64-17649

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B-26K-1 Invader
640.jpg
Builders: Douglas Aircraft Company

On Mark Engineering

Operators: United States Air Force
Number Built: 40
First Built: Jan 1963 (YB-26K)

First test flight

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Type: Light Attack Bomber
Weight: 25,130 lbs empty

37,000 lbs loaded
39,250 lbs Maximum

Length: 51' 7 3/16" (inc. guns)
Height: 19' 0"
Wingspan: 71'6" (including wingtip tanks)
Wing Area: 540 Sq. Feet (50.17 m²)
Speed: 169 mph (cruising)
Max Speed: 323 mph
Ceiling: 28,600'
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-103W
Horsepower: 2,500
Fuel Capacity: 1,600 US Gallons
Range: 700 miles w/3518 lbs payload

1,480 miles empty
2,700 miles (ferry)

Crew: 2
Passengers: 1
ARMAMENT
Nose Guns: 8x .50 caliber guns
Dorsal Turret: None
Ventral Turret: None
Payload: 8,000 lbs on wings

4,000 lbs internal

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See also: List of Invaders by Serial Number, Serial Numbers starting with 64, B-26K

Converted from 43-22720.

Was named "Sweet Therese" by it's pilot, Cpt. Paul M. Marschalk.

Operational History

9 Sep 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark at Van Nuys, CA. [1]
10 Sep 1964 - Assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field. [1]
27 Dec 1964 - 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field. [2]
28 Dec 1964 - Assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB as part of a lend-lease program. [3]
Note: We know from photos and other records that this "Lend-lease" entry was the CIA Operation, Anstalt Wingmo.

5 Jan 1965 - Arrived in Congo to participate in CIA operation Anstalt Wigmo. Had "FR-649" on the tail. [4] The USAF Record shows that it was returned to the 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field, but it still shows being part of "Lend-Lease". [3]

31 May 1966 - Status Change while assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB. [5]
27 Jul 1966 - Re-designated from B-26K to A-26A while on Lend-Lease assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB [5]
29 Oct 1966 - Returned to the US. Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at McLellan AFB for repairs. [6]
Note: This plane was still on-assignment with operation Anstalt Wigmo from January until October.

21 Apr 1967 - At Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) being used for training at McLellan AFB. [6]
2 May 1967 - Sent back to SMAAR for maintenance at McLellan AFB. [6]
31 May 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
7 Nov 1967 - Status change at 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
28 Nov 1967 - Returned to Combat Status 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
4 Dec 1967 - Assigned to SMAAR. [6]
5 Dec 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]

2 Aug 1968 - 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]

10 Nov 1969 - left 56th Special Operations Wing, flying out of Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [8]
14 Nov 1969 - Assigned to MASCE, Logistics Command. Put into open storage at Clark AFB. [8]

5 Jan 1970 - Left Clark AFB. [8]
11 Jan 1970 - Arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB, from the 609th Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand (Tail Code TA). [9] It was allocated PCN AD012 for MASDC[10]

15 Dec 1972 - Declared Excess by USAF, approved for reclamation. [9]

31 Mar 1976 - Sold to Allied Aircraft, Inc of Tucson.[9]

AVH1-1180.jpg
AVH2-598.jpg
AVH4-1957.jpg
AVH6-1944.jpg
AVH8-2749.jpg
AVH10-2370.jpg
AVH13-2202.jpg

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Cpt Paul M. Marschalk - Pilot (also flew 64-17660)
Cpt Leon Poteet - Navigator

Disposition

Scrapped.

Images

64-17649 shortly after arriving in the Congo in early 1965 with an unknown crewmember.
649 (2).jpg

64-17649 in Stanleyville in 1965.
64-17649 Stanleyville. 1965.jpg
Stanleyville.jpg

64-17649 on mission over the Congo in 1965.
On mission.jpg

64-17649 preparing from a mission from Albertville Air field.
64-17649. (3).jpg

649 is visible on the right edge of this photo from NKP.
64-17649 on right.jpg

64-17649 in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB as "Sweet Therese".
64-17649 1.jpg
64-17649 (2).jpg

Sources

Databases searched:

  • AAIR -
  • MACR -
  • Baugher
  1. 1.0 1.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Jun-Oct 1964" Reel AVH-1, Pg 1180 USAFHRA
  2. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Oct-Dec 1964" Reel AVH-2, Pg 598 USAFHRA
  3. 3.0 3.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1965" Reel AVH-4, Pg 1957 USAFHRA
  4. Hellstrom, Leif & Hagedorn, Dan. (1994) Foreign Invaders: The Douglas Invader in Foreign Military and US Clandestine Service Voyager Press, ISBN-13 : 978-1857800135
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1966" Reel AVH-6, Pg 1944 USAFHRA
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1967" Reel AVH-8, Pg 2749 USAFHRA
  7. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1968" Reel AVH-10, Pg 2370 USAFHRA
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1969" Reel AVH-13, Pg 2202 USAFHRA
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 www.amarcexperience.com
  10. Correspondence with Vesto Haas - 25 Aug 2022