Only the B-52 Stratofortress has had a longer career as a bomber with USAF than the Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader. Introduced in 1944 as an attack bomber to replace the Douglas A-20 Havoc, the first A-26s went into action in June 1944-September 1944. ⠀ ⠀ Redesignated B-26 after the war, the Invaders were one of the first aircraft in action over Korea and carried out the first bomber mission against targets in North Korea in June 1950. Invaders also flew the last combat mission of the Korean War, dropping bombs just minutes before the Armistice went into effect. ⠀ ⠀ The Invaders were back in action again in 1960, this time in Southeast Asia. Structural fatigue issues led On-Mark Engineering to rebuild 40 Invaders to the Counter-Invader standard to fly special operations missions in Vietnam. The aircraft were redesignated back to A-26 in acknowledgement of Thai political sensitivities. The Counter-Invaders flew interdiction missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The last Invaders were retired from the USAF in 1972 which were the last examples serving with the Air National Guard special operations units. That’s nearly 30 years of service with the USAF. Not bad for a WW2-era bomber! ⠀ ⠀ The B-52 didn’t break the Invader’s service record until 1983.⠀ ⠀ Of the forty A-26 Counter-Invaders rebuilt for service in Vietnam, six survive. Five are in museums. "Special Kay" here is the only one flying, restored by a warbird group at Fort Worth Meacham Field. "Special Kay" is the last of the forty Invaders that were rebuilt and upgraded by On Mark Engineering. They did an impressive job with the restoration and it's a fitting flying memorial to the secret missions flown by the Air Commando Squadrons over Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail.⠀ ⠀ November Aviation Photo Challenge | @kjdphoto1971 | #1119planes | “Bomber" | Day 12⠀ ⠀ #avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KRBD #RBD #Dallas #airport #texas #igtexas #Douglas #B26 #A26 #Invader #CounterInvader #SpecialKay #CommemorativeAirForce #USAF #WW2 #mil_aviation_originals #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvgeekNation #WingsOverDallas2018 #WoD2018 #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge (at Dallas Executive Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4x9IjsBU7g/?igshid=13rkf6m2qa314
