similar in some ways. Even if one plane was supposed to replace the other, it would seem confusing to our pilots and ground crews to have two different planes with the same designator. There are other instances, too numerous to name, where a plane replaced another, but both had different designations!

[@poowg2657]

General Kenny hated the A-26 (or second B-26 if you will) with a passion. For his mission he said he only needed B-25s and A-20s and please scrap all of the A-26s. His pilots on the other hand gave it high marks except for the fact that the navigator/ rear gunner was isolated from the rest of the crew. The fact that they are still used today as water bombers says a lot for the design.

[@tstodgell]

The first B-26 (that is, the Martin marauder) wasn't such a bad airplane either. We simply didn't have the training or institutional wisdom in place to handle a bomber with that fast of a stall speed. "One a day in Tampa bay" was a fact, if only because fresh Army Air Corps pilots never got trained up to ships that stalled faster than 100 knots. Back in the 1930's bombers were slow floaty lil guys. Martin Marauders stalled and spun. Douglas invaders, on the other hand, ended up getting over-G'ed and suffering snapped wings. It's like ya can't win: the fat speedy plane stalled to easily and the sporty agile plane (the invader) was originally stressed for leisurely 1930's bomber-type flying.

[@fishingthelist4017]

Kenney usually grabbed anything that could fly and wasn't earmarked for other theaters, so it is a surprise that he didn't like the A-26

[@wilburfinnigan2142]

General Kenny reminds me of the @$$whole in the USAAF that sair the V1710 Allison did not need a 2 stage supercharger also...I often wonder how many airmen those 2 EGO's killed ????

[@CrusaderSports250]

​@@wilburfinnigan2142watched a post on the P47 and how despite having them the command refused to use drop tanks as range extenders, thereby sending the bombers out unescorted until the P51 came along. Unfortunately every war and every side has these people with their own often petty agenda's.

[@Cuccos19]

Could you make some videos about jet trainers in combat? Like the Aero L-29 Delfin, Fouga Magister, Aermacchi MB-326, BAC Jet Provost and BAC Strikemaster, and the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly? I think maybe the Cessna could have an own video, maybe the the others combat history is not that wide spread, but I think they are very interesting aircrafts in not very well know local conflicts (mostly in Africa and the Middle East). The Deflin was by Arab forces, the Aermacchi in South Africa, the Magister in Izrael and agaist Irish UN forces during the Siege of Jadotville in the Congo Crisis, the Jet Provost / Strikemaster I think maybe in the Middle East, or in Africa as well? The Dragonfly fought in Vietnam, and later in South and Central America against drug cartels and in conflict between South (or even Central) American countries as well. My personal favorites are the Magister with its "sexy" butterfly tail, and the Macchi as it was a very effective combat aircraft - even modified to a single seater dedicated attacker - during the Bush Wars.

[@zephyer-gp1ju]

I watched one documentary on the B 25, 26 and the heavy bombers. The sponsors of the documentary made a case that the US would have been better off focusing on attack planes like the 25/26 over the heavy bombers as they took on fighting positions and heavy bombers raided far behind the lines with limited results.

[@budlistar5312]

I had an elderly friend that worked on the production line at the Douglas plant here in Tulsa building A-26’s and B-24’s. He met his wife there also and they both had a lot of stories and pictures. Great couple.

[@brianwilliams307]

A company in Canada called AIRSPRAY used a fleet of 26's as late as the 1990's as air attack for forest fires.

[@briancavanagh7048]

I saw one in an air museum at the Victoria Airport in BC maybe in the 1990s. Is it still there?

[@jasonvega9942]

interesting. i like the point about the difference of opinion of the pilots and the reasons why.

[@Ob1sdarkside]

It's a slick looking plane

[@yuritovarisch2090]

Currently working on preservation of one at an Air Museum. Great plane!

[@tstodgell]

The Douglas A-26 and Martin B-26 get confused sometimes. Both were good ships in spite of their troubles. The A-26 had reputation for having a glass wing spar; and the B-26's wing loading was higher (faster) than most novice pilots were comfortable with. And to be fair, the Douglas Invader was the only one to keep going after WW2. Respect.

