Above is N401Y when owned by George Rivera at Oakland, CA. He had this one
as well as N500MR which was rebuilt and later sold to Bill Farrell as "Gator Invader".
The above shot was kindly donated by Malcolm Nason.
The above shot taken in July 1998, Leoti, Kansas, was
supplied by John L. Dienst, Ohio
The above three images taken by Glen Chatfield were of N401Y at
Du Page airfield, Illinois in August 93
The below shots were taken by Paul Cooper, from September
26th thru October 2nd of this year ( 2011 ), See article.
Serial #: 44-35326 Construction #: 28605 Civil
Registration: N2889D N40Y N401Y Model(s): A-26C B-26C
On Mark Marketeer Name: None Status: Restoration Last info: 2002
History: Registered as N2889D On Mark Engineering
Corp, Van Nuys, CA, 1957. - Registered as N40Y. - Converted as prototype On Mark Marketeer 1957 Youngstown Sheet
& Tube Co, Youngstown, OH, 1957. Boothe Leasing Corp, San Francisco, CA, 1963-1966. - Registered as N401Y. Business
Aircraft Lessors, Elyria, OH, 1969-1970. Active Air Inc, Wakeman, OH, 1977. George J. Rivera, San Jose, CA, 1981-1984. Endless
Turn Inc, Leoti, KS, 1987-1988. Stallion Aircraft, Bensenville, IL, May 1990-1995. Air Classics Aircraft Museum, Chicago-Du
Page, IL, 1995-1996. - Restored to airworthy, 1995. Air Classics Inc, Chicago, IL, Jan. 17, 1997-1999. - Last flew,
May 1998. - Parked, Rockford, IL, 1998-2001. Courtesy Aircraft Inc, Rockford, IL, June 15, 1999-2000. Keith Taurman/Tidewater
Wings Inc, Virginia Beach, VA, Dec. 1999-2002. - Under restoration, Rockford, IL, 2000-2002. - Marked as 435326/BC-326.
I had a recent mail ( Nov 2011 ) from Paul Cooper:
Hello. My name is Paul and I live in Ohio (U.S.). I am writing
to you in regards to Douglas A26 Invader manufacture #28605, military # 44-35326. This aircraft had been sitting derelict
since mid 90's at the Rockford Illinois Airport. I am proud to say that I saved this aircraft from being scrapped. The previous
owner stated to me that he was going to remove the props and some instruments and scrap the plane. I made the connection between
the owner and the Indiana Military Museum (I moved a Lockheed T-33 for this museum a couple years ago) and next I know the
museum owns the plane and I was contracted with the task of disassembling, transporting, and reassembling the plane at the
museum. As of right now the complete plane is at the museum and I will reassemble it in the spring 2012.
Above, N400E prior to its full Marksman conversion
Above, N400E at Benghazi - Benina (BEN / HLLB), Libya on 7th March
1969
The three shots above, shows N60XY at Heathrow airport in 1974
on route to Beirut
The above two shots were taken in California, circa 1970 by
K Bryant
The above shot was donated by R.A.Scholefield
Serial #: 44-34761 Construction #: 28040 Civil
Registration: N67158 N400E N60XY N60XX Model(s): A-26B
On Mark Marksman Name: None Status: Unknown Last info: 2002
History: Delivered to Reconstruction Finance Corp as
44-34761 - Immediately put up for dispossal, 1945-1946. Superior Oil Co, Lafayette, LA, 1954. - Registered as N67158. Colorado
Interstate Gas, Colorado Springs, CO, 1961-1964. - Registered as N400E. Occidental Leasing Corp, Los Angeles, CA, 1966-1969. -
Operated by Occidental Petroleum, Las Angeles, CA, 1966-1970. - Operated by Holiday Inns Of America, 1968. Occidental
Chemical Corp, Los Angeles, CA, 1970-1972. - Registered as N60XY. - Ferried from Beirut to USA, Feb. 13, 1974. Registered as N60XX in Fort Lauderdale, FL 1976-2002. - Sale Reported.
Thought to have been lost during smuggling operations.
Above, 1965
Above is N4000K in 1966
The above shot was supplied by Ken Fielding
Above, London Gatwick in 1963
The above shot shows N4000K at Biggin Hill in May 63
The above shot owned by Barrie Colledge is of Manila based Aero
Service Corp Douglas A-26B Invader N4000K (c/n 28041) at Darwin in 1969 for a mapping contract of Irian Jaya.
The above shot was provided by Dick Butler
Note:
Far east operations
N4000K took
off from Beirut to Singapore, via Damascus, Bahrain, Karachi and Kuala Lumpur on June 26th 1966.
In Singapore the magnetometer equipment was removed and
replaced with a SHORAN tracker and an rc8/9 wild mapping camera.
The plane was then flown to Jesselton on the 14th august 1966.
After works in Jesselton were completed the plane was then flown back to Singapore
where the original equipment was reinstalled and flown to Medan Indonesia.
The aircraft was then flow back to Singapore on and retired from service with the aero
service corporation.
Serial #: 44-34762 Construction #: 28041 Civil
Registration: N67800, N4000 N4000K Model(s):
A-26B Wold Invader Executive Name: None Status: Abandoned Last info: 1986
History: Delivered to Reconstruction Finance Corp as
44-34762 - Immediately put up for dispossal, 1945-1946. Swiflite Aircraft Corp, New York, NY, 1954. - Registered
as N4000. - Converted by Wold Corp to B-26 Invader Executive. Earl Slick/Slick Airways, San Antonio, TX, 1956. -
Registered as N4000K. Aero Service Corp, Philadelphia, PA, 1963-1966. Aero Service Corp, Manila, Philippines, 1969-1972. -
Damaged during wheels up landing, Manilla International Airport, July 4, 1972. Withdrawn from use and abandoned, Dili,
Portuguese Timor, 1975-1986. Note: Reportedly owned by industrialist Henry J Kaiser and operated as Pleione
Note
NTSB Identification: OAK73DJY09 14 CFR Part
91 General Aviation Event occurred Tuesday, July 04, 1972 in MANILA,ASIA, Philippines Aircraft: DOUGLAS A-26B, registration:
N4000K
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FILE DATE LOCATION AIRCRAFT DATA INJURIES FLIGHT PILOT DATA F S M/N PURPOSE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6-0078 72/7/4 MANILA,RP,ASIA DOUGLAS A-26B CR- 0 0 2 NONCOMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL, AGE 49, 9903 TIME - 1815 N4000K PX- 0 0 5 PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP TOTAL HOURS, 644 IN TYPE, DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL OT- 0 0 0 INSTRUMENT RATED. NAME OF AIRPORT - MANILA INTL DEPARTURE POINTINTENDED DESTINATIONLAST ENROUTE STOP SINGAPORE MANILA,RP,ASIA KUCHING,MALASIA TYPE OF ACCIDENTPHASE OF OPERATION WHEELS-UP LANDING: LEVEL OFF/TOUCHDOWN GROUND-WATER LOOP-SWERVE LANDING: ROLL PROBABLE CAUSE(S) AIRFRAME - LANDING GEAR: NORMAL RETRACTION/EXTENSION ASSEMBLY AIRPORTS/AIRWAYS/FACILITIES - AIRPORT CONDITIONS: HIDDEN HAZARD REMARKS- RT MN GR WOULD NOT RLS FM UP-LOCKED POSIT DUE TOMISG CLEVIS PIN AT RELS ROD ATTACH PT.
