A-26 Water Bomber

[Jack Cook]

My dear friend Jim Byers flying Aero Flite's A-26 Invader at Troutdale, OR in the mid 60s.
jim flew P-38s with the 474th FG ETO with 3 kills, F-51Ds in korea with the 12th FBS (after getting kicked out of the 67th FBS!).
He flew TBMs, A-26s and A-24 bug sprayers for Holly Flether at Aero flite for many years.

Tanker #56

[aseanaero]

What's the A26 like to fly , on paper it looks like a bit of a hot rod.

[lestweforget]

I watched the Scandanavian Historic Flight's A-26 do a display a couple of years ago. I was amazed by how aerobatic the display was. Looked pretty nimble to me.

PS. A link to a video taken at one of SHF's A-26 displays:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmA7kltEYtw&NR=1

[mustangdriver]

Ever since I was a kid and saw the movie "Always" I was in love with the A-26.

[ZRX61]

What's the A26 like to fly , on paper it looks like a bit of a hot rod.

Like a Mustang... with room for 10 people

[aseanaero]

Like a Mustang... with room for 10 people

That gave me a chuckle , thanks ZRX

[Sully]

Like a Mustang... with room for 10 people

I agree. Especially when it comes to splitting the fuel bill.

Then when you get to the show, the women can go back to the aircraft and turn on the airconditioner.

On-Mark conversion.

Sully

[RickH]

4000 HP and a laminar flow wing.

425 mph redline

1800 rpm and 30 inches will give you 230 mph indicated

She goes real good, makes me sick to see the airshows make them fly with the B-25s, she'll outrun a Mustang, low level !

[aseanaero]

The Youtube video was impressive.

I'm surprised nobody has put a pair of R-4360s on and gone racing , that would be a BEAST !

[RickH]

Douglas only built 2500, all production contracts were cancelled right after VJ Day. These 2500 fought in both theaters in WWII, Korea, French Indo China, Viet Nam, Chad, Algeria, Biafra, El Salvador, Honduras, Indonesia, US ANG, and Cuba. They were made into executive aircraft and later fire bombers. All done with a production run of 2500. An amazing under appreciated aircraft.

[aseanaero]

My favorite version is the A-26K with tip tanks , what a mean looking machine

[aseanaero]

she'll outrun a Mustang, low level !

I was reading somewhere that when the Indonesian Air Force's Mustangs were up against the A-26 in Manado they were so impressed thet ordered some A-26s for themselves.



There's one sitting at malang air force base , always makes me drool (my photo)