Invader Timeline

From Invader Historical Foundation
Jump to navigation Jump to search

1940s

1941

  • Douglas Aircraft Corporation Constructs a full-sized wood mock-up on the Invader to pitch to the Air Force. Two Prototypes are ordered, 41-19504 and 41-19505. A third prototype, 41-19588 is ordered later.


1942

Jul

  • 10 - The first test flight of an Invader is completed at Mines Field, El Segundo, CA.

1943

Sep

  • UNK - The first Invader productions models are delivered to the Air Force.
  • 24 - The first production model Invader, 41-39100, less than a month in Air Force inventory, is involved in an accident at Wright Field, OH. Another pilot in a De Haviland Mosquito crashed into this plane while it was parked. The pilot survived.

1944

Jun

  • 23 - 5th AF Invaders stationed in Japan attack Japanese-held islands near Manokwari. 1st Combat Mission in Pacific.
  • 24 - 5th AF Invaders attack enemy positions East of Mokmer Airfield. 2nd Combat Mission in Pacific.
  • 26 - 5th AF Invaders attack airfields, shipping, villages, town areas, roads, and numerous other targets at Efman, Noemfoor Island, Japen, and Biak Islands, at Manokwari and Ransiki, and near Sarmi.
  • 27 - 5th AF Invaders hit airfields, gun positions, and various other targets in or near Babo, Manokwari, Biak and Noemfoor Islands, Ransiki, Waren, and Moemi.

Jul

  • 6 - 5th AF Invaders bomb the town and warehouse area of Yap Island and a few hit the airfield at Woleai Atoll.
  • 11 - Despite several accidents by this point, none had been fatal until now. A stateside Invader assigned to a training unit of the 3rd Air Force, 43-22253, crashed 1.5 miles west of Portland, ME. The pilot was Phillip I. Russell.

Sep

  • UNK - 18 Invaders are delivered to the 553rd Bomb Squadron, 386th Bomb Group, 9th AF.
  • 6 - 553rd BS flies first of 8 evaluation missions in the Invader.

Nov

  • 17 - 416th Bomb Group fully converted to Invaders, flies first Invader combat mission.
  • "Late" - 409th Bomb Group fully converted to Invaders.

Dec

  • 24 - The first Invader is shot down in combat. 41-39242 of the 669th Bomb Squadron, 416th Bomb Group. The plane was shot down in Germany. Pilot was Reece B. Robertson.

1945

Jan

  • UNK - 47th Bomb Group, 12th AF converts to Invaders.


1960s

1964

May

  • 20 - 64-17640 B-26K refit completed
  • 25 - 1st Production model B-26K test flight

Jun

  • 15 - 64-17640 accepted into inventory. Sent to USAF Testing Center, Edwards AFB.

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

1965

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

Jun

Jul

Aug

  • 18 - 64-17659 dropped from inventory, destroyed in crash.

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

1966

Jan

  • 26 - 64-17670 sent to Mobile Air Material Area.

Feb

Mar

  • 1 - 64-17664 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 11 - 64-17658 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 29 - 64-17640 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Apr

May

  • 1 - 64-17642 sent to 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing at Hurlburt Field.
    • 64-17674 Sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 6 - B-26K designation changed to A-26A for 605th ACS planes.
  • 9 - 64-17657 sent to Maracay AFB for repairs.
    • 64-17670 assigned to 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing at Hurlburt Field.
  • 10 - B-26K designation changed to A-26A for 603rd ACS planes.
  • 16 - 64-17666 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 27 - 64-17641 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 28 - 64-17658, 64-17664 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB.

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

1967

Jan

Feb

Mar

  • 3 - 64-17678 assigned to Logistics Command at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
  • 23 - 64-17646 assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area.

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

1968

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

  • 13 - 64-17667 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  • 27 - 64-17666 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

1969

Jan

  • 1 - 64-17674 dropped from inventory, destroyed in accident.

Mar

Jul

Oct

Nov

1970

Jan

Jul

  • 4 - 64-17666 is dedicated as Gate Guard for Hurlburt Field.

1971

May

  • 21 - 64-17671 sent to Florence Air & Missile Museum, SC.

Aug

  • 27 - 64-17676 sold to State of Georgia Forestry Commission. (N268G)
  • 31 - 64-17640 sold to State of Georgia Forestry Commission. (N267G)

Sep

  • 1 - 64-17679 sold to State of Georgia Forestry Commission. (N269G)

1972

Unknown Date - State of Georgia Forestry Commission planes stored in open storage at Macon, GA.

Dec

1973

Feb

1974

Jan

  • 4 - 64-17653 sent to Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, AZ.

Jul

  • 25 - 64-17657 sold to private owner as N62104.

Dec

  • 5 - Ex-64-17657, N62014 is sold, re-registered as N99218.

1975

Mar

Unknown date - 64-17644, 64-17645, 64-17677 blown up at Nha Trang to prevent capture by North Vietnamese.

Nov

Unknown date - Ex-64-17657 N99218 landing accident at Edwards AFB.

1976

Mar

Apr

  • 1 - 64-17675 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.
  • 2 - 64-17662 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.
  • 6 - 64-17658 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.
  • 9 - 64-17660, 64-17665, 64-17678 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.

Oct

  • 2 - 64-17647 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.

1977

May

1978

Unknown date - 64-17640, 64-17676 purchased by Arne Carnegie of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Feb

  • 9 - Ex-64-17657 N99218 destroyed in landing accident at Chino, CA. Wreck is dismantled and put into storage.

July

Unknown date - 64-17640, 64-17676 (N22939) purchased by Arthur McDonnell of Mojave, CA.

Oct

Unknown Date - 64-17679 sold to Lynch Flying Service of Billings, MT, registered as N4988N.

1979

Unknown Dates - 64-17676 flew as N22939 - "The Mojave Kid" in Air Race Circuit.

1980

64-17640 acquired by the South Dakota Air & Space Museum.

Mar

  • 7 - 64-17655 sold to Allied Aircraft of Tucson, scrapped.

Nov

Unknown Date - 64-17676 acquired by National Museum of the Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB.

1986

Jul

  • 21 - The wreck of Ex-64-17657 is bought by Rod & Rex Cadman and imported to Cantebury, Kent, England to assist in restoring A-26C 44-34172.

1988

Apr

Unknown Date - the nose section of Ex-64-17657 is put on display at Booker Aircraft Museum.

1994

Unknown Date - the nose section of Ex-64-17657 is moved to Wings Museum, Balcombe, East Essex, UK.

1998

Unknown Date - 64-17671 cannibalized for parts due to corrosion.

2010

Unknown date - 64-17679 sold by Lynch Flying Service.

2013

Unknown date - 64-17679 moved to Fort Worth, TX to undergo restoration at Greatest Generation Aircraft.

2017

Jul

  • 8 - 64-17679 test flight as restored plane at Meacham Field, TX.
  • 10 - 64-17679 debut flight as "Special Kay".

Sources

Note: This source list is not exhaustive. Much of this list was compiled simply through cross-reference of existing records.

  • Douglas A-26 Production List
  • Individual Aircraft Record Cards
  • Aerospace Vehicle Inventory Reports 1964-1969
  • Unit Diaries, Mission Briefings, and Service Member Records, including: