64-17640

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 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

Was originally 44-35896.

Was also registered as N267G and N2294B.

Operational History

20 May 1964 - Refit completed at OnMark.
25 May 1964 - 1st OnMark Test flight.
15 Jun 1964 - Accepted into inventory by USAF from OnMark at Van Nuys, CA. Sent to Edwards AFB for testing and evaluation.
21 Dec 1964 - Sent back to OnMark at Van Nuys, CA for modifications/Repair.

27 Feb 1965 - Sent to 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB, FL.
7 Jun 1965 - Sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.

29 Mar 1966 - Sent to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at McLellan AFB.
31 Mar 1966 - Status change at SMAAR, McLellan AFB
. 5 May 1966 - "GND TMS ER" - SMAAR, McLellan AFB
26 Jun 1966 - Sent back to 605th Air Commando Squadron
NOTE: The Sacramento Air Material Area was a staging area that planes went to await further disposition. SMAAR was part of Logistics Command at McLellan and was tasked with supply and maintenance. Based on this, I suspect the plane may have suffered an accident in 1966 which warranted the trip to SMAAR.

31 May 1967 - Assigned for "Reconciliation" at Howard AFB with the 605th Air Commando Squadron
20 Jul 1967 - Status Change at Howard AFB.
18 Aug 1967 - Status Change at Howard AFB
29 Aug 1967 - Sent back to OnMark in Van Nuys, CA
6 Oct 1967 - Status Change at OnMark in Van Nuys, CA
19 Oct 1967 - Sent to SMAAR at McLellan AFB
4 Nov 1967 - Sent to 2851st Air Base Group at Kelly AFB
7 Dec 1967 - Sent to 605th Air Commando Squadron at Howard AFB.
NOTE: As with 1966, this plane was sent back to OnMark before being returned to operational status. The only reason I can think of is if something broke and needed to be repaired or if the plane suffered an accident and was being repaired. It's not clear if this implied incident from 1967 is related to the previous one in 1966 or if the incidents are separate.

31 Mar 1968 - Assigned to 24th Air Commando Wing at Howard AFB.
15 Apr 1968 - Assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at England AFB.
7 Jul 1968 - 1st Air Commando Wing renamed to 1st Special Operations Wing at England AFB.

4 Mar 1969 - 1st Special Operations Wing at England AFB
1 Jul 1969 - Assigned to 603rd Special Operations wing at Eglin AFB. Also assigned to 1st Special Operations Wing at Eglin.
23 Oct 1969 - Arrived at Davis-Monthan AFB for Storage. Tail code IF. 606th Special Operations Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing, Eglin AFB.
27 Oct 196 - Status Change at Davis Monthan.
NOTE: I suspect the assignment on 1 July is in error. There has not been a 603rd Special Operations Wing that I can find. But the 603rd SpecOps Squadron was a member unit of the 1st SpecOps Wing.

31 Aug 1971 - Left Davis-Monthan AFB. Registered as N267G. Sold to State of Georgia Forestry Commission. It was in open storage in Macon, GA and not used.

29 May 1977 - sold to Air Spray, Ltd of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada for forest fire fighting. However, after they ferried it to Billings, MT, a certification dispute arose with the Canadian DOT so the plane was left in open storage.
1978 purchased by Arnie Carnegie of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
July 1978 - sold to Arthur W. McDonnell of Mojave, CA, who registered the plane as N2294B; it was still in the USAF camouflage. It was used it as a race plane.
1980 - acquired by the South Dakota Air & Space Museum, Ellsworth AFB, through the National Museum of the USAF loan program.

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Unknown

Disposition

On static display as a gate guard at the South Dakota Air and Space Museum, Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, South Dakota.

Images

Sources

Databases searched:

• AAIR -
• MACR -
• Baugher - http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1964.html
  
• AMARC - http://www.amarcexperience.com/ui/index.php