World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
20 Aug 2010 02:15:36 PM

The B-26 was a twin-engine bomber and flew
for the first time on July 10,1942 at Mines
field, that is now LAX or Los Angeles
International Airport, Los Angeles, Calif.

During its production life, the B-26 was
built in many variants. Some models had a
glass nose for a bombardier and a solid nose
w/ six or eight fifty caliber machine guns
the eight gun model carried 1,600rpg.
The B-26 was also capable of carrying 20mm,
37mm and 75mm cannons.
The crew was made up of pilot, bombardier
and gunner, who controlled both the upper and bottom turrets, by remote control.

During World War II each B-26 cost the US Government $242,595 Dollars. After WWII the
B-26 continued to serve with the USAAF, and
the new USAF, with (SAC) The Strategic Air
Command and the Tatical Air Command during
the postwar period.

The B-26 served during the Korean War in both
day and night missins, after Korea the B-26
continued to serve into the late 1960's.

TWILIGHT OF A WARRIOR

B-26's were used early in the Vietnam War by
the U.S.during the 1960's, Providing air support bombing missions. After some of the aircraft crashed due to wing spar fatigue
All B-26 aircraft were grounded, until a
solution was found.

ENTER THE B-26K COUNTER-INVADER

On Mark Engineering, at Van Nuys, Calif.
rebuilt the B-26 with more powerful engines,
propellers, enlarged tail and rudder, wings with wing tip tanks and added pylons that could carry 8,000lbs of ordnance and 4,000lbs
carried internally plus eight fifty caliber
machine guns in the nose, gave the B-26 heavy firepower.
The last mission flown by the B-26 was May 1970 the aircraft was to be retired after
serving over three decades However, the
aircraft continued to serve a few more years
but most of them were scrapped.

CIVILIAN LIFE

Most of the B-26's were scrapped but, a few
were sold surplus and found new jobs, as
fire bombers and fast private executive
aircraft, some have been restored as WWII
Warbirds, on display at museums, and fly at air shows across the USA.

2. Jon Leszczynski says:
6 Jan 2015 07:15:02 AM

That's great Bill, but this article is about the A-26 Invader, not the B-26 Marauder. There is a separate article for that plane.

3.  Alan Chanter says:
16 Apr 2016 08:49:38 AM

In 1948 the USAF redesignated A-26 aircraft as B-26 (not to be confused with the B-26 Marauder which was retired in the same year). During the Vietnam war, however, the USAF wanted to base B-26K Invaders in Thailand, but the Thai government did not want bombers operating from its country. The Americans simply changed the designation back to A-26A, an attack aircraft, which was acceptable to the Thai government.