The above shot taken by Gerry Asher, shows N4050A looking rather tired when
she was at Opa Locka in the 80's
This plane was used in the movie "Badlands" with Martin Sheen
The above shot was supplied by Joseph May
Above, 4050 in the film "Badlands"
Above, Courtesy of Bill Bailey
Serial #: 43-22523 Construction #: 18670 Civil
Registration: N4050A Model(s): A-26C B-26C
On Mark Marketeer Name: None Status: Displayed Last
info: 2002
History: Korda Leasing Corp, New York, NY, 1963-1964. -
Registered as M4050A. - Gear collapsed during landing, Madison, WI, Aug. 20, 1964. DEC Aviation Corp, Madison, WI, 1966. May
Air Inc, Boulder, CO, 1969-1970. I.N. "Junior" Burchinall, Paris, TX, 1976. Ronald Bryant, Springfield, MO, 1977. Reported
derelict at Fort Lauderdale, FL, Oct. 1979-1981. Hill Air Company Inc, Fort Lauderdale, FL, Oct. 4, 1984-1987. Jim ricketts/Aero
Nostalgia, Stockton, CA, 1987-1990. - Trucked from FL to CA. - Static restoration for USAFM. - Parts from 44-34156
used. USAFM, Vance AFB, IK, 1990-2002. - Displayed as 434156/BC-156.
Note
NTSB Identification: Unknown 14 CFR Part 91
General Aviation Event occurred Thursday, August 20, 1964 in MADISON, WI Aircraft: DOUGLAS A-26B, registration: N4050A
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FILE DATE LOCATION AIRCRAFT DATA INJURIES FLIGHT PILOT DATA F S M/N PURPOSE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2-0621 64/8/20 MADISON WIS DOUGLAS A-26B CR- 0 0 2 MISCELLANEOUS COMMERCIAL, AGE 25, 3000 TIME - 2133 N4050A PX- 0 0 3 DEMONSTRATION TOTAL HOURS, 100 IN TYPE, DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL OT- 0 0 0 INSTRUMENT RATED. NAME OF AIRPORT - MADISON MUNICIPAL TYPE OF ACCIDENT PHASE OF OPERATION OVERSHOOT LANDING: ROLL GEAR COLLAPSED LANDING: ROLL PROBABLE CAUSE(S) PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED DISTANCE AND SPEED PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER OPERATION OF BRAKES AND/OR FLIGHT CONTROLS MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - HYDROPLANING ON WET RUNWAY
From:AVIATION WEEK magazine, August 24, 1959
Reproduced document-by:Richard E. FulwilerJanuary 29, 2016
Tempo II Nears Initial Flight Tests
TEMPO II version of Douglas B-26 has elongated
nose section for radar and cargo.
Pressurized
executive version of a Douglas B-26 attack bomber ( AW June 15, p. 109 ) is nearing
completion at L. B. Smith Aircraft Corp. production facility at Miami, Fla.
Airplane, designated Tempo II, is scheduled
to make its first flight in October. Second production aircraft is now entering
jigs. Another model, Tempo I, utilizes the same pressure-sealed fuselage but is
not pressurized.
Company said Tempo II carries seven to 10
passengers in executive con-figuration, has a 350 mph. cruising speed and
features a 28-ft. walk-through cabin. Tempo II will cost about $375,000 for
basic pressurized plane, plus interior and electronics. The price of Tempo I is
about $100,000 below that figure.
Tempo II fuselage is 9 ft.
7 in. longer than
the original B-26, although theB-26
wing shape and control surfaces have been retained. Height is 1 ft. 3 in.
greater and fuselage has been considerably streamlined from the wartime
configuration.
Redesign of wing attachments freed the cabin
of wing structure, engineers said. Wings are now attached to two pairs of
fuselage frames made of 1 ¼ in. thick rolled aluminum plate, resulting in
additional 10 in. length of the wing, increasing its area by 18 sq. ft. Tip
fuel tanks carry 185 gal. each.
Nose has been considerably elongated to
contain an integral radome and 1,000 lbs. of cargo. Nacelles, empennage, and
landing gear remains relatively unchanged. Powerplants are two Pratt &
Whitney R-2800-C engines producing 2,100 hp. each ( AW Oct. 20, 1958, p. 111 ).
Propellers are Hamilton Standard three-blade 33E60/6899-20 models.
Aircraft is designed
to fly at 16-17,000
ft., with cabin altitude maintained at 5,000 ft. Fail-safe cabin design was
aimed at withstanding differentials of more than 8 psi.; company engineers said
maximum pressurization in operation will be only 4.17 psi. Cabin includes DC-6
type side windows, which also act as escape hatches.
Tempo II pressure system incorporates a
Stratos engine-driven compressor located in the right engine nacelle. Air
cycling and heat transfer equipment is located in the wing roots. Components
are all off-the-shelf hardware, with exception of plumbing and ducting.
Aircraft’s
cockpit has been modified to
include a copilot station with dual controls. Overhead window panels have been
installed in the cockpit and main windshield is curved and fitted with 7/8th
in. thick laminated glass.
Company said optional equipment will include
drag chute for landing and JATO bottles for take off
Tempo will be certificated for takeoff
weight of 35,000 lb. and landing weight of 31,000 lb. Fuel capacity is 1,170
gal. ( 1,370 gal. with optional wingtip tanks ). Range with full fuel will be
2,200 mi., with 45 min. reserve.
Three-view
emphasizes longer, streamlined
fuselage. Note addition of 185-gal. tip tanks.
Tempo II Design
Estimated
Performance :
Cruising true airspeed at 20,000 ft.
at 31,000 lb. gross, 67% power. . . . .
. . .350 mph.
AVIATION
WEEK,August
24, 1959 - Fully transcribed from original document by
:Richard E.
FulwilerJanuary 29, 2016
Regarding
the above photograph, Rick writes:
This is the one that I referred to when our association began back
in 2009 that appeared in an issue of Air Progress magazine. If memory serves, it was the Fall of 1959 issue and was referred
to as the latest modified B-26 Invader by L. B. Smith as the Tempo II. This is the only photo I have ever seen of the Tempo
II in this scheme and would predate the one I referred to as the “ Prototype – Demonstrator “ scheme ...
