64-17648

B-26K-1 Invader
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

Converted from 43-22732.

Was named "Nother Trucker"

Operational History

8 Sep 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark Engineering Company at Van Nuys, CA.
9 Sep 1964 - Assigned to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.

6 May 1966 - Re-designated from B-26K to A-26A while with 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.
15 Aug 1966 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at [[McLellan AFB].
24 Oct 1966 - Assigned to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.

1 Jun 1967 - Assigned to San Antonio Air Material Area (SAAMA).
30 Jun 1967 - Assigned to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.
19 Jul 1967 - Sent back to OnMark Engineering Company at Van Nuys, CA.
13 Sep 1967 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at McLellan AFB.
4 Oct 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
13 Oct 1967 - 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
30 Oct 1967 - Status change at 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
28 Dec 1967 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) for Maintenance.
29 Dec 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
NOTE: The assignment to SMAAR on 28 Dec seems odd. It still lists the processing base as NKP and there's only 1 day before it was reassigned back to combat status. There's no way the plane could have gone from NKP to California and back in 1 day. I suspect that the plane was assigned with the intention of going to SMAAR, but then the plane was serviced on-site and returned to service instead.

31 Jan 1968 - 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
13 Mar 1968 - 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base
30 Apr 1968 - Dropped from inventory due to combat loss Shot down by AA during napalm run over Ho Chi Minh trail near Ban Boung, Laos in Steel Tiger area. 2 KIA. 609th ACS, 56th ACW
Note that Scott Thompson lists this plane as being shot down in May 1968, but records indicate that not to be the case. Most likely the plane was on an overnight mission spanning from 30 Apr - 1 May. USAF records list the date of loss as the day the mission began, not when it ended.

The remains of the aircrew were recovered in 2013 and were interred at Arlington National Cemetery in 2013.

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Lt. Col. Robert Edward Pietsch (Pilot) - MIA
Maj. Luis Fulda Guillermin (Nav) - MIA

Disposition

Lost 30 Apr 1968.

Images

Sources

Databases searched:

• AAIR -
• MACR -
• KORWALD -
• Baugher