The Douglas B-26 Invader was a three-seat, twin-engine light bomber used by the US Air Force during the Korean War. Development of the A-26, as it was initially designated, began in 1940. Three prototypes were ordered and, after extensive testing, the design was finalized and production began. The first A-26 Invaders were delivered to the USAAF in April 1944, and it began operations in Europe in November 1944. A-26s also served during the invasion of Okinawa. After World War Two all aircraft with “A” (attack) designations were changed to “B” (bomber) designations, and the A-26 became the B-26. Fortunately, the B-26 Marauder had already been retired, or there would have been enormous confusion.
The B-26 Invader could carry up to 4,000 lbs. of internal ordnance and 2,000 lbs. of external ordnance. It was armed with ten 0.50-inch machine-guns – six in the nose, two dorsal, and two ventral. It had two 2,000-hp engines giving it a maximum speed of 355 mph, which made it the fastest US bomber of World War Two. A total of 2,450 were built.
When the Korean War began Far East Air Forces had 26 operational B-26s that equipped the two squadrons of the 3rd Bombardment Group. They were quickly reinforced, and by November 1950 there were two groups of B-26s, each with three squadrons, operating with the US Fifth Air Force. B-26s flew 55,000 sorties during the Korean War, including both the first and the last US bombing missions of the war.
WB-26s were used for weather reconnaissance, and RB-26s were used for night-time photo-reconnaissance. The last US air mission of the Korean War was flown by an RB-26 just a few minutes before the ceasefire.
The B-26 continued in US service through the Vietnam War and was retired in the 1970s
