41-39401

A-26B-30 Invader
Builders: Douglas Aircraft Company
Operators: United States Air Force
Number Built:
First Built: Nov 1944
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Type: Light Attack Bomber
Wet Weight: 31,000 lbs
Length: 50' 9" (with guns) 49' 11" (without guns)
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 Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27
Horsepower: 2,000 each
Fuel Capacity: 1,600 US Gallons
Range:
Crew: 3
Passengers: 1
ARMAMENT
Nose Guns: 6x .50 Machine Guns
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

Operational History

27 Nov 1944 - Rolled out of Long Beach Factory.
28 Nov 1944 - Accepted by USAF 11 Dec 1944 - Served in Europe, France with the 640th Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force - flew 30 combat missions. 15 Jul 1945 - Returned to US, Hobbs AFB. 1 Sep 1947 - Transferred to Hill AFB 25 Jul 1952 - Began Conversion into a C model, 1 of 3 highly classified long-nosed Pathfinder Variants. Assigned to Far East Air Force (5th) Air Force. 11 Nov 1952 - Arrived in Kunsan, Korea. Assigned to 13th Bombardmend Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force. She made 6 trips to the Miho, Japan repair depot during her time. 21 Mar 1953 - Assigned to Iwakuni AFB, Japan. 15 Apr 1954 - Assigned to Hill AFB. Had IR equipment removed and she is slated to be given a hard nose once more. Feb 1955 - Struck from USAF Inventory.

There are some rumors that this plane served with the California Air National Guard, but I haven't seen any records of this. If she did, it would have been sometime between 1955 and 1959, but the IARC record for this plane's USAF service ends in 1955.

1959-1969 - John R. Moore, Los Angles, CA purchases the plane. She is registered as N3457G and flown as Whistler's Mother. She is pictured here with a glass nose. So either Mr. Moore had the hard nose swapped, or else the IARC is in error and the plane was given a glass nose when she was converted back from the Pathfinder Variant.

1969-1982 - Withdrawn from use and stored in Van Nuys, CA

Nov 1982 - Purchased by Challenge Publications Inc, Canoga Park, CA. May 1983 - Registered as N39401. 18 Aug 19823- Rebuilt by First Flight, Van Nuys, CA.

Jan 1985 - Purchased by American Aeronautical Foundation, Van Nuys, CA.

21 Jul 1987 - Purchased by Kermit Weeks of the Weeks Air Museum, Tamiami, FL. Flown as Whistler's Mother. 24 Aug 1992 - Damaged by Hurricane Andrew. 1997 - Trucked to Aero Trader, Chino, CA for restoration and repair. Jul 2020 (Update) - The plane is still being restored and has operational engines once more.

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Unknown

Disposition

Unknown.

Sources

Databases searched:

• AAIR -
• MACR -
• KORWALD -
• Baugher