[@larryweitzman5163]

Yes, the Martin B-26 Marauder was also known by its pilots as the "flying prostitute" as it had no visible means of support.

[@margretsdad]

In 1968 a friend’s uncle ,who was a Pan Am captain , tried to start a FedEx-like express delivery company. The uncle bought about half a dozen modified A/B-26C’s for the company. Sadly the company failed in less than a year but not before my friend and I hitched a ride from Burbank, Ca to Seattle via Sacrament and Portland, OR. Oh, he got us home to Pasadena just fine.

[@richardmiller4388]

Good memories of our B26's in Korea flying out of K9 near Pusan. I was a crew chief on one of them and enjoyed my time there. After that tour, I returned to George AFB in California where we had a few that were fitted out for towing targets for the Army anti-aircraft Training Unit near Barstow Calif. Great airplane.

[@johnoneill6161]

In ~1960-61 my Dad was sent several times, TDY to Tucson to inspect a group of A/B-26s for providing them to a foreign service, I think it was the Cuban "Freedom Fighters". One one of his trips he took me and while he was inspecting,, I stayed at the motel swimming in the pool and hanging out.. One day he took me to Davis Mothen where I saw the Enolia Gay and Boxcar fenced off and stored. I also climbed all over a B-26 and stole a B-26 hub off the control wheel, which I still have all these years later. My brother in Law flew B-26s in Korea as a radio operator in the 50s.

[@jameshodgson3758]

My dad served with the 5th in the South Pacific during WWII in A20s. He was training in the A26 when the war ended. He liked the aircraft after spoilers were added to the forward end of the bomb bay that extended when the doors opened. The spoilers reduced buffeting caused by the open doors. His unit did mostly very low level attack missions dropping fragmentation ordinance, incendiary bombs and 250 lb. general purpose bombs against Japanese shipping and military bases. They flew a crew of two, a pilot and a top turret gunner. The rear facing ventral gunner was dropped because he served no purpose in low level attack.

[@bronco5334]

The A-26 never had a "ventral gunner". Both turrets were remotely controlled by a periscopic gunsight operated by one gunner. When the (single) gunner rotated the sight down below horizontal, a mirror flipped to change the view from the top periscope head to the bottom periscope head (and back to the top periscope when the sight was rotated back above horizontal). The same gunner seamlessly controlled both turrets.

[@BearfootBob]

@@bronco5334 he's referring to the A-20's ventral gunner and loadout, not the A-26.

[@BearfootBob]

HK models just released a 1/32 scale A-20G model, I'm planning to get one before they get scarce and paint it up to match my Grandfather's A-20 on which he was a photographer with 312 Bomb Group that arrived in December 43. They inherited that particular A-20G from another squadron already deployed in NG. I love it it's an awesome, under-appreciated plane.

[@jameshodgson3758]

@@bronco5334 True. I was referring to the A20. He only trained in the A26 for a short period of time then the war ended.

[@brandons9398]

I built a model of this airplane as a small boy, my father served in Korea, and said we had those over there. My father was in the second division, he was sergeant, so he never got to fly. However, this made me curious enough to do extensive reading about this aircraft. Ultimately, it ended up being a pretty good plane that had a pretty long service life.

[@CrusaderSports250]

Still have my Airfix model, made in the early seventies, an all silver gun nose version, a rather smart plane.

[@jamescherney5874]

The father of a girl I knew in college flew A26s in Europe during WW2. He said at low altitudes they were so fast they would pull away from the P51s that would escort them on ground attack runs.

[@ex-navyspook]

My ex-wife's grandfather flew the A-26 with 9/323. He arrived in the European Theater in February 1944, flew 76 missions over Europe (including four on D-DAY), and left for home in November 1944. He won the DFC, Purple Heart, and Bronze Star (don't ask me how he won THAT one...don't know). There's one picture of his aircraft that was missing most of the tail section, most of the rudder, and the ailerons were shot up, but he (somehow) got it home; tough aircraft.

[@jeffb-c]

I did learn something!! 🤗

[@TheBullethead]

The A-26 is one of my favorite planes. It was in the very old PVP MMO combat flightsim Air Warrior of the 1990s, where it was actually quite a capable dogfighter. And I actually got to see one fly frequently, the "Spirit of Waco", because I lived in Waco where it was based. In fact, this was the plane that paintjob of the Air Warrior version was based.

