DOUGLAS A-26 INVADER
A-26 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Douglas Aircraft Co. Inc., Santa Monica, California, USA. |
| Model: | ? |
| Designations: | A-26; B-26, JD |
| Names: | Invader; Counter Invader (B-26K) |
| First official flight: | (XA-26) 10/07/1942 |
| Factory production period: | 1942 - 1945 |
| Primary service period: | 1944 - 1969 |
| Last official flight: | (VB-26B) 1972 |
A-26 VARIANTS
| 1942 | Model: ? | XA-26 | 1 | |
| 1942 | Model: ? | XA-26A | 1 | |
| 1942 | Model: ? | XA-26B | 1 | Total: 0003 |
| 1943 | Model: ? | A-26B | 1355 | |
| 1943 | Model: ? | A-26C | 1091 | Total: 2446 |
| 1945 | Model: ? | XA-26D | 1 | |
| 1945 | Model: ? | XA-26E | 1 | |
| 1945 | Model: ? | XA-26F | 1 | Total: 0003 |
|
Grand Total: 2452 |
A-26 PRODUCTION
XA-26
Prototype twin engined attack bomber, glass nose.
Produced 1942
Douglas El Segundo, California (DE)
| 41-19504 | 1004 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
XA-26A
Prototype night-fighter version, solid nose with radar,
20mm cannon in ventral tray.
Produced 1942
Douglas El Segundo, California (DE)
| 41-19505 | 1005 |
1 |
Total: 0001 |
XA-26B
Prototype ground-attack version, solid nose with
75mm cannon.
Produced 1942
Douglas El Segundo, California (DE)
| 41-19588 | 1006 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
A-26A - Production order cancelled.
A-26B
As XA-26B, solid nose (6 guns), dorsal turret, ventral turret.
Later aircraft had modified enlarged canopy and 8 gun nose.
Produced 1943 - 1945
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 41-39100 / 41-39151 | 6813 / 6864 | ||
| 41-39153 / 41-39192 | 6866 / 6905 | ||
| 41-39194 | 6907 | ||
| 41-39196 / 41-39198 | 6909 / 6911 | ||
| 41-39201 / 41-39599 | 6914 / 7312 | ||
| 44-34098 / 44-34585 | 27377 / 27864 | ||
| 44-34587 / 44-34753 | 27866 / 28032 |
1150 |
|
|
44-34754 / 44-34775 - Contract cancelled, many completed and sold on civil market. |
28033 / 28054 | ||
|
44-34777 / 44-35197 - Contract cancelled, many completed and sold on civil market. |
28056 / 28476 |
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 43-22252 / 43-22303 | 18399 / 18450 | ||
| 43-22305 / 43-22307 | 18452 / 18454 | ||
| 43-22313 / 43-22345 | 18460 / 18492 | ||
| 43-22350 / 43-22466 | 18497 / 18613 | 205 | Total: 1355 |
XA-26C - Projected prototype with nose mounted 20mm cannon, cancelled.
A-26C
As A-20B, glass nose.
Produced 1943 - 1945
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 41-39152, 41-39193 | 6865, 6906 | ||
| 41-39195, 41-39199 | 6908, 6912 | ||
| 41-39200 | 6913 |
5 |
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 43-22304 | 18451 | ||
| 43-22308 / 43-22312 | 18455 / 18459 | ||
| 43-22346 / 43-22349 | 18493 / 18496 | ||
| 43-22467 / 43-22751 | 18614 / 18898 | ||
| 44-35198 / 44-35562 | 28477 / 28841 | ||
| 44-35564 / 44-35947 | 28843 / 29226 | ||
|
44-35948 / 44-35952 - All completed and sold on the civil market. |
29227 / 29231 | ||
| 44-35953 | 29232 | ||
|
44-35954 - Cancelled before completion. |
29233 | ||
| 44-35955 | 29234 | ||
|
44-35956 - Completed, sold on civil market. |
29235 | ||
| 44-35957 / 44-35996 | 29236 / 29275 | 1086 | Total: 1091 |
|
44-35997 / 44-36797 - Contract cancelled, some aircraft completed then scrapped. |
29276 / 30076 | ||
|
44-36798 / 44-37996 - Contract cancelled. |
- |
XA-26D
Prototype (A-26B), engine upgrade, solid nose.
Produced 1945
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 44-34776 | 28055 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
A-26D - 1945, order for 750 A-26D-DL, cancelled after VJ Day.
XA-26E
Prototype (A-26C), engine upgrade, glass nose.
Produced 1945
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 44-35563 | 28842 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
A-26E - 1945, order for 1250 A-26E-DT, cancelled after VJ Day.
