44-35870
| A-26C-50 Invader | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Builders: Douglas Aircraft Company | |||
| Operators: United States Air Force | |||
| Number Built: | |||
| First Built: | |||
| GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS | |||
| Type: Light Attack Bomber | |||
| Wet Weight: 31,000 lbs | |||
| Length: 51' 3" (15.24 m) | |||
| Height: 18' 6" (5.64 m) | |||
| Wingspan: 70' (21.34 m) | |||
| Wing Area: 540 Sq. Feet (50.17 m²) | |||
| Speed: 212 mph | |||
| Max Speed: 370 mph | |||
| Ceiling: 31,300 feet | |||
| Powerplant: 2x Ford R-2800-79 | |||
| Horsepower: 2,000 each | |||
| Fuel Capacity: 1,600 US Gallons | |||
| Range: | |||
| Crew: 3 | |||
| Passengers: 1 | |||
| ARMAMENT | |||
| Nose Guns: None | |||
| Dorsal Turret: 2x .50 Machine Guns | |||
| Ventral Turret: 2x .50 Machine Guns | |||
| Payload: 4,000 lbs internal 2,000 lbs wing points | |||
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See also: List of Invaders by Serial Number, Serial Numbers starting with 43
Was named The Hustler.
We are still in the process of transcribing this plane's military history from the inventory cards. But this plane is, arguably, has one of the most intriguing histories out of all of the planes. It went from a VIP transport, to a drug runner, to a drug interceptor, and back to a drug runner. What we do know is that sometime in the early 1960's the plane was sold from military surplus to the civil market and was sent to OnMark Engineering Company in Van Nuys, CA and converted from her stock military configuration into an OnMark Marketeer.
The plane was purchased by the L. B. Maytag Aircraft Corporation and they opted for a full conversion Marketeer, which included a taller fuselage, a DC-6 canopy, and a pressurized cabin. A new ring spar gave the wings new strength and life. They also upgraded the engines, added reversible paddle-blade propellers, wing-tip fuel tanks, and a host of other small improvements. The work began in 1962 and was completed in 1963. Maytag had the plane for 3 years until they sold it in 1966 to the National Bank of Tulsa.
The plane's history was pretty standard for a while after this. It was used as a VIP transport for the National Bank of Tulsa who had the plane registered to them until 1969 when it was purchased by Trinity Industries. Then, in 1970 the plane was sold to the Confederate Air Force of Harlingen, Texas for use in Air Shows. They operated the plane until 1972 and then it was placed into storage. It's not clear if this was the result of an accident of if the plane was simply too expensive to operate and maintain. In either event, in 1975 the plane was struck from the US register and reportedly sold in South America.
During the 1970s the Learjet came onto the business scene and displaced the Invader as the dominant VIP transport aircraft. Thus, many of these highly-modified executive transport planes were on the market for low prices. Not only were they affordable, but they were fast, had a long range, and could carry a lot of weight - all things that made these airframes sought after by drug runners. The plane was likely sold to a known drug runner named "Phil". [1].
The plane basically disappeared from sight until 1981. It is heavily suspected that the plane was used for drug running operations in Latin America during the years the plane is unaccounted for. In 1981 the plane reappeared in Opa Lacka, Florida with the registration number of N99426.
In 1981 Phil was flying the plane from Columbia to the US when the plane's cockpit filled with smoke. Phil declared an emergency and landed at an airport in Kingston, Jamaica. The Jamaican Defense Force didn't know what to do with the plane, so the local Major of the defense force called an old pilot friend of his named Bob, who now worked for US Customs. Bob asked the Major to inspect the plane for money or firearms and the Major found $35,000 and a couple of illegal pistols onboard the aircraft, at which point it was seized by the Jamaicans on behalf of US Customs. Ex-warbirds of this type were required to file "Temporary Sojourn" papers if they were registered with the FAA and were leaving the US. They were also prohibited from carrying large sums of cash or weapons outside of the US. This plane did carry a US registration - N99426, and as such was in violation of all three of those rules giving customs the grounds to seize the plane. Since Phil was allowed to leave, having committed no crimes in Jamaica, the Major had the Airport's local FBO move the plane and remove the rudder to prevent Phil or any of his associates from coming back and stealing the aircraft back.
Over the next year the US Customs Enforcement began the process of registering the plane and folding into into the Air Support Branch inventory. Maj Red Denmat and Maj Frank Lisenby of Customs Enforcement were sent to Jamaica to fly the plane back to Homestead AFB, its home base of operations. The US Customs and Enforcement Air Support Branch operated the plane from 1982 to 1984 when budget constraints forced them to sell the aircraft.
