64-17643
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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
Was originally 44-35392.
Operational History
3 Aug 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark Engineering Company at Van Nuys, CA. [1]
4 Aug 1964 - Assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB. [1]
17 Dec 1965 - 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB. [2]
10 May 1966 - Status Change with 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB. [3]
11 Jun 1966 - Assigned to Nakhon Phanom AB with 1st Air Commando Wing[3]
Participated in Operation Steel Tiger.
25 Jul 1966 - Dropped from Inventory due to crash landing while attached to 606th Special Operations Squadron[3]. Crash landed at Nakhon Phanom AB, probably due to fuel starvation. 2 KIA
Accidents
Destroyed in crash 24 Jul 1966
This is purely speculation on my part, but I notice in this plane's history that after it left OnMark it was one of the first planes sent to Vietnam. It never went back to OnMark or the Air Material Depot. That means that this plane never received the so-called Congo Cowl modifications that were discovered by the mechanics of the 211th Squadron. The lack of these cowls in the tropical climate may have been a contributing factor in the plane's accident. Even as a student pilot, they drill into our head to know how much fuel is on board and to have a reserve. I find it difficult to believe that a trained combat pilot would just run out of fuel. But an engine overheating seems more probable to me.
Crew
Maj. George Glenn Duke (Pilot) - KIA
Cpt. Miles Takeshi Tanimoto (Nav) - KIA
Disposition
Destroyed in crash 24 July 1966
Images
Sources
Databases searched:
- AAIR -
- MACR -
- KORWALD -
- Baugher