XA-26F
Prototype (A-26B), engine upgrade with fuselage mounted jet engine.
Redesignated as XB-26F in 1948.
Produced 1945
Douglas Long Beach, California (DL)
| 44-34586 | 27865 | 1 | Total: 0001 |
A-26Z - 1945, projected post-war version as the A-26G and A-26H, cancelled after VJ Day.
|
Grand Total: 2452+ |
A-26 CONVERSIONS
Military Conversions
USAAF / USAF
| FA-26C | 1+ | A-26C, 1945, night reconnaissance aircraft with cameras and radar. |
| (RB-26C) | 1+ | 1948, redesignation of FA-26C. |
| (RB-26L) | 2 | RB-26C, 1963, night reconnaissance aircraft used in South Vietnam. |
| B-26B / B-26C 1948, redesignation of A-26B and A-26C | ||
| CB-26B/C | 1+ | Cargo transports. |
| DB-26B/C | 1+ | Drone control (RPV) conversions. |
| EB-26B/C | 1 | Aircraft used for missile guidance research. |
| JB-26B/C | 1+ | Permanent conversions for testing. |
| RB-26B/C | 1+ | Reconnaissance conversions. |
| TB-26B/C | 1+ | Target-tugs and advanced trainers with dual controls. |
| VB-26B/C | 1+ | VIP transports. |
| YB-26K-OM | 1 | Counter Invader B-26C, 1963, prototype heavily modified counter-insurgency aircraft. Wing structure / tail / engine / prop / cockpit / armament upgrade, wingtip fuel tanks, turrets deleted, other minor upgrades. Conversion by On Mark Engineering Co., Van Nuys, California (OM). New s/n: 63-5634, "6" added to the original s/n: 44-35634. |
| B-26K-OM | 40 | Counter Invader 18 B-26B / 22 B-26C, 1964-1969, modified similar to YB-26K, further engine upgrade. Conversions by On Mark Engineering Co., Van Nuys, California (OM). New s/n: 64-17640 / 64-17679. |
| (RB-26K) | 40 | B-26K, 1964-1969, designation after glass nose change for night reconn. |
| (A-26A-OM) | 40 | B-26K, 1966-1969, redesignation for service in Thailand / Vietnam. |
US Navy
| XJD-1 | 2 | 1 A-26B / 1 A-26C, 1945, prototypes for US
Navy testing. Assigned BuNo. 57990, 57991. |
| JD-1 | 150 | A-26C, 1945, US Navy target
towing / utility duty conversions. Assigned BuNo. 77139 / 77224, 80621, 80622 - all these undelivered or ex. RAF airframes, 89072 / 89081, 140326 / 140377. |
| (UB-26J) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of JD-1. |
| (JD-1D) | 1+ | JD-1, 1945, aircraft modified as missile / drone directors. |
| (DB-26J) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of JD-1D. |
British RAF
| Invader B.Mk. I |
140 |
A-26C, 1944, order for RAF
(KL690 / KL829), cancelled in 1945. 2 were delivered (KL690, KL691), but not put in service, to US Navy in 1947 as BuNo. 80621, 80622. 86 undelivered airframes to US Navy in 1945 with BuNo. 77139 / 77224. |
Civil Conversions
L.B. Smith Aircraft Corp., Florida conversions:
Smith Biscayne 26
Smith Super 26
Smith Tempo I - unpressurized.
Smith Tempo II - pressurized.
Lockheed Air Service Inc. (LAS), California conversion:
Super 26 - new fuselage with A-26 wings, tail and engines.
On Mark Engineering Co., California conversions:
On Mark Marketeer - unpressurized Marksman C.
On Mark Marksman A - pressurized.
On Mark Marksman B - pressurized.
On Mark Marksman C - pressurized.
Rhodes Berry Co., California conversion:
Silver Sixty - 1960, fuselage revised for up to 16 passengers.
Rock Island Oil & Refining Co., Kansas conversion:
Monarch 26 - 1960's, longer nose, systems upgrades.
- Other conversions by Et Cetera, Grand Central Aircraft Co., CA.
and LeTourneau.
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- A-26's in military service with Biafra, Brazil, Chile, China, Columbia,
Congolese Republic, Cuba, Cuban Rebel Air Force, Dominican Republic,
El Salvador, France, Guatemala, Honduras, Indonesia, Laos, Mexico,
Nicaragua, Peru, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, South Vietnam, Turkey,
and West Germany.
- Many more flown in foreign countries on CIA clandestine missions.
- Many used on civil markets for fire-bombing, aerial mapping, surveying,
cargo carriers, executive transports, circuit racers and warbirds etc.