Douglas A-26 Invader

what is it?

The Douglas A-26 Invader (designated B-26 between 1948 and 1965) is an American twin-engined light bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Built by Douglas Aircraft Company during World War II, the Invader also saw service during the Korean and Vietnam wars. A limited number of highly modified United States Air Force aircraft served in Southeast Asia until 1969.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · 21.3 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 578 km/htop speed
• size 15.9 tmax take-off weight
• built 2,503made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 84 years ago, in 1942.
• 🏎️Top speed is 4.4× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 21.3 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 3 African elephants (~6 t each).

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1942-07-10

introduced

1944

retired

1980

status

retired

number built

2,503

role

ground attack, light bomber

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Douglas

engines

2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27, -71, or -79 Double Wasp

crew

3

length

15.2 m

wingspan

21.3 m

height

5.6 m

max take-off weight

15.9 t

top speed

578 km/h

cruise speed

428 km/h

range

—

ceiling

8,687 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.