Regarding
the two above images and illustrations: These images were from the 1960 timeframe and was how she appeared referenced
in advertising and news listings in Flying magazine in May of 1960 and other issues. It was also as she appeared at the N.B.A.A.
( National Business Aviation Association ) airshow at Reading Pennsylvania.
Based
on the colors indicated in the brochure and the above color photo was what I used to make up my profile drawings of the “
Prototype – Demonstrator “ scheme. I also made up a new set using these colors and labeled it as the “ Early
Prototype scheme “ ( first ). I did a single profile drawing and a dual profile showing the fuselage only together with
a full left-side profile. Because L. B. Smith used blue-green and blue in various shades for both N4204A and N4214A over time
I feel that it reasonable to assume these closely represent how N4204A appeared in early 1959. The scheme and hues are as
close as I could get from the angle shown in that first rare B & W photo image.
Above is a modified photo by Richard E Fulwiler taken
from theL.B. Smith Tempo II brochure interior drawing overlaid
on May 1960 Flying Magazine photo of N4204A ( scan and use of photo by permission; J. Mac McClellan, Editor-In-Chief,
Flying Magazine )
The above two shots show Tempo II N4204A as she appeared in
her " Prototype " Display paint scheme, circa 1960.
They are taken from the May 1960 issue of Flying Magazine " Flying
News Reel " section ( page 52 ). Permission to scan and use these images came from J. Mac McClellan, Editor-In-Chief, Flying
Magazine. He is being Cc'd on this mail, along with Graham.
Smith Tempo II at Stead, whilst undergoing flight tests
The above photo was donated by Matt Bryden.
Above is "4204" seen at Santa Monica, CA Cloverfield Airport
in March 1967.
Desert Reserch Institute - Atmospheric testing
Larry Rea and Paul Lage (orange sweater) above, loading
silver iodide and flares on the wing pods
Edwin Berry of the UNR Desert Research Institute
wrote below:
Those wing pods were a lot more than flare holders. They originated
a whole new way to instrument an aircraft. All prior instrumented aircraft had the instrumentation specially built into the
plane. Instrumentation in those days was analog and took a lot of calibration and debugging. When the instrumentation is built
in then the technicians must do all their calibration and debugging inside the aircraft. It was slow and tedious and usually
did not work. I changed all that by having the technicians, headed by Paul Lage shown in the orange sweater alongside
Larry Rea, build everything in the lab rather than in the aircraft. There was the electronics package in racks that
could be quickly mounted on the floor inside the aircraft, the instrument sensors mounted on the two pods made from former
fuel tanks, and the cabling between them. The trick was to have the technicians build two exact copies of the cabling: one
for the lab and the other for the aircraft. When the two cabling units were fully calibrated, one of them was installed in
the aircraft running from the cabin to the instrument pods. The other remained in the lab to be used for calibrating and debugging
the instruments. It worked like a charm. When ready for a research flight, we simply moved the package and the pods from the
lab to the aircraft. We never had an instrument failure during any flight.
The weather radar is the first ever aircraft radar to paint a picture
referenced to the ground, and this was long before GPS made it easy. We would make a copy of a sectional map on clear plastic
and mount the plastic map over the storage scope shown here. We used a local Vortac as a point of reference. We could dial
the position of the Vortac on the scope and then position the map. Then our analog computers would add aircraft heading to
the radar angle with respect to the aircraft to get north orientation. Then our analog computers would add our position according
to the Vortac and put the north orientated radar signal on the scope. Viola, a ground position radar. Finally, we could keep
track of our position with respect to clouds. We could seed a cloud and fly back into the area we seeded. We could watch clouds
moving.
This was my own invention. I helped the Air Force use this concept
for their hurricane monitoring. They had been using rotation radar antennas on top of aircraft to look at the hurricanes,
thinking they needed to rotate the radar to get a picture. Add a piece of information: the larger an antenna the better the
radar image. The problem then is how do you put a larger antenna on an airplane and still fly the airplane. Simple. Replace
the large door on the side of a C-130 with a radar antenna mounted behind a new door made of radar dome material. Now, to
get a picture of a hurricane simply fly a 360 circle and use ground positioning of the signal, like we did on the B-26, to
paint a ground referenced high-resolution picture. It worked like a charm and produced the finest hurricane radar picture
ever at that time.
In March 1980 the plane went down between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.
Ed no longer worked for DRI. All four crew died in the crash. Crash reports are unclear whether icing or mechanical breakdown
caused the crash.
Ed states: I am convinced the B-26 went down because of ice for
two reasons. First, we encountered icing on a few of our flights through Sierra Nevada winter storms. I know how the B-26
can be overwhelmed by ice. Its inflatable boots on the wing leading edges were not able to remove ice as fast as it can build
up. In both the B-26 and the C-45 we hit ice that caused loss of altitude. We could have crashed. It was dangerous work. Tom
Wells always had a plan that saved us for another day. He had a way of following the low terrain when we could not maintain
altitude until we were low enough so the ice would melt.
The second reason is the report of an eye witness to the
crash. He said the B-26 rolled over as it came out of the cloud. This is caused by having ice. Ice increased the stall speed
and ice can break off one side before it breaks off the other side. When ice is bring a plane down any attempt by the pilot
to pull back the elevators too much can cause the plane to stall. In icing it is very likely one wing will stall before the
other wing. This would cause the plane to roll, as reported by the witness.
In March 1980 the plane went down between Lake Tahoe and Sacramento.
Ed no longer worked for DRI. All four crew died in the crash. Crash reports are unclear whether icing or mechanical breakdown
caused the crash.
Ed states: I am convinced the B-26 went down because of ice for
two reasons. First, we encountered icing on a few of our flights through Sierra Nevada winter storms. I know how the B-26
can be overwhelmed by ice. Its inflatable boots on the wing leading edges were not able to remove ice as fast as it can build
up. In both the B-26 and the C-45 we hit ice that caused loss of altitude. We could have crashed. It was dangerous work. Tom
Wells always had a plan that saved us for another day. He had a way of following the low terrain when we could not maintain
altitude until we were low enough so the ice would melt.
The second reason is the report of an eye witness to the
crash. He said the B-26 rolled over as it came out of the cloud. This is caused by having ice. Ice increased the stall speed
and ice can break off one side before it breaks off the other side. When ice is bring a plane down any attempt by the pilot
to pull back the elevators too much can cause the plane to stall. In icing it is very likely one wing will stall before the
other wing. This would cause the plane to roll, as reported by the witness.
Note:
By Richard E. Fulwiler
Richard grew up near the Van Nuys Airport, home of On Mark, and had access
to their facility until Marksman C #7 and 8 were started, coinciding with the B26K modifications. He was present on the return
of the prototype of the YB26K (#35634) from its first flight when he was 16.