[@rg3388]

I have fond memories of the plane's use in Steven Spielberg's ALWAYS.

[@nicholasconder4703]

Slightly off topic, but my father was a navigator/bombardier on an A-20 Havoc/Boston, flying with the RAF Desert Air Force in 1942-1943. He had some really interesting stories to tell. I should also mention the black-and-white image of a plane banking to starboard that you kept showing was of an A-20 bombing Rabaul Harbour. The image is one of several in a sequence that shows the bomber crashing into the harbour.

[@martindice5424]

Lovely kite. I love aircraft that just scream AMERICA! at you. That’s why I LOVE the Jug. Well made, technically innovative and very effective and able to be produced in mind boggling numbers very efficiently. Jolly good show chaps!

[@Dv087]

I came across info that an A26 out turned a Bf109G. It broke the center wing spar but regardless absolutely incredible. Maybe this is the mission that you referenced in your video.

[@bbrf033]

Good, but very little about the plane itself typical bomb load, range , ceiling, speed or crew

[@jpo7577]

Easily the most beautiful piston engine plane ever made.

[@BeachTypeZaku]

This is now my favorite bomber of WW2. This thing was the A-10 of it's day and if theres a starship like it in a scifi universe, I'd fly it.

[@alanrogers7090]

The face on the Air Corps poster reminds me of the guy on Knight Rider and Baywatch, David Hasselhof.

[@russetwolf13]

We have an A-26A at Hill Aerospace museum, such a mean looking plain in the black and red paint.

[@williammunson3615]

I always thought the A-26 and F-7-F were the two of the most graceful, beautiful piston engine aircraft ever built. Not to mention have deadly they could be. They were so sleek, had the most powerful engines and so very fast for the era and capable of inflicting such destruction of any enemy. Awesome aircraft!

[@michijimc9753]

By the time the A-26 arrived in the South Pacific General Kenney and his eccentric engineer/chief pilot Pappy Gunn were flying highly modified B-25’s to great effect as Commerce Raiders against Japanese shipping and land bases. American ingenuity at work in the field, Pappy Gunn is a legendary pilot and pioneering aviator. My late Father was career USAF and I remember more than a few pilots who loved using the A-26 in Vietnam and other nearby countries. They loved its variety of missions, armaments, and it dragging them back home if hit.

[@a-fl-man640]

they were under 100K in the 70s if memory serves. 60K is what i remember in trade-a-plane. always wanted one but poverty was the limiting factor. fine aircraft, always one of my favorites.

[@briancavanagh7048]

I imagine that buying one would be the cheapest part of ownership. Imagine the fuel consumption of those 2 motors.

[@Osty789]

2nd hand story. In the late 1950s a German ME-109 pilot had become my buddies Aerospace Engineering Manager in California. He described the 1st time he saw this 2 engine bomber flying low below him. He made an attack run and the 1st clue he had that it was different was when it turned to attack instead of running. The 2nd clue was when this bomber opened fire and he could no longer see the plane through the flames of all the guns. He then turned his ME-109 to run and discovered that it was faster than his fighter. He survived by finding a cloud. He said there was quite an animated discussion of this new plane when he got back to base.

[@jonathanbair523]

Listening to the history of the B/A-26.... Reminds me that the PBY is the forgotten bomber of WWII... After all it could drop bombs, torps and or depth charges along with land on water to pick up downed air crews or drop off special forces at hostile islands.. Sure she is knows for picking up air crews, but all the other missions she could do seams to have been forgotten.

[@petesheppard1709]

The B-26s carried on as a night intruder through the '50s with the USAF, being handed down to Air National Guard units as B-57 Canberras came on line. The Bay of Pigs bombers were drawn from the 106th Bombardment Squadron (Light) of the Alabama Air National Guard, based in Birmingham AL.

[@blurglide]

Strange that another B-26, the Marauder, was a very similar aircraft.

