Douglas A-26 Invader

Douglas · United States · first flew 1942 · bomber

The Douglas A-26 Invader was a twin-engine light bomber and attack aircraft that served the US from World War II through the Vietnam War, renowned for its speed, firepower, and versatility. It was briefly redesignated B-26 after WWII when the Martin B-26 Marauder was retired.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, tapered
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.24 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

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Sleek twin-engine light attack bomber
Multi-gun solid nose or glazed bombardier nose
Used in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam

Characterised by its sleek oval fuselage, mid-mounted tapered wing, twin powerful radial engines, and either a multi-gun solid nose or a glazed nose depending on variant.

Specifications

The Douglas A-26 Invader has a length of 15.24 m (50 ft).
It has a wingspan of 21.33 m (70 ft).
Its maximum speed is 571 km/h (355 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

First flown in July 1942, the Invader entered combat in Europe and the Pacific in late 1944. After WWII it served in Korea and was modernised in the 1960s as the B-26K Counter Invader for counterinsurgency roles, seeing extensive use in Vietnam and Laos.

Variants

The A-26B had a solid eight-gun nose while the A-26C had a glazed bombardier nose. The postwar On Mark B-26K Counter Invader featured more powerful engines and wingtip fuel tanks.

Where you'll see it

Served USAF, with export to France (used in Algeria and Indochina), Brazil, and numerous other nations; highly regarded by crews for its performance and reliability across three conflicts.

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