Richard wrote: "I was informed, however, by Bill Boone
of the On Mark Engineering Co. that the Tempo II did not retain the excellent flying qualities of the original Douglas Invader
design. By moving the wing attachment points some 20 inches away from center, the assymetrical thrust of single engine operation
was increased. This necessitated moving the vertical tail plane aft to maintain rudder effectiveness. To correct the resulting
shift in center of gravity, the nose was extended to increase the overall fuselage length to around 9 1/2 feet over standard."
Thanks Richard for the clarification
Serial #: 44-35640 Construction #: 28919 Civil
Registration: N4204A Model(s): A-26C B-26C Smith Tempo II Name:
None Status: Destroyed Last info: 1980
History: L. B. Smith Aircraft Corp., Miami, FL, 1960. -
Registered as N4204A. - Acquired from USAF disposal, Hanscom AFB, MA, Nov. 27, 1957. - Rebuilt as prototype for Smith
Temp I & II. - Test Flying, Miami, Oct. 1959-1962. Pinellas Aircraft Inc., St. Petersburg, FL, Mar. 7, 1963. Appliance
Buyers Credit Corp, St. Joseph, MI, Apr. 18, 1963-1966. North Phoenix Aviation, Phoenix, AZ, Nov. 1966-1967. A. Newton
Ball, Dillingham, AK, Jan. 1, 1967. Robert L. Carleton, North Hollywood, CA, Feb. 23, 1967-1968. University Of Nevada,
Reno, NV, June 12, 1968-1980. - Stalled and Crashed due to airframe icing during weather research flight, Georgetown,
CA, Mar. 2, 1980.
Note
NTSB Identification: LAX80FA060 14 CFR Part
91 General Aviation Event occurred Sunday, March 02, 1980 in GEORGETOWN, CA Aircraft: DOUGLAS B-26C, registration:
N4204A
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FILE DATE LOCATION AIRCRAFT DATA INJURIES FLIGHT PILOT DATA F S M/N PURPOSE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-3755 80/3/2 NR.GEORGETOWN,CA DOUGLAS B-26C CR- 2 0 0 COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL, AGE 56, 9220 TIME - 1115 N4204A PX- 2 0 0 OTHER TOTAL HOURS, 240 IN TYPE, DAMAGE-DESTROYED OT- 0 0 0 INSTRUMENT RATED. DEPARTURE POINT INTENDED DESTINATION RENO,NV LOCAL TYPE OF ACCIDENT PHASE OF OPERATION STALL: SPIN IN FLIGHT: DESCENDING PROBABLE CAUSE(S) PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - AIRFRAME ICE FACTOR(S) PERSONNEL - OPERATIONAL SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL: DEFICIENCY,COMPANY MAINTAINED EQPMT,SERVICES,REGULATION WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC. WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFING RECEIVED-METHOD UNKNOWN WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED SKY CONDITION CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE BROKEN 3700 VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE 5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED) SNOW OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE TEMPERATURE-F BLOWING SNOW 38 WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS 270 4 TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN IFR IFR REMARKS- ATMOSPHERIC RESH.ACFT NR AFT CG LMT,NO LONGTDL STABLY STUDY.O/B INSTRN INDCD IN ICG CONDS 19.5MIN.
The above shot shows the instrument cluster on the nose mounted
boom. The angle of incident vanes are mounted on an anti vibration and shock isolated tube, to which the internal platform
is rigidly attached inside the aircrafts nose.
The pitot static head and the circular housing of the pressure
tranducers and electronics are seen on the aircrafts right hand side and above and at the end of the boom.
The image above clearly shows two Tempo II's ( with the second
prototype N4214A in the right side of the image, next to its sister ship N4204A ).
Along the right border of the photo is what looks to be a rudder-less
vertical tail of a third Invader ( Tempo II ? )
If anyone has further data on this aeroplane it would be appreciated
Serial #: 44-34127 Construction #: 27406 Civil
Registration: N4214A, XB-ZOA Model(s):
A-26C B-26C Smith Tempo II Name: None Status:
Last info:
History: L. B. Smith Aircraft Corp., Miami, FL, 1960. -
Registered as N4214A. - Rebuilt as 2nd prototype for Smith Temp I & II. - Test Flying, Miami, 1959-1962.
The above 4 shots by Rick Kuhl, shows N137WG at Chicago/Rockford
International Airport.
Above, N437W is shown here between owners at Loiusville, Bowman
field in Dec 71
The above shot sent to me by Paul Cicci, was taken in 1974
at Hutchinson, Kansas.
The above shot was kindly donated by Glen Chatfield.
This shot of N437W, is a shot he took from a car window looking
over a fence at Denver Jeffco Airport (Now Rocky Mountain Executive - BJC) in 1972, Thanks Glen
Serial #: 44-35201 Construction #: 28480 Civil
Registration: N8025E N137WG N437W Model(s): A-26C B-26C
Monarch 26 Name: None Status: Unknown Last
info: 1977
History: L.B. Smith Aircraft Corp, Miami, FL. - Registered
as N8025E. Woodward Governor Co., Rockford, IL, 1963-1966. - Registered as N137WG. Supreme Machine Products, Rockford,
IL, 1969-1970. - Registered as N437W. Stan Burnstein, Tulsa, OK, 1972. Lester Risley, Anchorage, AK, 1976-1977.
Les (Risley, the last owner) was taking off from the Aniak Airport
and the flap control rod failed on the right wing causing Les to lose control of the aircraft and it struck some trees off
the side of the runway. He left the aircraft there. Last information on it was the airport took the wreckage to the dump.
In a reponse to a former article "On Mark or Rock Island" I had a mail from John Whitehead ( 18/05/2012 )
Martin: I can confirm that the A-26 N137WG/sn 44-35201 was a
Monarch and not an On Mark.
I flew on that airplane several times in the early '60s.
My father worked at Woodward Governor in Rockford. In that time
period Woodward had two Twin Bonanzas and a Twin Beech. (Before that it was two Bonanzas and an Apache.) The headquarters
and main plant was in Rockford but there was a newer, second plant in Fort Collins and the Twin Beech was pretty slow westbound.
The Twin Bonanzas were used, as I remember, on sales trips closer to RFD - like to GE at Cincinnati or to Hamilton Standard
at (I think) Hartford. Also, it was necessary to carry the chairman and his family to Yuma to his winter home and the A-26
was much more suited for that mission than the Twin Beech.
I remember flying on that airplane to Kenora, Ontario at least
once and to Cheyenne, Wyoming at least once. Cheyenne was used because the local airport in Fort Collins was not adequate
to serve the airplane.
I now live in Cheyenne. I saw your photo and an MB CLK is in
the background. I have had one of those - a '98 CLK 320 in quartz blue. Also I noted you are experienced with the Casa/Heinkel
111. One of those crashed in Cheyenne, into a school bus terminal, several years ago. It was on approach to CYS from the east
southeast and went down about two miles or so short of the runway (about eight miles southeast of my home).
