World War II Pacific Douglas officially delivered the first production model A-26B aircraft to the
United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) on 10 September 1943. These were sent for field evaluation in actual combat operations, with the
Fifth Air Force in the
Southwest Pacific theater. The A-26 first saw action on 23 June 1944, when four aircraft attached to the
3rd Bombardment Group's 13th Squadron ("The Grim Reapers"), bombed
Japanese-held islands near
Manokwari. Aircrew from "The Grim Reapers", while evaluating these four A-26Bs, noted that downward views from the cockpit were significantly hindered by the nature of the design – especially the positioning of the engines – which made the A-26B unsuitable for its intended role of ground attack. In response to such evaluations, General
George Kenney, commander of the
Far East Air Forces, stated: "We do not want the A-26 under any circumstances as a replacement for anything." Nevertheless, development continued. While the 3rd BG was waiting suitably modified A-26s, it requested additional
Douglas A-20 Havocs, although both types were used in composite flights. Some USAAF units in the Pacific that operated either the A-20 or
B-25 received the A-26 for trials in limited quantities. The
319th Bomb Group was fully converted to the A-26 in March 1945, when it commenced operations with the 3rd BG. In August, after a few dozen A-26 missions, it became evident that the war was coming to an abrupt close, and operations began to wind down. The 319th officially ceased combat operations on 12 August 1945. In Italy, the
Twelfth Air Force's
47th Bomb Group also received the A-26 starting in January 1945. They were used against German transport links, and for direct support and interdiction against tanks and troop concentrations in the Po Valley in the final campaigns in Italy.
Postwar era United States With the establishment of the
United States Air Force (USAF) as an independent service in 1947, the
Strategic Air Command operated the again redesignated B-26 as an RB-26 reconnaissance aircraft in service 1949 to 1950.
U.S. Air Forces in Europe continued operating the B-26 until 1957.
Tactical Air Command operated the aircraft as both a B-26 and later designated back to A-26; the final variant was designated B-26K until 1966, then it again became the A-26A. This final version continued in service through the late 1960s with active-duty special-operations TAC units, and through 1972 with TAC-gained special-operations units of the
Air National Guard. The
U.S. Navy obtained Invaders from the USAF to use these aircraft in their utility squadrons (VU) for target towing and general utility until superseded by the DC-130A variant of the
C-130 Hercules. The Navy designation was JD-1 and JD-1D until 1962, then the JD-1 was redesignated UB-26J. The JD-1D was also used under the designation of DB-26J. The CIA also used the type for covert operations. The last A-26 in active US service was assigned to the
Air National Guard; that aircraft was retired from military service in 1972 by the USAF and the
National Guard Bureau, and donated to the
National Air and Space Museum.
Korean War B-26 Invaders of the
3rd Bombardment Group, operating from bases in southern Japan, were among the first USAF aircraft engaged in the
Korean War, carrying out missions over South Korea on 27 and 28 June, before carrying out the first USAF bombing mission on North Korea on 29 June 1950, bombing an airfield near
Pyongyang. On 10 August 1950, the
Air Force Reserve's
452d Bombardment Wing was activated for Korean service. It flew its first missions in November 1950 from Itazuke, Japan, providing daylight support, with the 3rd Bomb Wing, consisting of the 8th, 13th, and 90th Bomb Squadrons, flying night missions. Because of the Chinese intervention, they were forced to find another base, so they moved to
Miho Air Base on the west coast of Honshū. In early 1951, they moved to
Pusan East (K-9) Air Base, continuing their daylight and night-intruder missions. In June 1951, they joined the 3rd Bomb Wing (
Kunsan (K-8)) in night activity only, dividing the target areas, with the 452nd taking the eastern half and the 3rd the western. For their efforts in the Korean War, they received two unit citations and the Korean Presidential Citation. In addition to the standard attack versions of the B-26 for night interdiction missions, modified WB-26s and RB-26s of the 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing flew critical weather observation and reconnaissance missions in supporting roles.
Southeast Asia The first B-26s to arrive in Southeast Asia deployed to
Takhli RTAFB,
Thailand in December 1960. These unmarked aircraft, operated under the auspices of the U.S. CIA (
Central Intelligence Agency), were augmented by an additional 16 aircraft— 12 B-26Bs and B-26Cs plus four RB-26Cs under
Operation Millpond. Their mission was assisting the
Royal Lao Government in fighting the
Pathet Lao. The repercussions from the
Bay of Pigs invasion meant no combat missions are known flown, although RB-26Cs operated over Laos until the end of 1961. Then, the aircraft 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 modified for night reconnaissance during May–July 1962 under
Project Black Watch. These aircraft, drawn from Farm Gate stocks, were returned at the end of these missions. B-26B The aircraft from Laos participated in the early phase of the
Vietnam War with the USAF, but with Vietnamese markings as part of Project Farm Gate. Although Farm Gate operated B-26Bs, B-26Cs, and genuine RB-26Cs, many of these aircraft were operated under the designation RB-26C, although they were used in a combat capacity. During 1963, two RB-26Cs were sent to
Clark AB in the Philippines for modifications, although not with night systems similar to those modified for Black Watch. The two aircraft returned from Black Watch to Farm Gate were redesignated RB-26L to distinguish them from other modified RB-26Cs, and were assigned to
Project Sweet Sue. The B-26s were withdrawn from service in February 1964 after two accidents related to wing-spar fatigue, one during combat in Southeast Asia in August 1963 and one during a demonstration at
Eglin AFB, Florida, in February 1964. On 11 February 1964, two pilots from the
1st Air Commando Wing stationed at Florida's
Hurlburt Field died in the crash of a B-26 on Range 52 at Eglin AFB after it lost a wing during pull-out from a demonstration strafing pass. The aircraft was participating in a demonstration of the Special Air Warfare Center's counterinsurgency capabilities, and completed a strafing run demonstration before the incident. SAWC presented the demonstration on an average of twice each month for the previous two years. B-26 aircraft used by USAF Commandos in Vietnam were grounded 8 April 1964 following an investigation into the 11 February incident. B-26 aircraft in use by the South Vietnamese Air Force were also grounded in accordance with the U.S. ruling. in 1969 In response to this, the
On Mark Engineering Company of
Van Nuys, California, was selected by the USAF to extensively upgrade the Invader for its new
counterinsurgency role. The first production flight of the B-26K was on 30 May 1964 at the
Van Nuys Airport. On Mark converted 40 Invaders to the new B-26K Counter-Invader standard of upgraded engines, propellers, and brakes, remanufactured wings, and wing-tip fuel tanks for use by the
609th Special Operations Squadron. In May 1966, the B-26K was again redesignated A-26A for political reasons (Thailand did not allow U.S. bombers in-country at the time, so the Invaders were redesignated again with an "A", for
attack aircraft), and deployed in Thailand to help disrupt supplies moving along the
Ho Chi Minh trail. Two of these aircraft were modified with a forward-looking infrared (FLIR) system under project Lonesome Tiger, as a part of
Operation Shed Light.
