Douglas A26 Invader #44-35326

The Inspector · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:27 am

Not bad at all! Seen less and shabbier brought back to pristine, just takes time, sweat, lots of friends, generous amounts of Norwegian steam, a bit of blood, and oh, yeah, money, you're lucky it wasn't one that had the buddtuggli quasi DC-6 cockpit grafted onto it.

CrewDawg · **Posted:** Tue Nov 22, 2011 10:12 pm

Congratulations and thank you for saving another important piece of aviation history! The prototype Marketeer!! That's awesome. I agree with what was said previously, it's history with On-Mark is more significant than anything the Navy ever did with it. It's the museum's airplane and they are certainly entitled to display it however they see fit, but those are my 2 cents. As you said, at least it exists to be displayed!! :drink3:

Welcome to the A-26 community!! Don't be a stranger.....we're strange enough!! :wink:

cwmc · **Joined:** Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:43 am **Posts:** 322

Bomber executive airplanes were part and parcel in the Vincennes area in the 50's and 60's. Green Construction in nearby Oaktown had a Super Ventura and a Howard 500.
Chris...

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 7:43 am

The Inspector wrote:

Not bad at all! Seen less and shabbier brought back to pristine, just takes time, sweat, lots of friends, generous amounts of Norwegian steam, a bit of blood, and oh, yeah, money, you're lucky it wasn't one that had the buddtuggli quasi DC-6 cockpit grafted onto it.

Man have you got that right!! :axe:

I would have to agree on keeping her as the Marketeer version. I'd drop a hint to the museum but don't know anyone there.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 10:38 am

Get ahold of the director-Jim at the museum and pass along all your ideas. Right now the plane still is in pieces and maybe they would restore her to the Marketeer! :drink3:

gary1954 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 5:27 pm

cooper9411 wrote:

Get ahold of the director-Jim at the museum and pass along all your ideas. Right now the plane still is in pieces and maybe they would restore her to the Marketeer! :drink3:

Cost I believe is the key to keeping her as a Marketeer, they'd save a lot of money. a well written description of the plane in the Marketeer conversion, with a photo of a combat ready Invader to show the transformation is a lot cheaper than running down parts for something thats not going to fly. Ifin I had the bucks, and that airframe, I'd operate her in the Marketeer version, it's a hottie.
hey do you have any photos of her prior to disassembly that I could snag from you for my collection. Please Shoot me a PM ifin you do.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:35 pm

Hello everyone. It has been brought to my attention that there is an article in the new issue of Warbird Digest regarding the disassembly and transfer of the A26 Invader to the museum. :drink3:

Pat Carry · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:41 pm

cooper9411 wrote:

Just wanted to update everyone about Douglas A26c Invader that had been sitting derelict at the Rockford Illinois Airport for many years. The aircraft has been saved from being scrapped. I located the owner who said he was going to remove the props and some instruments for sentimental reasons and then scrap the rest. I contacted the Indiana Military Museum in Vincennes Indiana to see if they would be interested in the aircraft, I passed along the owners information to the museum director Jim and within a couple of days Jim contacted me and said the museum was the new owner and would I like the task of disassembling, transporting and then reassembling the plane. I eagerly jumped at the chance. The plane was disassembled from Sept. 26 thru Oct. 2 2011 and moved to the museum. Reassembly of the plane will take place in March 2012 this will give the museum a chance to clean the old girl up a bit. I'll gladly post photos as soon as I figure out how! :drink3:

Awesome work Paul!!

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Mon Dec 19, 2011 5:14 pm

Thanks, I just found out the museum has acquired an F4 from Wright-Patterson that they need to have moved by the end of the year. Hmmmmmm? Guess I'll have to call them :drink3:

bdwakefield · **Joined:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:23 am **Posts:** 1

Extremely happy to see this! Been seeing it there for years and then all of a sudden it was gone. Was afraid it was scrapped!

I have volunteered for the air show there for several years now and got an opportunity to get my picture with the old bird. This is 2009 I think.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 5:42 pm

Where it was sitting in your picture, we had to move it forward about 40 feet to get away from the pigeon droppings. The building to the right of the plane with the fence around it, they were nice enough to let us tap into their electrical outlet. Next time you go there, not far from the airport is an establishment named "The Filling Station". Awesome bar food and extremely cold beer. During the time we were there I spent a "few minutes" at the bar. :drink3:

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

Does the musum need a structural repair manual for the A-26?

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:21 pm

No I don't think they do. After they asked me to take on the project I was able to find a complete erection & maintenance manual(s) and I think I gave them to them, hold on let me check................Um oops. I still have it. :drink3:

bdk · **Joined:** Sun May 02, 2004 1:16 am **Posts:** 11324

They don't need one or they don't have one?

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:24 pm

Don't need one

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Douglas A26 Invader #44-35326

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