Operational units

Douglas A/B-26 Invader

Operational units ( USAF )

Douglas A/B-26 Units during WWII

Invaders first saw action with the Fifth Air Force in the Southwest Pacific theater on 23 June 1944, when they bombed Japanese-held islands near Manokwari.

Sixty seven aircraft were lost in European operations and seven enemy planes were shot down by the A-26 Invaders.

^{Eighteen A-26s were received
by the 553rd Bomb Squadron in Great Dunmow, England.}

^{The first mission of the
A-26s was on November 9, 1944, with the 9th Air Froce.}

^{11,567 missions were flown
and 18,054 tons / 18,344 tonnes bombs dropped.}

^{One aircraft was
credited with a probable kill of a Me 262 jet fighter as it was trying to land.}

Associated reading

Ninth Air Force - European Theatre

Twelfth Air force - Mediterranean Theatre

47th Bomb group - Light

Fifth Air force - Far East Theatre

Seventh Air force - Pacific Theatre

Tenth Air force - China/Burma Theatre

12th Bomb group - Medium

341st Bomb group - Medium

The USAF Strategic Air Command had the B-26 (RB-26) in service from 1949 through 1950, the Tactical Air Command through the late 1960s, and the last examples in service with the Air National Guard through 1972. The US Navy also used a small number of these aircraft in their utility squadrons for target towing and general utility use until superseded by the DC-130A variant of the C-130 Hercules .

The Navy designation was JD-1 and JD-1D until 1962, when the JD-1 was redesignated UB-26J and the JD-1D was redesignated DB-26J.

345th Bomb group - Light

461st Bomb group - Light

10th Tact Recon group

B-26 Invaders carried out the first USAF bombing mission of the Korean War on 29 June 1950 when they bombed an airfield outside of Pyongyang. B-26s were credited with the destruction of 38,500 vehicles, 406 locomotives, 3,700 railway trucks, and seven enemy aircraft on the ground. On 14 September 1951, Captain John S. Walmsley Jr attacked a supply train. When his guns jammed he illuminated the target with his searchlight to enable his wingmen to destroy the train. Walmsley was shot down and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. Invaders carried out the last USAF bombing mission of the war 24 minutes before the cease fire was signed on 27 June 1953.

Units in South East Asia

The first B-26s to arrive in Southeast Asia were deployed to Takhli RTAFB, Thailand in December 1960. These unmarked aircraft, operated under the auspices of the U.S. CIA (Central Intelligence Agency), were soon augmented by an additional 16 aircraft, 12 B-26Bs and B-26Cs plus 4 RB-26Cs under Operation Mill Pond. The mission of all of these aircraft was to assist the Royal Lao Government in fighting the Pathet Lao. The repercussions from the Bay of Pigs invasion meant that no combat missions are known to have been flown, though RB-26Cs operated over Laos until the end of 1961. The aircraft were subsequently operated in South Vietnam under Project Farm Gate. The only other deployment of B-26 aircraft to Laos prior to the introduction of the B-26K/A-26A, was the deployment of two RB-26C aircraft, specifically modified for night reconnaissance, deployed to Laos between May and July 1962 under Project Black Watch. These aircraft, initially drawn from Farm Gate stocks, were returned upon the end of these missions.

4400th Combat Crew Training squadron

Air National Guard units (ANG)

102nd Bomb Squadron

103rd Bomb squadron

106th Tact Recon Squadron

108th Bomb Squadron

110th Tactical Bombardment Squadron

112th Bomb Squadron

114th Bomb Squadron

115th Bomb Squadron

117th Bomb Squadron

122nd Bomb Squadron

131st Fighter Wing

135th Bomb Squadron

168th Bomb Squadron

180th Bomb Squadron

183rd Tact Recon Squadron

184th Tact Recon Squadron

With the end of the Second World War, America rapidly decreased its military and tens of thousands of pilots and aircrew suddenly found themselves without a job. For most, this was fine since they wanted to return home and pursue a family, education, and a job (for example, the AAF went from 2,253,000 personnel to 889,000 and in one year the number of aircraft went from 63,745 to 34,195). However, some still wanted to fly and many turned to the Air National Guard. Before the war, the National Guard aviation units were mainly equipped with a variety of rather primitive biplanes operating in the observation role. After the war, there was a wide variety of warplanes available to equip ANG units - among the selection was the Invader.

The mission of the newly revitalized ANG was: "To provide a reserve component of the Army and Army Air Forces capable of expansion to immediate war strength, able to furnish land and air units fit for service anywhere in the world, training and equipped to: a) defend critical areas of the US against land, seaborne or airborne forces; b) assist in covering the mobilization and concentration of the remainder of the reserve forces; and c) participate, by unit, in all types of operations, including offensive, either in the US or overseas."