I went to Hutchison, KS one time with my father on his or the
company's trip to inspect/buy the Monarch. This must have been in about 1961 or 1962. I do not remember which airplane took
us there - either the 18 or one of the Twin Bonanzas. I remember a row of A-26s parked on a ramp near the Rock Island hanger
- awaiting potential civil conversion.
I knew the pilot of N137WG - Martin Bender. He was bald and difficult
but well respected. I knew his two blonde nieces in later years. I remember the seating arrangement in the airplane and especially
the crawl through space under the spar on the starboard side of the fuselage to get through to the cockpit. There was a little
jump seat in the cockpit that was ideal for a 12 year old kid. As I remember, I was told the airplane had DC-6 engines and
a DC-6 landing gear.
There is a photo of the airplane on the site airliners.net when
it was, at some time, parked at Louisville/SDF. It was loud, fast, intimidating and "awesome".
When Woodward bought the A-26 there were required
changes to the aviation program. The 18 and the Twin Bonanzas were based at Machesney Field. This was a grass covered historic
airport only a few miles north of the Woodward headquarters in Loves Park (the northern suburb of Rockford). It had close
access to the plant but certainly could not handle the A-26. So they built a new hanger for the airplane at Greater Rockford
Airport - on the far south side of the city and much less convenient to the headquarters. The hanger is still there, on the
north east end of the airport but it has been many decades since Woodward owned or used it. Machesney Field was closed in
the '60s or '70s and a shopping mall was built on the site.
- John Whitehead / Cheyenne,
WY -
The above two shots were supplied by Leif Hellström, via Frank
Bonansinga
After completing operations in South east Asia, Blue
Goose returned to the US and was handed over to the Operational Evaluation & Training (OE & T) Squadron,
like its sister ship N67623 that was to follow later. So the story goes, the On Mark B-26s: were picked up two from Intermountain.
They gave them to the OE&T as no one wanted them. One was landed nose gear up at Norton and it is not known what
became of it.
The B-26 was equiped with a DC-7 nose so two pilots
could fly side by side. It had a place for an Electronic Warfare Officer over the wing box and in the back were seats and
a back door for jumping and jump lights.
It seems that the Blue Goose did not survive with the OE&T
for very long – probably because it had been damaged beyond repair in that accident. A former member of the maintenance
personnel assigned to the 1198th OE&T Squadron recalls that he was involved in "the total dismantling of both of those
aircraft. One in Thailand and the other at Norton and they were sold for scrap. They both had the same problem. Nose gear
failure. This seems to have happened some time after the April 68 accident, as on 18 September 68, the registration of the
aircraft was officially cancelled as "scrapped"
On Mark Marksman
“ Blue Goose “ Specifications
MANUFACTURER:Douglas
CONVERSION:On Mark“Marksman”
DESCRIPTION: Pressurized
Twin Engine Light Freighter or Executive Transport with rear, bottom cargo door
ENGINES:2500 HP with Water Methanol InjectionR2800CB16/17
USABLE FUEL:7500 lbs.(1250 gal.)
RANGE (Dry Tanks):1600 N.M.(AtT.O.Gross Wt.40,000
lbs.)
RANGE WITH 3 HOUR RESERVE (Loiter
Power):1150 N.M.(Note:Average range equals .215 N.M. per lb. of fuel used)
NORMAL CRUISE SPEED:
230 kts.
GROSS WT.(T.O.):FAA rated 35,000 lbs.;can be operated 40,000 lbs.
EMPTY WT: 27,148 lbs.
CARGO CAPACITY:4,000lbs. / 120 cu. ft.
PASSENGERS: Seven plus
crew of three
SPECIAL PURPOSE: Aerial
resupply, low-level penetration
SYSTEMS:
Navigation:
1EDOLoran
2Doppler / Nav computer(Dual)
3TASIndicator
4DualVOR /
ILS
5DualADF
6DualDME
Communications:
1HF(CW
hand key or voice)
2SSBwith upper
or lower side band,AM,CW modes
3DualVHF
4Transponder
Special:
1SperrySP-40Auto pilotFlight Control System
2Periscopic sextant and mount
3Radar Altimeter
4Terrain following radar with:
aMapping mode (PPI) sector only
bAutomatic Terrain Following and Autopilot
cManual Terrain Avoidance(Vertical and Lateral)
5“BSTR” electronic jamming(ground)
6“ATIR”electronic jamming(air)
7“ Vector Sector”electronic position (air)
Recreationof original document
Description of the On Mark attached to George Doole’s letter of
28 March 67 (in: UTD/Bisson/B5 microfilm reel 4)
Recreated from the above source material in readable text format by Richard E. Fulwiler,
18 December 09
This B26, N46598, was painted blue with white trim stripes and
nicknamed the "Blue Goose". It was also affectionately referred to as the "Blivit" which implied something-stuffed full of
more then it could hold. This was true, as it had everything from A to Z when it came to electronic equipment and then some!
The Blue Goose was considerably different from the WWII Douglas
A26 Invader; a medium bomber whose designation was changed to B26 in the 1950's. This hybrid B26, arrived with many of the
modifications taken from the OnMark Company's corporate Marksman C and a few from the OnMark USAF B26K attack bomber
also known as Nimrods when flown at Nakhon Phanom in eastern Thailand.
The similar modifications consisted of wing
tip tanks, copilot instruments and controls, and enlarged rudder for better control, oversized anti-skid brakes and an air
stair door on the starboard side. The engines had reversible props and with water injection, gave each P&W engine 2500
hp on take off. Also our Blue Goose had the bomb bay doors removed and the addition of a large couch with several seats as
in the corporate Marketeer modification.
The paramount changes featured in this B26 were Terrain Following
Radar; precise navigational gear and a cargo drop ramp. These additions enabled "598" to deliver supplies at night, at low
level and in most any kind of weather. The TFR was new at that time. In fact, the only aircraft to have it was the new USAF
F111, an all weather twin jet fighter bomber not yet deployed in SEA. Installed in the B26 nose, this unique radar enabled
it to fly low at night over any terrain getting to the drop area and away from it as quickly as possible. The auto pilot could
be coupled to the TFR and the navigational equipment was checked before and after each flight with exceptionally accurate
results.
The other major feature in AA's B26 was its cargo drop ramp, similar
to that in the C123 and the Caribou aircraft, but much smaller. A pallet of approximately 500 pounds of supplies was pushed
out of the 26's cargo ramp by the Air Freight Specialist (AFS) or as commonly called, the kicker
Serial #: 44-34415 Construction #: 27693 Civil
Registration: N60042
N60043
N5002X
N46598 N900V
Model(s): A-26C B-26C On
Mark Marksman Name: None Status: Unknown
Last info:
History: Reg'd 12th July 1962 N500X gulf Air Inc, Miami
30th Jan 63 Intermountain Aviation
1964 On Mark Eng Corp for conversion to on Mark Marksman and
re-registered N900V
15th feb 64 sold to Intermountain Aviation as N900V
Aug 64 Sold to Atlantic General Enterprises Inc
29th March 65 Sold back to Intermountain Aviation
3rd Feb 67 sold to Pan Aero Invest, Reno
5th Feb 67 Sold to Air America as N46598
Officially reregistered as N46598 on 11 April 67 it was ferried
to South-East Asia in mid-April 67, then used for training at Udorn from the second half of April to June 67; seen at Udorn
April 67 and July 67; between 31 May 67 and 11 June 67. the plane was then ferried from Savannakhet to Udorn and back to Savannakhet,
and used for nightly low-level supply drops over Laos, but proved unsuitable for the task, because the aircraft was too fast
and too similar to a B-26 bomber.The plane continued to fly for Air America, but just doing transportation flights.
