44-35898

A-26C-50 Invader
File:.jpg
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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Operational History

unknown

July 1971 - Registered as C-FPGP with Air Spray, Ltd.
2005 - Retired from firefighting service. Sold to Randall MacFarlane of Brisbane, Australia. ^[1]

Oct 2006 - 'Golf Papa' (as she was called from the last two letters of the registry number) has been ferried to Australia after being purchased by Randall MacFarlane^[1]. MacFarlane stated that he intended to repaint the plane in Korean War colors and fly it as 44-34364/BC-364 in the Australian airshow circuit. Golf Papa completed the 8,555 mile (13,768 km) journey successfully, even encountering an earthquake and a tropical cyclone en-route, arriving at Brisbane-Archerfield on 25 Oct 2006.

4 Jan 2008 - Some sources list this plane as being reregistered as VH-VNI for Aviation Investments Pty Ltd of Archerfield, Australia, however no record of this registration is found.

2014 - Acquired by CPK Nominees (AKA: Reevers Warbirds) of Queensland, Australia. After the initial arrival flight in 2006, the plane had not been flown since arriving in Australia and was slated to undergo repairs, tests, and evaluations before any flights were scheduled to occur.

Apr 2015 - The satellite images first show it at Archerfield Airport, Queensland, Australia. ^[2]

26 Sep 2017 - Reevers published photos of the yellow A-26 being disassembled at Archerfield (Brisbane) and put on transport for the move to Adelaide, Australia. "Present work on moving the Invader involved removing the flight control surfaces, horizontal stabilizers and the nose section. These parts have already made the 1,200 mile journey to Adelaide. Next, the team will break down the wings and fuselage and transport these by road to her new home as well. The aircraft will initially go into storage while Reevers assesses what needs addressing to return her to flying condition, and how best to do it." ^[1] Satellite images show that the nose and horizontal stabilizers have been removed. ^[3]

Dec 2017 - Satellite images show that the nose, empennage assembly, and other small parts have been removed, but the main fuselage and wings sit at Archerfield Airport in the southeast corner next to Pathfinder Aviation. ^[4]

May 2019 - All traces of the plane are gone from the satellite image of Archerfield. ^[5]

1 Sep 2022 - I sent a message to the Reevers Warbirds Facebook page and they have confirmed that the plane is still in long term storage in Adelaide, Australia. ^[6]