The combat element was organized into twelve wings which were then divided into 20 fighter groups totaling 62 squadrons, two light bombardment groups comprising four squadrons, and five composite groups with twelve fighter squadrons and six bombardment squadrons.

In an interesting break-down, each fighter squadron was equipped with 25 mission aircraft and Mustangs would be assigned to units in the west and midwest while Thunderbolts would go to states in the east and south. Each squadron would also receive four Invaders modified as target tugs along with two T-6 trainers, one C-47, and two L-5s. The ten light bomb squadrons each received 20 B-26B/Cs, a C-47 or C-46, two T-6s or AT-11s so these were all very WWII style units.

By the end of 1947, 1965 aircraft had been delivered to the various units but there were delays and in mid-1948, when the number of federally mandated squadrons had grown to 73, the units had only a bit above 75 percent of their mandated aircraft. In some ways, these squadrons were almost like a flying country club and a pilot could often show up at the field, check out an air, craft and go flying. However, these units also had regular military exercises that kept up proficiency and in gunnery and bombing contests they would often score better than full-time USAF units.

The Invaders practiced formation bombing as well as lowlevel intrusion and strafing. Parts were no problem and many of the maintenance personnel were WWII veterans so readiness was quite high and the planes were often much better maintained than their USAF counterparts.

It must be remembered that jets were starting to appear in considerable numbers and older models that the regular USAF did not want began being transferred to the ANG starting in 1948. By mid-1949, the ANG was organized into twelve wings, 27 groups, and 84 squadrons with five squadrons of F-80s, 41 squadrons of Mustangs, 26 squadrons of Thunderbolts, and twelve squadrons of Invaders for a stunning total of 2159 piston-powered aircraft and 104 jets.

With the surprise invasion of South Korea on 25 June 1960, and the regular military's complete lack of readiness, the ANG was mobilized into federal active duty just five days later and was able to field 1489 piston fighters, 317 Invaders, 306 trainers, 170 transport aircraft, and 373 jet fighters. With the war, many units sped up their transition to jet fighters but, conversely, at least one unit had their jets taken away and transition back to Mustangs.

By October 1950, 15 squadrons were inducted into active service and a total of 67 ANG squadrons was called up to perform 21 months of active duty with 51 of these units serving in the US with another three going to South Korea, three to Japan (for attacks on Korea), six to Europe, and four to Britain.

The units performed very effectively and the experience of pilots and crews proved to be a major factor in the destruction of vast amounts of enemy personnel and equipment. It must be remembered that the regular USAF at the start of the Korean War had been cut back to just 48 combat wings so the influx of the 22 ANG wings was a major boost.

After the end of the Korean War, it was obvious that the WWII aircraft would have to be replaced. Jets were added to many of the fighter units. At the same time, some of the ANG units such as the 183rd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Hawkins Field in Mississippi received RB-- 26Cs for their assigned mission. By 30 June 1955, the ANG Invader force was down to 105 R/B-26 aircraft but by 1958 most Invader units had reequipped with aircraft like the Martin B-57 Canberra. Sent to storage, many of these aircraft would soon have another life as civilian aircraft.

One unit did retain the Invader for a much longer time - the Air National Guard Bureau. Some Invaders were retained and converted to highly polished VIP (Veeps) transports for highranking officers and officials. The rear fuselage was fitted out with sound-proofing, seats, and other amenities. In this guise, the VB-26B soldiered on until 1972 when the last example was retired and donated to the National Air and Space Museum.

United States Navy - JD-1 Invader

Navy JD-1 Invaders

In 1945, the US Navy acquired one USAAF A-26B and one A-26C for testing. They were assigned the designation XJD-1 and were given the Bureau of Aeronautics numbers of 57990 (ex A-26B-45-DL 44-34217) and 57991 (ex A-26C-40-DT 44-35467).

Subsequently, in the immediate postwar years the Navy acquired 150 surplus A-26s for use by land-based utility squadrons as target tugs. Some of the early deliveries were from a batch of Invaders that had been ordered by the Royal Air Force but never delivered, but most of the planes were ex-USAAF Invaders from postwar stocks that were now deemed to be surplus to requirements.

The JD-1s were operated well into the 1960s by seven US Navy utility squadrons (VU-1, VU-2, VU-3, VU-4, VU-5, VU-7, and VU-10) as target tugs, drone directors, and general utility aircraft. Those that were modified as drone directors were redesignated JD-1D. As a teenager back in the 1950s, I remember seeing them operate from the NAS Chincoteague, Virginia on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

In 1962, the surviving JD-1s were redesignated UB-26J in accordance with the new Tri-Service designation system. The JD-1D drone directors became DB-26J.


				Douglas A/B-26 Invader Operational units ( USAF )



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