N46598 was then sold to Overseas Aeromarine Inc, Seattle, on 30
March 68, and registered to them as N46598 on 4 April 68, flown to Takhli Royal Thai Air Force Base in mid-April 68; damaged
on take-off from Takhli on the ferry flight to the USA in mid-April 68 and burned. The crash was caused by a anti-shimmy poppet
valve in the nose strut. The plane had been parked in Laos for several months and had deteriorated badly.
Sister ship of N46598
S/n 44-35698
c/n 28987
Douglas A-26C-45-DT Invader
Participated in Bay of Pigs invasion.
To civil registry as N5001X.
Converted to On Mark Marksman N800V, N58071, N67623. “Blue Goose” sister
ship.
N67623,
was intended for the same role as N46598, but never used.
In
the end, both aircraft were handed over to the 1198th Operational Evaluation and Training (OT&E) Squadron at Norton Air
Force Base, San Bernardino, California, a unit known for alleged participation in agent dropping and other clandestine missions
in Southeast Asia (Project Heavy Chain). The Squadron evaluated the two Marksman, but apparently found no use for them and
scrapped both aircraft, which suffered from a chronic Invader issue of nose gear failure.
History:
On Mark Marksman N800V 28977 67 Intermountain Aviation,
Marana, AZ
Previous history: This B-26B, former USAF 44-35698, had been regd. as N5001X to Gulf Air Inc, Miami, FL,
in July 62, sold to Intermountain Aviation, AZ, in 1963; sold to On Mark Engineering Corp., Van Nuys, CA, in July
63; converted to On Mark Marksman; sold to Intermountain Aviation, Marana, AZ, and reregistered as N800V
on 16 January 64; equipped with a terrain following radar in 1966.
Service history: According to the FAA the records were destroyed in March 89
Believed operated by Air America with false
registration N46358 (or perhaps N58071??) out of Brownsville, TX in 1966; intended for nightly low-level supply drops
over Laos, but did not fly with the night-drop program not on the US Civil Aircraft Register of 1 January
68; this second On Mark was part of the deal with Intermountain, when Air America exchanged their DC-6A/B
N90784 against the 2 On Marks in March 67, N800V was the aircraft that was to receive some more modifications.
Records show N800V was in Marana during the time 900
(or it’s alias) was being used or parked at Udorn. The flights of N800V at LGB, actually, Norton, was of course,
after the aforementioned. The training at this time was to turn N800V over to the Air Force, or whomever.
At this time N800V flew sporadically during the time frame you mentioned that was April 67 to June 68.
This was just prior to the Norton delivery.” The aircraft was flown by Intermountain pilot, Don Gearke
out of Long Beach, CA, in the first week of June 1968 checking out persons who seemed to belong to the USAF. "Don
Gearke recalls: “My company logbook shows my last flight in said airplane was in the first week in June 1968,
and shows local flights from Long Beach. I never had the plane in Long Beach, but during that week I was
probably working out of a west coast AFB, and checked out two pilots who I felt certain were Air Force, at least
military. Both were very good, and as I remember, the operation was enjoyable. I assumed these guys were probably
headed for some mission, since they seemed somewhat familiar with the equipment”.
Fate: transferred to the USAF’s 1198th Operational Evaluation & Training Squadron
(Heavy Chain), Norton AFB, in June
68, probably as N67623 and probably on loan from Air America, who was probably still the official owner; when N800V
was acquired by Air America from Intermountain in March 67, it was due to be reregistered as N67623;
this registration had been reserved since at least March 67 although a first choice seems to have been N58071 ( FAA
microfilm cards in 1972/3, had the following entry:
“N58071 B-26B 28977, deleted & replaced
with 44-35698. ‘Now [N]67623.’” Norton AFB was the home of the 1198th Operational
Evaluation & Training Squadron (Heavy Chain) that tested electronic modifications of C-130s
at that time generally speaking, the 1198th was a highly classified organization created
to do classified missions anywhere in the world, a former member of the 1198th OE&T Squadron
recalls the On Mark B-26s: “We picked up two from Intermountain. They gave them to us as no one wanted them.
They were just a toy for us. We landed one nose gear up at Norton and I don’t know what became of it afterwards.
We never used it in missions. It had a DC-7 nose so two pilots could fly side by side. It had a place for
an Electronic Warfare Officer over the wing box and in the back were seats and a back door for jumping and jump lights.
I left the Sqdn before they were disposed of.” As the Blue Goose was already destroyed
in Thailand in 1968, and as “the two a/c [that is N800V and N900V] were identical, even inside” the On
Mark at Norton must have been N800V or its alias N67623. As the former member of the 1198th OE&T Squadron, who knows about
the On Mark accident at Norton AFB, left the unit in 1969, the period when N800V or its alias N67623 landed nose gear up at
Norton must have been 1968/9. It was probably after that accident that the On Mark that looked exactly like Air America’s
Blue Goose languished in a secure area at Norton AFB between 1969 to about 1971/2
In September 1971, Air America, who was probably the official
owner of N800V or its alias N67623 still at that time, decided to return a mysterious aircraft (type unknown) to Intermountain.
If that memorandum refers to our On Mark, Air America probably
learned that that aircraft could no longer be repaired and returned. Seen from outside the Squadron, one day in 1971 or 1972
the On Mark disappeared from Norton AFB (e-mail dated 24 February 2004, kindly sent to the author by Tom Wickstrom). A former
member of the maintenance personnel assigned to the 1198th OE&T Squadron recalls that he was involved in “the total
dismantling of both of those aircraft. One in Thailand and the other at Norton and they were sold for scrap. They both had
the same problem. Nose gear failure.” That is what already Don Gearke had presumed: “Just had a chat with Dave
Folkins and mentioned 800V. He said it came to it’s end by the same problem that caused 900 to crash, except it was
in Air Force possession at that time. He didn’t know when or where it happened”.
Problems: It has been reported
that Steel Tiger A-26As were also flown by Air America pilots, but that is very unlikely, as they belonged to the USAF’s
609th Air Commando Squadron and then to the 56th Air Commando Wing based at Nakhon Phanom.
