Any A-26 Gurus?

[DaveM2]

Any chance A-26 Invader 44-34769 (N500MR) served in Korea and later with the CIA ( mid seventies)? I know the Warbirds Directory shows it was with an Oil Company in the US, 1950-54, and with Lloyd Hamilton 1970-72. But there is a 'gap' 1973-76 before it turns up with John Marks in 1977.....

TIA
Dave

[Hemiman]

Looking at Baugher's site, the block of planes around your s/n appear to have gone directly to the civilian market from Douglas.





http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_2.html

[Chris Brame]

Geoff Goodall has more info, with a few gaps:

[DaveM2]

Yes, the 1972-77 is the interesting gap in the history. During restoration a bullet hole was found in the spar, so might lend credence to CIA ops

[Tim Savage]

Yes, the 1972-77 is the interesting gap in the history. During restoration a bullet hole was found in the spar, so might lend credence to CIA ops

Would be interesting if a Marketeer was used in any type of combat operations...it wouldn't have had a bomb bay etc after the conversion. Unless you are suggesting the CIA was just using it as a high speed transport?

[DaveM2]

Yes, the 1972-77 is the interesting gap in the history. During restoration a bullet hole was found in the spar, so might lend credence to CIA ops

Would be interesting if a Marketeer was used in any type of combat operations...it wouldn't have had a bomb bay etc after the conversion. Unless you are suggesting the CIA was just using it as a high speed transport?

Tim, Ops were supposedly in Sth America, so would assume more clandestine rather than 'combat'