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

This plane served in WWII with the 640th Bombardment Squadron, 409th Bombardment Group, 9th Air Force. She would have bore the fuselage squadron code of W5.

She later saw action in the Korean War as a highly classified, experimental Pathfinder Variant. She was assigned to the 13th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group, 5th Air Force where she bore the tail letters Mc and was affectionately called "Redbird".

After the war she flew as "Whistler's Mother" in the civil aviation with registry numbers N3457G and N39401.

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.

Images

41-39401 as the modified Pathfinder Variant in Korea, 1952 when she was assigned to the 13th Bombardment Squadron.

Sources

Databases searched:

• AAIR -
• MACR -
• KORWALD -
• Baugher