Above is 4813 somewhere in Dec '74
Above, when she was with the Environmental Protection Agency out of Las
Vegas, in the 70's
Above is the crash site in Copper Park, where there are three
wooden memorial plaques on an adjacent tree which read as follows:
ED COUNSELMAN 7-27-43 / 6-2-88
BILL MURRAY 5-4-52 / 6-26-88
In loving memory Our Bill ~ Dad and Mom May 4, 1952 - June
26, 1988
There were numerous ball caps in the wreckage marked "Douglas A-26
Invader".
There was also found a very faded circular patch. The surface was
almost illegible, but by turning it over and reading it as if in a mirror, you could make out the words, "302 SPECIAL
OPERATIONS SQUADRON - ANYWHERE ANYTIME". The central image appeared to be a helicopter diving into a valley.
There were wheels and wreckage up in the trees, and other parts
over a fairly wide area. No single piece of wreckage was much bigger than a backpack. When the plane struck the mountain,
it created a crater about 20 feet across and 10 feet deep filled with debris. We saw about thirty ball caps lying about, as
well as pieces of clothing and a pilot-type briefcase. We found the patch described above, and also the plane's radio.
Serial #: 44-35964 Construction #: 29243 Civil
Registration: N4813E Model(s): A-26C B-26C
Monarch 26
Name: None Status: Destroyed Last info: 1988
History: Rock Island Oil & Refining Co, Wichita,
KS, 1960-1963 - Registered as N4813E. - Planned conversion to Monarch 26 not completed. Aim Aviation Inc, Houston,
TX, 1966-1970. Environmental Protection Agency, Las Vegas, NV, 1975-1977. Edward G. Counselman/Combat Air Museum, Topeka,
KS, 1984-1988. - Flew in camoflague scheme. - Crashed and destroyed, Cinmarron, NM, June 26, 1988. -- Counselman
killed. Note: Councelman also owned A-26 N303WC
Note
Evidently, Counselman and Murray had purchased the plane surplus
and were flying it to an air show "in Taos". They encountered a violent storm in the Baldy area that disabled their navigation
equipment. Knowing that they needed power to clear Baldy, they put the throttles ahead full. Unfortunately, the plane was
not level at the time, and instead was nose down. Accordingly they essentially did a full-power dive into the side of French
Henry.
NTSB Identification: DEN88FA138 . The docket
is stored on NTSB microfiche number 37248. 14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation Accident occurred Sunday, June 26,
1988 in CIMARRON, NM Probable Cause Approval Date: 9/19/1989 Aircraft: DOUGLAS A-26C, registration: N4813E Injuries:
2 Fatal.
THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT DID NOT FILE
A FLT PLAN. DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT (DOUGLAS A-26C, N4813E) CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200' NEAR
BALDY MOUNTAIN. SCOUTING PERSONNEL, WHO WERE CAMPED IN THE VICINITY, RPRTD THE WX WAS POOR WITH A LOW CEILING, RESTRICTED
VISIBILITY, RAIN & HAIL. AN EXAM OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP, RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.
MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE COLLAPSED INTO THE IMPACT CRATER. THE DEGREE OF DESTRUCTION WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH SPEED IMPACT.
CHORDWISE SCRATCH MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE PROP BLADES. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES & LIMBS AT THE CRASH SITE HAD SMOOTH CUTS.
THE PLT WAS TYPE RATED IN THE A-26, BUT HIS CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION THAT RESTRICTED HIM TO FLYING IT IN 'VFR ONLY.' NEITHER
THE PLT NOR THE RATED PASSENGER HELD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE RATED PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE A TYPE RATING IN THE A-26, BUT
THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY N4813E AS A SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the
probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC..CONTINUED..PILOT IN COMMAND AIRCRAFT
CONTROL..NOT MAINTAINED..PILOT IN COMMAND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION..PILOT IN COMMAND
Contributing Factors
LIGHT CONDITION..DUSK VISUAL/AURAL PERCEPTION..PILOT
IN COMMAND TERRAIN CONDITION..HIGH TERRAIN WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING WEATHER CONDITION..FOG WEATHER CONDITION..RAIN WEATHER
CONDITION..HAIL WEATHER CONDITION..OBSCURATION LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME..PILOT IN COMMAND TERRAIN CONDITION..MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY
In detail
THE PLT RCVD A WX BRIEFING BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT DID NOT FILE A FLT PLAN. DRG THE FLT, THE ACFT
(DOUGLAS A-26C, N4813E) CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200' NEAR BALDY MOUNTAIN. SCOUTING PERSONNEL,
WHO WERE CAMPED IN THE VICINITY, RPRTD THE WX WAS POOR WITH A LOW CEILING, RESTRICTED VISIBILITY, RAIN & HAIL. AN EXAM
OF THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP, RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. MUCH OF THE WRECKAGE COLLAPSED
INTO THE IMPACT CRATER. THE DEGREE OF DESTRUCTION WAS CONSISTENT WITH A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. CHORDWISE SCRATCH MARKS WERE FOUND
ON THE PROP BLADES. SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES & LIMBS AT THE CRASH SITE HAD SMOOTH CUTS. THE PLT WAS TYPE RATED IN THE A-26,
BUT HIS CERTIFICATE HAD A LIMITATION THAT RESTRICTED HIM TO FLYING IT IN 'VFR ONLY.' NEITHER THE PLT NOR THE RATED PASSENGER
HELD AN INSTRUMENT RATING. THE RATED PASSENGER DID NOT HAVE A TYPE RATING IN THE A-26, BUT THE PLT POSSESSED A WAIVER TO FLY
N4813E AS A SINGLE PLT AIRPLANE.
Serial #: 44-35505 Construction #: 28784 Civil
Registration: N4815E Model(s): A-26C B-26C Name: None Status:
Stored Last info: 2001
History: Rock Island Oil & Refining Co, Wichita,
KS, 1960 - Registered as N4815E. - Planned conversion to Monarch 26 not completed. Tallmantz Aviation Inc, Orange
County, CA, 1963-1976. - Modified with lengthened nose for Cinerama Cameras. Albert Redick, Chino, CA, 1977 On Mark
Aviation, Knoxville, TN, 1978. Rose Diehl, Chino, CA. Sold, reported flown on drug run to South america, impounded on
return to USA. John MacGuire/War Eagles Air Museum, Santa Teresa, NM, 1990-2001.
Serial #: 44-34609 Construction #: 27888 Civil
Registration: N4819E Model(s): A-26B B-26B Name: None Status:
Stored Last info: 2002
History: Rock Island Oil & Refining Co, Wichita,
KS, 1960. - Registered as N4819E. - Planned conversion to Monarch 26 not completed. John Hamacher, San Francisco,
CA, 1963-1969. Thomas W. Hammon, Phoenix, AZ, 1970. Global Air Museum, 1972. - Stored at Litchfield Park, AZ. Don
Underwood/Donaire Inc, Phoenix, AZ, Feb. 1981-1996. Dawn R. Adrian, Phoenix, AZ, Apr. 4, 1996-2002.