In 1984 the plane was purchased by Rik Luytjen of Air America (Not to be confused with the CIA's Air America) to smuggle drugs into the country. Luytjen was a prominent drug smuggler and imported more than 10 tons of Cocaine into the US between 1980 and 1984. This plane was acquired by Luytjen a little before his eventual arrest and was used in his ever-expanding smuggling operation.
In May 1985 the plane was purchased by Keen Edenfield, another notable drug runner who was also eventually arrested for smuggling drugs into the US.
In Sep of 1986 the plane was purchased by C. H. Midkiff out of San Antonio, TX. (Probably Charles H. Midkiff, a real-estate developer).
In Apr 1987 the plane was purchased by Outlaw Aircraft Sales of Clarkesville, TN.
In Jul 1988 the aircraft was one of two A-26s acquired by the Wayne County Sherriff's Office (the other was N26WB). In 1990 the plane was sold to an individual in Florida. That person painted the plane up in totally inaccurate USAF markings, and decorated the nose with nose art called "The Hustler". It was up for sale when Hurricane Andrew ripped through the area on 24 Aug 1992, shearing the entire tail section from the plane.
Despite being effectively ruined as an airframe the plane was purchased by American Pat Murphy, who lives in Australia. He had the plane shipped to Australia and intended to restore the plane. Those plans never materialized and he sold the plane as-is to Howard Keck & Matt Jackson. Keck & Jackson flew to Australia to supervise the disassembly and crating of the plane as it was shipped back to the states. The plane arrived in Dec 2000 and was unloaded into their hangar in California.
Jackson had previously stated "It's a shame, but the plane was riddled with corrosion from years in the open. Also, the spar had received major damage.", They pulled the engines from the plane and moved the rest of the frame into storage at Thermal, CA, where it sits today (as far as we know).
Operational History
Military History pending transcription. Our military photo of her suggests that she was an RB-26C stationed at Shaw AFB.
Late 1950's - Purchased by OnMark Engineering Company and Registered as N1471V
1962-1966 - L. B. Maytag Aircraft Corp, Miami, FL. Registered as N320.
1963 - Rebuild as On Mark Marksman C completed, Van Nuys, CA.
1966-1969 - National Bank, Tulsa, OK
1969 - Trinity Industries, Inc.
1970-1972 - Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX
1975 - Struck off US Civil Register, Reported sold to South America.
1975-1981 - Suspected of drug running in South America
Jul 1981 - Noted in ferry markings N99426, Opa Locka, FL.
1984 - Frederick J. "Rik" Luytjes, Dalton, PA
May 1985 - T. Keen Edenfield, Albuquerque, NM
Sep 1986 - C. H. Midkiff, San Antonio, TX
Apr 1987 - Outlaw Aircraft Sales, Inc, Clarksville, TN
Jul 1988-1990 - Wayne County Sheriff Dept, Detroit, MI. Reported Sold in Brooksville, FL.
24 Aug 1992 - Damaged by Hurricane Andrew, Tamiami, FL.
1992-1995 - Open Storage, still damaged, Tamiami, FL
1998 - Purchased by Patrick M. Murphy, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Shipped to Brisbane.
Apr 1999 - Assembled at Caboolture, Queensland, planned restoration to airworthy (not completed).
2000 - purchased by Matt Jackson & Howard Keck, Thermal, CA. Shipped from Australia.
Dec 2000 - Arrived dismantled, Van Nuys, Dec. 2000.
2002 - Still in container, Van Nuys.
Conflicting information exists at this point. Some rumors suggest that the plane will be used as a parts source for Jackson & Kecks other Invader, but other rumors suggest that is is under restoration and is being fully restored to possibly race at Reno with her power plants being Wright R-3350's. We do not have any credible information at this time as to which of these rumors is correct.
Accidents
Unknown
Circa 1983 - nose gear landing and Homestead AFB.
Crew
Frederick J. "Rik" Luytjes - Pilot
Phil (Last Name Unknown) - Pilot
Maj. Red Denmat - US ICE Pilot
Maj. Frank Lisenby - US ICE Pilot
Disposition
Stored dismantled in Thermal, CA as of last information (2002).
Images
Sources
Databases searched:
- AAIR -
- MACR -
- KORWALD -
- Baugher