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Forgotten Aircraft: The Douglas B-26K Counter Invader
militarymatters.online
In the mid-1950s, B-26-equipped USAF wings began to be re-equipped with jet-powered Martin B-57 and Douglas B-66 aircraft, and the Invaders were removed from front-line service. However, during the 1960s the 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB in Florida continued to use B-26s in order to develop counter-insurgency techniques and tactics. In addition, some B-26s were operating clandestinely in South Vietnam, supposedly serving with the South Vietnamese air force, but actually flown by American aircrews.
Unfortunately, these B-26s began to suffer frequent wing failures, forcing them out of service. Those that remained were provided with a strengthening wing strap along the bottom of the wing spars to prolong service life. The success of these modifications led the USAF to order a remanufactured version of the Invader from the On Mark Engineering Company of Van Nuys, California that would be specifically adapted to the counterinsurgency role. The On Mark company had not previously built any military aircraft, but they had been extensively involved in conversions of Invaders for civilian use. The designation B-26K was applied and the name Counter Invader was chosen.
claybornglobal.com
In addition to being strengthened, the wings received additional wingtip fuel tanks and eight new pylons for underwing stores added. Some of the aircraft converted originally had six .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns fitted in the outer wings, as was a feature in some late production A-26s, but these were all removed.
Instead, a new standard fixed armament of eight Brownings in a solid nose mounting was fitted. Interestingly, though the solid gun-nose was the standard, the B-26K had the ability to change to a glazed nose in a few hours, a feature intended to improve the type’s reconnaissance capabilities.
The B-26K retained the internal bomb bay of the type, with a capacity for carrying 4,000lbs (1,814kg) of ordnance, but added another 8,000lb (3,628kg) on its wing pylons, meaning the B-26K effectively doubled the capacity of the B-26 from 6,000lb (2,721kg) in the original models to 12,000lb (5,443kg) in the Counter Invader.
The B-26K Counter Invader; Teaching an Old Dog New Tricks - Forgotten Aircraft - Military Matters
The B-26 was the CIA's aircraft of choice for covert ops in the 19050s and '60s. But as they got old, they got a major update.
militarymatters.online
In the mid-1950s, B-26-equipped USAF wings began to be re-equipped with jet-powered Martin B-57 and Douglas B-66 aircraft, and the Invaders were removed from front-line service. However, during the 1960s the 1st Air Commando Wing at Eglin AFB in Florida continued to use B-26s in order to develop counter-insurgency techniques and tactics. In addition, some B-26s were operating clandestinely in South Vietnam, supposedly serving with the South Vietnamese air force, but actually flown by American aircrews.
Unfortunately, these B-26s began to suffer frequent wing failures, forcing them out of service. Those that remained were provided with a strengthening wing strap along the bottom of the wing spars to prolong service life. The success of these modifications led the USAF to order a remanufactured version of the Invader from the On Mark Engineering Company of Van Nuys, California that would be specifically adapted to the counterinsurgency role. The On Mark company had not previously built any military aircraft, but they had been extensively involved in conversions of Invaders for civilian use. The designation B-26K was applied and the name Counter Invader was chosen.
B-26K - Invader Historical Foundation
In addition to being strengthened, the wings received additional wingtip fuel tanks and eight new pylons for underwing stores added. Some of the aircraft converted originally had six .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns fitted in the outer wings, as was a feature in some late production A-26s, but these were all removed.
Instead, a new standard fixed armament of eight Brownings in a solid nose mounting was fitted. Interestingly, though the solid gun-nose was the standard, the B-26K had the ability to change to a glazed nose in a few hours, a feature intended to improve the type’s reconnaissance capabilities.
The B-26K retained the internal bomb bay of the type, with a capacity for carrying 4,000lbs (1,814kg) of ordnance, but added another 8,000lb (3,628kg) on its wing pylons, meaning the B-26K effectively doubled the capacity of the B-26 from 6,000lb (2,721kg) in the original models to 12,000lb (5,443kg) in the Counter Invader.
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