Invader Timeline

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.

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

• 9 - 64-17642 accepted into inventory.
• 10 - 64-17642 sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field.

Aug

• 3 - 64-17643 accepted into inventory.
• 4 - 64-17643 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field.
• 12 - 64-17646 accepted into inventory.
• 13 - 64-17641, 64-17644. 64-17645 accepted into inventory. 64-17644, 64-17645, 64-17646 sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field.
• 14 - 64-17641 sent to Air Force Test Center at Edwards AFB.
• 18 - 64-17644, 64-17645, 64-17646 sent to Congo as part of Operation Anstalt Wingmo with 211th Squadron.
• 23 - 64-17647 accepted into inventory.
• 24 - 64-17647 sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field.

Dec

• 21 - 64-17640 Sent back to OnMark Engineering.
  
• 31 - 64-17641 sent back to OnMark Engineering.

1965

Jan

• 22 - 64-17641 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB.

Feb

• 27 - 64-17640 sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB.
  

Jun

• 1 - 64-17641 assigned to Mobile Air Material Area for repairs.
• 7 - 64-17640 sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.
  
• 11 - 64-17641 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field.

Oct

• 8 - 64-17647 sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.

Dec

• 17 - 1st Air Commando Wing moved from Hurlburt Field to England AFB.

1966

Feb

• 4 - 64-17642 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Mar

• 29 - 64-17640 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
  

May

• 1 - 64-17642 sent to 4410th Combat Crew Training Wing at Hurlburt Field.
• 27 - 64-17641 assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Jun

• 11 - 64-17643 sent to Nakhon Phanom Air Base as part of Project Big Eagle.
• 13 - 65-17647 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
• 26 - 64-17640 sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron.

Jul

• 25 - 64-17643 destroyed in crash landing.

Aug

• 2 - 64-17642 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB.
• 10 - 64-17641 assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB.
• 27 - 64-17647 sent back to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.

Oct

• 31 - 64-17641, 64-17642 assigned to 603rd Air Commando Squadron at England AFB.

Dec

• 21 - 64-17642 assigned to 634th Combat Support Group at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
• 29 - 64-17645 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

1967

Jan

• 20 - 64-17644 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Mar

• 23 - 64-17646 assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area.

May

• 29 - 64-17644 left Sacramento Air Material Area, heading for Hickam Field, HI.
• 31 - 64-17645 assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.
• 31 - 64-17642 assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at NKP.

Jun

• 1 - 64-17644 arrived at Hickam Field, HI. Assigned to Pacific Air Force.
• 23 - 64-17647 sent to San Antonio Air Material Area.

Jul

• 12 - 64-17641 sent back to OnMark Engineering.
• 20 - 64-17646 assigned to 634th Combat Support Group at NKP. 64-17647 sent back to 605th Air Commando Squadron.

Aug

• 6 - 64-17646 assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at NKP.
• 27 - 64-17642 is shot down.
• 29 - 64-17640 sent back to OnMark Engineering.

Sep

• 1 - 64-17641 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
• 30 - 64-17641 arrived at 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base.

Oct

• 19 - 64-17640 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Nov

• 1 - 64-17644 assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at NKP.
• 4 - 64-17640 Sent to 2851st Base Group at Kelley AFB.

Dec

• 4 - 64-17644 assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area.
• 7 - 64-17640 sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron.
• 9 - 64-17644 returned to 56th Air Commando Wing at NKP.
• 24 - 64-17641 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
• 28 - 64-17641 returned to 56th Air Commando Squadron at NKP.
• 29 - 64-17641 is shot down.

1968

Mar

• 31 - 64-17640 sent to 24th Air Commando Wing at Howard AFB.
  

Apr

• 3 - 64-17647 sent to Sacramento Air Material Area.
• 15 - 64-17640 sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB.
  
• 25 - 64-17644 assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area.

Jun

• 2 - 64-17644 assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at NKP

Jul

• 7 - 1st Air Commando Wing renamed 1st Special Operations Wing.
  
• 29 - 64-17647 assigned to 1st Special Operations Wing at England AFB.

Aug

• 2 - 56th Air Commando Wing renamed 56th Special Operations Wing.

1969

Jul

• 1 - 1st Special Operations Wing moved from England AFB to Eglin AFB. 64-17640 assigned to 603rd Special Operations Squadron
  
• 8 - 64-17646 shot down.

Oct

• 22 - 64-17647 arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB.
• 23 - 64-17640 arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB.

Nov

• 9 - Last combat operations by 56th Special Operations Wing in A-26As.
• 10 - 65-17645 left NKP
• 12 - 64-17644 left NKP
• 13 - 64-17644 arrived at Clark AFB, PI
• 14 - 64-17645 assigned to Clark AFB, PI.

1971

Aug

• 31 - 64-17640 sold to State of Georgia Forestry Commission.

1975

Mar

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

1977

May

• 29 - 64-17640 sold to Air Spray, Ltd

1978

Unknown date - 64-17640 purchased by Arnie Carnegie of Alberta, Canada

July

Unknown date - 64-17640 purchased by Arthur McDonnell of Mojave, CA.

1980

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

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:
  • 43rd Bomb Group (JUN & JUL 1944) transcribed online here: http://www.kensmen.com/chronology.html