64-17649

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B-26K-1 Invader
640.jpg
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, B-26K

Converted from 43-22720.

Was named "Sweet Therese"

Operational History

9 Sep 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark at Van Nuys, CA. [1]
10 Sep 1964 - Assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB. [1]
27 Dec 1964 - 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB. [2]
28 Dec 1964 - Assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB as part of a lend-lease program. [3]
Note: We know from photos and other records that this "Lend-lease" entry was the CIA Operation, Anstalt Wingmo.

5 Jan 1965 - Arrived in Congo to participate in CIA operation Anstalt Wigmo. Had "FR-649" on the tail. [4] The USAF Record shows that it was returned to the 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin, but it still shows being part of "Lend-Lease". [3]

31 May 1966 - Status Change while assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB. [5]
27 Jul 1966 - Re-designated from B-26K to A-26A while on Lend-Lease assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB [5]
29 Oct 1966 - Returned to the US. Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at McLellan AFB for repairs. [6]
Note: This plane was still on-assignment with operation Anstalt Wigmo from January until October.

21 Apr 1967 - At Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) being used for training at McLellan AFB. [6]
2 May 1967 - Sent back to SMAAR for maintenance at McLellan AFB. [6]
31 May 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
7 Nov 1967 - Status change at 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
28 Nov 1967 - Returned to Combat Status 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
4 Dec 1967 - Assigned to SMAAR. [6]
5 Dec 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]

2 Aug 1968 - 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]

10 Nov 1969 - left 56th Special Operations Wing, flying out of Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [8]
14 Nov 1969 - Assigned to MASCE, Logistics Command. Put into open storage at Clark AFB. [8]

5 Jan 1970 - Left Clark AFB. [8]
11 Jan 1970 - Arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB, from the 609th Special Operations Squadron, 56th Special Operations Wing, Nakhon Phanom, Thailand (Tail Code TA).

15 Dec 1972 - Declared Excess by USAF, approved for reclamation.

31 Mar 1976 - Sold to Allied Aircraft, Inc of Tucson.

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Cpt Paul Marschalk - Pilot (also flew 64-17660)
Cpt Leon Poteet - Navigator

Disposition

Scrapped. Several sources list this plane as scrapped in Dec 1972, but this is not accurate as it was sold to Allied in 1976. It was one of 10 aircraft that Allied acquired between 1976 and 1980.

Images

64-17649 shortly after arriving in the Congo in early 1965 with an unknown crewmember.
649 (2).jpg

64-17649 in Stanleyville in 1965.
64-17649 Stanleyville. 1965.jpg

64-17649 on mission over the Congo in 1965.
On mission.jpg

64-17649 preparing from a mission from Albertville Air field.
64-17649. (3).jpg

64-17649 in the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB as "Sweet Therese".
64-17649 (2).jpg

Sources

Databases searched:

  • AAIR -
  • MACR -
  • Baugher
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Jun-Oct 1964" Reel AVH-1, Pg 1180 USAFHRA
  2. ↑ "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Oct-Dec 1964" Reel AVH-2, Pg 598 USAFHRA
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1965" Reel AVH-4, Pg 1957 USAFHRA
  4. ↑ Hellstrom, Leif & Hagedorn, Dan. (1994) Foreign Invaders: The Douglas Invader in Foreign Military and US Clandestine Service Voyager Press, ISBN-13 : 978-1857800135
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1966" Reel AVH-6, Pg 1944 USAFHRA
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1967" Reel AVH-8, Pg 2749 USAFHRA
  7. ↑ "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1968" Reel AVH-10, Pg 2370 USAFHRA
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1969" Reel AVH-13, Pg 2202 USAFHRA
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