B-26K Counter-Invader Restoration ("Special K")

[A26 Special K]

Our gal Sally will be at the Meacham Fly-in next Saturday selling T shirts and giving out info about K. The CAF A-26 and Vintage Flying Museum folks will be down there, so she will set up somewhere close to the action. Be sure to come on over to the hangar and see K for yourself afterwards. She loves to have visitors. JR

[RV8er]

In 1989, I was flying a Beech 99 out of Worland.

Now that sounds suspiciously like a Mesa pilot right there! I paid my dues at Mesa in '93-'96; was based Rock Springs, WY my first year... yep, it's cold up there! But, I got lucky with a Beech 1900 rather than a 99... yay for pressurization and bleed air heat!

[Cvairwerks]

JR: Your bike seat looking part is probably the seat for the periscope system for the original gunner's station in the rear fuselage.

[A26 Special K]

Hey RV... YV for sure. Was in Brasilia in RAP when you were on the Rock. Probably crossed paths at old Stapleton. Cool... good to hear from you! JR

[A26 Special K]

JR: Your bike seat looking part is probably the seat for the periscope system for the original gunner's station in the rear fuselage.

Veeeeery close! Actually, it is the seat for the bombardier's station on the C models with glass noses. But we are thinking of converting it to something like the jumpseat that used to be in the cockpit. We just can't seem to find any pics or drawings of that installation which was behind the copilot's seat in the entry way to the bomb bay. It was removeable but we see no fittings left that might have held it. This is one of the biggest puzzles about the airplane. We have stories from the Nimrods about getting fam rides on their first flights over Laos riding on the jumpseat. Anybody have drawing or picture of the jumpseat? Thanks, JR

[Cvairwerks]

JR: From what I remember of the jump seat in Spirit of Waco, it was behind the pilot's seat and was set up to ride side saddle....

[A26 Special K]

JR: From what I remember of the jump seat in Spirit of Waco, it was behind the pilot's seat and was set up to ride side saddle....

I rode back there recently. It was built in when the electrical gear that used to be there was removed. Very uncomfortable because of the lack of headroom, but it is not side saddle now if it was before. The jumpseat we need will go behind the copilot's side as we will not remove the electrical plumbing that goes on that platform that was converted to a seat in Spirit of Waco. I have looked at the removeable seat used in Lady Liberty, but we are trying to go back to original if we can find it. The Nimrods describe it as being something like a bicycle or tractor seat. Thanks! JR

[A26 Special K]

Here is the scoop on the Meacham Fly-In next Sat, Aug 2. See ya there! Then come on over to the VFM hangar to visit the K team. Should be great fun! JR

[Ken]

Anybody have drawing or picture of the jumpseat? Thanks, JR

Been curious, so I'll ask ... what's y'all's relationship with both Pima & NMUSAF? Do you have someone at either place willing to go poke their head in the airplane to see what's there and maybe shoot a photo? Hate to see you guys reinvent the wheel.

And, while I'm asking, I assume the Pima bird was flown in after Vietnam and towed straight from storage, so should be a K-model time capsule? How about the Dayton bird?

Ken

[VintageAviationNews]

Our contribution to the restoration:

A-26K "Special Kay" Restoration.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-res ... ation.html

[A26 Special K]

Our contribution to the restoration:

A-26K "Special Kay" Restoration.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-res ... ation.html

Moreno, thanks for your interest and encouragement in our project.

JR

[A26 Special K]

Anybody have drawing or picture of the jumpseat? Thanks, JR

Been curious, so I'll ask ... what's y'all's relationship with both Pima & NMUSAF? Do you have someone at either place willing to go poke their head in the airplane to see what's there and maybe shoot a photo? Hate to see you guys reinvent the wheel.

And, while I'm asking, I assume the Pima bird was flown in after Vietnam and towed straight from storage, so should be a K-model time capsule? How about the Dayton bird?

Ken

Ken, the NMUSAF airplane was civilian registered for many years and then parts were used from the airplane that used to be at Florence to augment and replace things that were missing. We have a contact at both museums. The Pima airplane is going to be checked at next opportunity by our guy on the ground there. The Hurlburt airplane is essentially gutted inside. Have not contacted the Ellsworth folks yet about 640, but that is next on the agenda. I don't have a lot of expectations from any of these except Pima which was never on the civil registry. Keep your fingers crossed!! We got to wondering why the jumpseat didn't show up in the parts manual and perhaps the answer is that it was a field modification. Maybe Frank or some of the other Nimrods can chime in here and tell us what they remember about it.... besides being uncomfortable! JR

[VintageAviationNews]

Our contribution to the restoration:

A-26K "Special Kay" Restoration.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-res ... ation.html

Moreno, thanks for your interest and encouragement in our project.

JR

You got it Jim! Let's keep going at it!

[rdennard]

I only have vague memories of the jump seat. I know it covered the entrance to the bomb bay, but flipped up out of the way for bomb bay access.

In the very early days, FAC guys from the 23rd TASS flew in the jump seat to give the A-26 pilots "fam" (familiarization) rides over the Ho Chi Minh trail. These were daylight missions. Capt. Thomas Wolfe was killed on one of these FACs on a "rides" when the A-26 he was in was shot down on a bombing/strafing run. The A-26 pilots Capt. Chuck Dudley, and Capt. Tony Cavalle were also killed in the shoot down.

[NImrodA26]

............I only have vague memories of the jump seat.

You're doing better than me Bob, I have no recollection of the jump seat at all. All I remember is the entrance to the bomb bay behind the nav seat.
Capt. Dudley was our first loss on Big Eagle. Quite a sobering sight on the flightline to see an empty space where an airplane used to be sitting.

Also, good job Moreno on the article. Definitely a good read.