64-17646

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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 44-35375.

This plane was the last Counter Invader lost during combat operations.

Operational History

12 Aug 1964 - Accepted into USAF Inventory from OnMark Engineering Company at Van Nuys, CA. [1]
13 Aug 1964 - Assigned to 1st Air Commando Wing at Hurlburt Field. [1]
18 Aug 1964 - sent to Congo to participate in CIA operation Anstalt Wigmo. Had RF646 and later FR-646 on the tail. [2]

8 Jan 1965 - Assigned to Logistics Command at Hill AFB as part of a Lease/Loan program. [3]
Note: The Lease/Loan program is the CIA operation Anstalt Wingmo. This record suggest that the CIA received the plane on 8 Jan 1965, but Hellstrom and Hagedorn propose 18 Aug 1964.

27 Jul 1966 - Aircraft designation changed from B-26K to A-26A. [4] 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 Wigmo.

23 Mar 1967 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) at McLellan AFB [5]
31 May 1967 - Still at SMAAR, undergoing maintenance and repair work. [5]
20 Jul 1967 - Assigned to 634th Combat Support Group at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [5]
6 Aug 1967 - Assigned to 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [5]
20 Dec 1967 - Assigned to Sacramento Air Material Area (SMAAR) [5]
23 Dec 1967 - Assigned o 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [5]
28 Dec 1967 - Underwent maintenance with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom.[5]

3 Jan 1968 - Returned to Combat Status with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom. [5]
19 Jan 1968 - Maintenance with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [6]
8 Feb 1968 - Returned to Combat Status with 56th Air Commando Wing at Nakhon Phanom. [6]
2 Aug 1968 - 56th Air Commando Wing renamed to 56th Special Operations Wing. [6]

5 Apr 1969 - 56th Special Operations Wing at Nakhon Phanom Air Base. [7]
8 Jul 1969 - Dropped from inventory due to loss during combat. [6] Hit hillside during strafing run in southern "Barrel Roll" area of SVN. 2 KIA.

Last A-26 lost in Southeast Asia operations by US. Also last A-26 to be lost by American forces during combat operations.

AVH1-1180.jpg
AVH4-1957.jpg
AVH6-1944.jpg
AVH8-2748.jpg
AVH8-2749.jpg
AVH10-2369.jpg
AVH13-2202.jpg

Accidents

Approx. 1966 belly landed in the Congo after taking enemy ground fire.

Crew

Rafael "El Huevo" Garcia Pujon (Pilot) - Congo[8]

Maj. James Elmo Sizemore (Pilot) - KIA
Maj. Howard Vincent Andre Jr. (Nav) - KIA

Disposition

Lost in action Jul 1969.

Images

64-17646. Congo.jpg Makasi on Boogie Bogey.jpg 64-17646. Masaki. In the Congo. WM.jpg

Gustavo Ponzoa and Joaquin Valera in the Congo with 64-17646.jpg 64-17645. Rumdum.jpg Makasi planes.jpg

64-17646 and crew.jpg Stanleyville.jpg 64-17646. Maj. Sizemore.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. Hellstrom, Leif & Hagedorn, Dan. (1994) Foreign Invaders: The Douglas Invader in Foreign Military and US Clandestine Service Voyager Press, ISBN-13 : 978-1857800135
  3. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1965" Reel AVH-4, Pg 1957 USAFHRA
  4. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1966" Reel AVH-6, Pg 1944 USAFHRA
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1967" Reel AVH-8, Pg 2748-2749 USAFHRA
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1968" Reel AVH-10, Pg 2369 USAFHRA
  7. "Aerospace Vehicle Report, 1969" Reel AVH-13, Pg 2202 USAFHRA
  8. Capote, Vicente Blanco (2011) The Makasis. Scribd. https://www.scribd.com/document/69193132/The-Makasis-2