Open Storage, configured as tanker, Buckeye, AZ, 1978-2002.
Serial #: 44-35217 Construction #: 28496 Civil
Registry: N4820E CF-FIM C-FFIM Model(s): A-26C B-26C
Monarch 26 ( Part Conv'n) Name: None Status:
Crashed Last info: 1984
History: Rock Island Oil & Refining Co, Wichita,
KS, 1960. - Registered as N4820E. - Planned converstion to Monarch 26 not completed. Flight Enterprises Inc, Prescott,
AZ, 1963-1972. - Flew as tanker #C29. Air Spray Ltd, Edmonton, Alberta, May 1973-1983. - Registered as CF-FIM. Air
Spray Ltd, Red Deer, Alberta, 1983-1984. - Registered as C-FFIM. - Flew as tanker #5. - Crashed near Calgary,
Alberta, after suffering wing failure, July 13, 1984.
Martin:
I recently
ran across your website and I truly appreciate your interest/love of the A26.
The reason
I am writing is that I have a bit more information on one of the early trail blazers/survivors of the A26 world, N4852V.
The pilot/man responsible for the original modification was a good friend of my father and his “boss” during World
War II. When I get a chance I will see what I can dig up and write a bit of a historical summary of what I remember
from my conversations with both my dad and his friend.
I can’t
plug all of the holes, but I can possibly share a bit of insight into the making of this unique aircraft.
I have known this airplane form pictures and
stories for about 40 years. The plane was owned and operated by Lutcher Brown, and my dad's great friend form World
War II, Walt Clark, flew it. They were responsible for the the original modifications (airfoil, cabin, etc.).
I
have some black and white photos of the plane during what I would assume was its flight test trials after the modification,
then a black and white of the plane painted. Black and white obviously did not do it justice, and I wondered for probably
40 years what the colors really looked like.
A few years ago, we discovers some color 35mm slides my father took of
the plane when he visited Walt in San Antonio.
I am starting to collect what I have and see what else I can dig up.
Walt died in 2000 at the age of 93, and my mother (91) still has his obituary. I am trying to see if I can make contact
with one of this daughters to fill in some holes and maybe dig up some more info.
A few exterior shots…..and interior from
the passenger compartment, and one of the instrument panel. Most people would think it was a bunch of antique junk by
today’s standards, but this was pretty smoking for the 60’s! Anything look familiar?
Notice the reverser
levers on the throttles. I thought they took the props off of a DC-7, but it was more likely a DC-6 since they are 3-blade
and sawed the off for clearance.
The above ten photos were kindly sent in by Kevin E. Hawley,
Kansas
The four shots above were taken at Luton in the UK
I flew in this particular aircraft when I was a
small boy living in Jesselton, in the late sixties
Serial #: 44-34768 Construction #: 28047 Civil
Registration: N4852V Model(s): A-26B Grand Central A-26 Name: None Status:
Unknown Last info: 1970
History:
USAAF: to Reconstruction Finance Corp,
Kingman AZ for disposal 10.45/46
Charles H. Babb Co, Glendale CA 6.2.46
( Following the purchase of 22 new A-26s at Kingman $2000 each, ferried to
Grand Central Air Terminal, Glendale CA for resale)
N4852V H. L. Brown/ Brown Paper Mill Co, Monroe LA 52/54(conv. to pressurised
executive config. by Grand Central Grand Central Aircraft, Glendale CA 52/53)
A-26 Jonnell Leasing Corp, Dallas TX 63/64
Coastways Associates Inc, Miami FL 65/67(mineral survey ops. Liberia &
Dakar 5.65 with tail magnetometer boom & underwing fuel tanks with titles "Mim
Aerial Survey"; based Luton 7-8.66 with titles "Hunting Geology" & "JMC Aero Associates")
Damaged. at Jesselton, Borneo (during survey) 4.67 (repaired, ferried to Tainan,
Taiwan by Air Asia crew 5.67 (survey electronics & nav gear returned to USA, airframe
stored Tainan 67/70)
Air Asia, Tainan, Taiwan 15.8.68
(all white, used as instructional airframe)
Additional history on this aircraft
Douglas A-26A TTD-001 28047 15 August 68 ex N4852V of Coastways Associates
Previous history: In
December 1964, A-26 N4852V (serial 28047) of Coastways Associates Inc. of Washington left the US for a trilateration and photo
mapping survey in Liberia on behalf of the Army Map Service; later this survey was extended to areas in Southeast Asia on
behalf of Gulf Oil Company.
In mid-April 1967, during the final phases of a survey operation,
A-26 N4852V encountered mechanical difficulties at Jesselton on Borneo to an extent that neither returning the aircraft to
the US for repairs nor completing repairs abroad was economically practical so that Coastways wanted to scrap the aircraft.
Between 17 and 20 April 67 and between 18 and 22 May 67, Air Asia sent an aircraft down to Jesselton to pick up the aircraft
and ferry it to Tainan, where it was stored until January 68. As part of the payment, Coastways decided to sell the aircraft
to Air Asia, asking permission to do so in their letter dated 23 July 68, sent to the Office of Munitions Control, US Department
of State. In that letter the status of the aircraft is described as follows: "The aircraft has been stripped of its electronic,
and most of the communications and navigation equipment, which was shipped back to the United States. The hull and engines
are currently in dead storage at the facility of Air Asia Company, Limited (AACL) at Tainan, Taiwan, and AACL has made us
an offer to purchase the remains for scrap and salvage." Air Asia bought the aircraft on 15 August 68.
Service history: current
at Tainan in 1970; white; to be seen in the Air America documentary, were
it seems to have been used for technical training at Tainan; believed to be the A-26A owned by Air America / Air Asia according
to the Inventory of 31 March 72, which is no longer mentioned on the Inventory.
Fate: probably
scrapped in 1972.
Regarding the above six shots supplied by Dan Jackson, he wrote,
I though you might be interested
in these 4 photographs that I found in my Dad's collection. He worked for Superior Oil for 38 years and was the radio
operator on this aircraft. He rode in the Plexiglas nose cone and helped raise and lower the magnetometer that Superior used
for locating ore beds. The instrument was raised and lowered from outside the bomb bay doors. My Dad is in the middle and
I am trying to find out who the other 2 people are.
Also
included are close ups of the magnetometer, and the hand crank used to raise and lower the instrument. The guys complained
enough eventually to get an electric motor to run the crank.
Dan Jackson, Calhan
Colorado.
Serial #: 44-35952 Construction #: 29231 Civil
Registration: N67166 N1S N4984N/U
Model(s): A-26B B-26B Le Tourneau
B-26 Name: None Status: Unknown Last info:
History: Ex
Virginia Air National Guard
Charles H Babb, had special radar pod installed under port wing
to detect oil deposits and later fitted with magnetometer under belly.
