64-17644

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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

Was converted from 44-35451

Called "Cachita" and "Shit House Mouse" during operations in the Congo.


Operational History

13 Aug 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark Engineering Company at Van Nuys, CA. [1]
13 Aug 1964 - Officially assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field. [2]
18 Aug 1964 - sent to Congo to participate in CIA operation Anstalt Wigmo. Carried the tail letters RF644 and later FR-644. [3]

8 Jan 1965 - Assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB as part of Lease/Loan program. [4]
Note: This Lease/Loan program is the CIA operation, Anstalt Wingmo, the plane was involved in. This record suggests the plane was transferred to the CIA on 8 Jan 65, but Hellstrom & Hagedorn propose a date of 18 Aug 1964.

27 Jul 1966 - Aircraft designation changed from B-26K to A-26A. [5] Note: This plane is still assigned to Hill AFB and is still reported as being part of Lend/Lease, which is the cover for the CIA operation Anstalt Wingmo.

20 Jan 1967 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) [6]
29 May 1967 - Left SMAAR Facility [6]
1 Jun 1967 - Assigned to Pacific Air Force. Arrived at Hickam Field. [6]
1 Nov 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
4 Dec 1967 - Assigned to SMAAR. [6]
9 Dec 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]

24 Apr 1968 - 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]
25 Apr 1968 - Assigned to SMAAR [7]
2 Jun 1968 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]
26 Jun 1968 - maintenance work with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]
27 Jun 1968 - returned to combat status with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]
2 Aug 1968 - 56th Air Commando Wing renamed to 56th Special Operations Wing. [7]

12 Nov 1969 - Left Nakhon Phanom Air Base[8]
13 Nov 1969 - Assigned to 6200th Air Base Wing at Clark AFB and put into storage[8]

Mar 1975 - Blown up at Nha Trang to keep it from falling into North Vietnamese hands.

AVH1-1179.jpg
AVH2-598.jpg
AVH4-1956.jpg
AVH6-1943.jpg
AVH8-2748.jpg
AVH10-2369.jpg
AVH13-2202.jpg

Accidents

Unknown

Crew

Unknown

Disposition

Destroyed (Scuttled)

Images

In the Congo during CIA Operation Anstalt Wigmo.
64-17644.Cachita.jpg
644 Cachita.jpg
64-17644. SHM.jpg
Sizemore5.jpg

Sources

Databases searched:

  1. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Jul-Sep 1964" Reel AVH-1, Pg 1179 USAFHRA
  2. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, Oct-Dec 1964" Reel AVH-2, Pg 598 USAFHRA
  3. Hellstrom, Leif & Hagedorn, Dan. (1994) Foreign Invaders: The Douglas Invader in Foreign Military and US Clandestine Service Voyager Press, ISBN-13 : 978-1857800135
  4. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1965" Reel AVH-4, Pg 1956 USAFHRA
  5. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1966" Reel AVH-6, Pg 1943 USAFHRA
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1967" Reel AVH-8, Pg 2748 USAFHRA
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1968" Reel AVH-10, Pg 2369 USAFHRA
  8. 8.0 8.1 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1969" Reel AVH-13, Pg 2202 USAFHRA