CIA livery representing those used in the
Bay of Pigs Invasion In early 1961, about 20 B-26Bs, most converted from B-26C configuration, were "sanitized" at
Duke Field (also known as Auxiliary Field Three at Eglin AFB), Florida. They had defensive armament removed, and were fitted with the eight-gun nose, underwing drop tanks, and rocket racks. They were flown to a CIA-run base in Guatemala, where training was under way for B-26, C-46, and C-54
Cuban exile air crews by personnel from the
Alabama Air National Guard. After transfer to Nicaragua in early April 1961, they were painted in the markings of the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria (FAR), the air force of the Cuban government. On 15 April 1961, crewed by Cuban exiles, eight B-26s of the
Fuerza Aérea de Liberación (FAL) attacked three Cuban airfields to destroy FAR combat aircraft on the ground. On 17 April 1961, FAL B-26s supported the seaborne
Bay of Pigs Invasion of Cuba. The conflict ended on 19 April, after the loss of nine FAL B-26s, ten Cuban exiles, and four American aircrew in combat. The FAR flew B-26Cs in the conflict, one of which was downed by friendly fire from a CIA "command ship" with the loss of four Cuban aircrew. The
CIA contracted pilots, some employed during the Bay of Pigs Invasion, to fly B-26Ks for ground attack against
Simba rebels in the
Congo Crisis. Newly remanufactured B-26K Counter-Invaders were delivered to the Congo via Hurlburt Field in 1964. Haiphong
Cat Bi-based Douglas B-26 Invaders operated over
Dien Bien Phu in March and April 1954 during the
siege of Dien Bien Phu. In this period, a massive use of
Philippines-based USAF B-29s against the
Viet Minh heavy artillery, including the potential use of nuclear weapons, was planned by the U.S.
Joint Chiefs of Staff with the French as
Operation Vulture, but was cancelled by the governments, while at the conclusion of the battle, some of the beleaguered French troops managed to escape through the jungle to neighboring Thailand.
Indonesia The
Indonesian Air Force has expressed its interest on acquiring the B-26 Invaders in 1951, but due to the Korean War the United States was not able to provide the aircraft. By the time the Korean War ended, Indonesia faced economic trouble and cancelled the acquisition. Concerned about Indonesian President
Sukarno's communist leanings, the CIA started
Operation Haik in 1958 to support
Permesta rebels. The
covert operation committed at least a dozen B-26 Invaders in support of rebel forces. On 18 May 1958, American contract pilot
Allen Pope's blacked-out B-26 was initially hit by naval anti-aircraft fire and then brought down by a
North American P-51 Mustang flown by Capt. (the only known air-to-air shoot-down in the history of the Indonesian Air Force, as of 2025). The capture and trial of Pope brought a quick end to Operation Haik, but the capabilities of the Invader were not lost on the Indonesian government. In 1959, the government originally wanted to obtain eight aircraft, but due to insufficient funds, only six were bought. The six aircraft were obtained from a surplus USAF aircraft auction at
Davis-Monthan AFB. The Invaders were refurbished by a stateside civilian company and were ferried to Indonesia by Skyways Aircraft Servicing, Ltd in full Indonesian military markings, with all aircraft delivered in mid-1960. These aircraft went on to a fairly long follow-up careers. The B-26s participated in the military operations against the Dutch in the
West New Guinea dispute (1962) and Commonwealth forces in the
Borneo confrontation (1963–1966). The last combat flights of two final survivors were in 1975–1977 during the
Indonesian invasion of East Timor, providing support for the capture of Bobonaro, Maubisse, Baucau, Viqueque, Lospalos, and also counter-insurgency missions. In December 1977, the last aircraft was retired and flown to Yogyakarta for preservation at the
Air Force Central Museum.
Portugal The
Portuguese Air Force purchased Invaders covertly for use in
Portuguese Angola in 1965, during the
Portuguese Colonial War.
Democratic Republic of the Congo B-26s were used in support of the
Dragon operations to liberate Western hostages held by Simba terrorists during the Congo Crisis.
Biafra Biafra used two provisionally armed ("provo") B-26s in combat during the
Nigerian Civil War in 1967, flown, among others, by
Jan Zumbach. ==Variants==