[@scottfw7169]

Not strange at all, in that period the US Army Air Corps, later named US Army Air Force, would order several different designs to fulfill a mission; but in this instance with the Douglas A-26 and Martin B-26, the requirements for a large attack aircraft & a small bomber resulted in similar shapes and sizes merely as a result of the relation between available technology and aerodynamics; there are only just so many ways a designer can configure a twin engine aircraft to meet the required ordnance payload and enough fuel tanks to meet the distance requirement. At some point after WW2 the Martin B-26 was retired and the US Army Air Force which became its own independent branch of service, the US Air Force in 1947, dropped the Attack aircraft classification and redesignated the Douglas A-26 as B-26, thereby causing confusion to this day.

[@alancranford3398]

My father had a photo of an American pilot in the cockpit of an F-51 with South Korean insignia. He said that he wasn't supposed to have the photo. The US pilot flew missions in that South Korean F-51 to bring the South Korean pilots up to speed in actual combat. This practice went back to the American Volunteer Group (also called the Flying Tigers) in China.

[@lightbox617]

I was borne in Syracuse, NY. I spent many adolecent summer vacation there, flying into the local airport. I used to stop to watch the Air National Guard fly the aircraft stationed there. I saw the a26 bombers, then thought of as ground attack planes and thought they were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. My Father, who was a top turrent gunner/navigator in a B17 in England told me it was total crap. Later, I heard the phrase "once a day in Tampa Bay". I'm glad that beautiful craft has been rehabilitated.

[@jonathanhorne6503]

My dad flew it post war in the navy JD-1 version from NAS Kodiak. He would fly it as a drone controller where a drone RC pilot flying war weary F6F Hellcats sitting in plexi glass dome. Cruisers would try to shoot down the hellcat.

[@craigmoffitt2374]

I remember seeing those overhead constantly in the town where I lived in US Forest Service colors.

[@vvvci]

That quote is from General George C Kenney, Commander of the 5th Air Force, who was General MacArthur's right-hand man in the battles for New Guinea, islands hoping across the other islands of the SouthWest Pacific, and for the U.S. reconquest/ invasion of the Philippines. It is found in his autobiography book, "AIR WAR IN THE PACIFIC" which is a must-read for any WW II aviation or Pacific war history buffs. General Kenney was right about most things, but he and his men preferred the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber, which they had converted to low-level heavily machine-gun armed "strafer" attack bombers, and Kenney had to be forceful because the Army Air Corps supply command would try to ship him aircraft that wouldn't do the job in the Southwest Pacific. For example, although the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive-bomber was well loved by the navy, it didn't have the range to fly from Kenney's SWPA airfields to bomb Japanese airfields hundreds of miles away - as a B-25 could - so Kenney turned them down, too. The problem with the early A-26 Invaders was restricted pilot visibility, which could be deadly as the pilots bombed and shot-up enemy airfields and harbors at low-level - if you missed seeing enemy gun emplacements or approaching fighters, they could kill you. Ironically, General Kenney got the idea to put 8 or 12 heavy machine guns in the nose of the B-25 "strafer" bombers from the A-26 Invader's little brother, the Douglas A-20 Havoc twin-engine light bomber - which his men loved, but did not carry as big a bomb load at the bigger B-25 Mitchell bombers could. Kenney describes the process by which his maverick Engineering officer, Col. "Pappy" Gunn modified A-20s with heavy machine-guns in the nose so they could beat-down enemy anti-aircraft gun crews on low level attacks in another book he wrote, "The Saga of Pappy Gunn." The results were so effective that Kenney had Pappy Gunn modify his B-25 bombers as well - then Kenney sent Col. Gunn to the North American Aviation factory in Los Angeles during the war so the heavily armed B-25 bombers being built there could be modified as strafers at the factory. Well, Douglas aircraft, also in Los Angeles, found out about these heavily armed B-25 "Strafers" and modified their new A-26 Invader bombers in similar fashion! The A-26 Invader - after all it's teething issues were sorted out - was a superior plane to the B-25 - it was faster and carried a bigger bomb load - but most importantly, it only had 3 men, so when one was shot down you only lost 3 men, instead of the 5 or more on a B-25 - and of course you could field more aircraft with less aircrew. As the war drew closer to the Japan home islands the B-26s were used in Kenney's 5th Air Force, and started to supplant the B-25s, but the a-bomb brought the war to an end before U.S. troops had to invade Japan.