×
Aircraft / Aviation Vehicles & Artillery Small Arms Warships & Submarines Military Ranks Military Pay Scale (2024) Special Forces

Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)


Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft


United States | 1966



"The Douglas B-26K Counter Invader was born from the World War 2-era B-26 Invader, highly modified for the counter-insurgency role in Southeast Asia during the 1960s."

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one aircraft design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft.
2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-52W water-injected radial piston engines developing 2,500 horsepower.
Propulsion
322 mph
519 kph | 280 kts
Max Speed
30,000 ft
9,144 m | 6 miles
Service Ceiling
2,700 miles
4,345 km | 2,346 nm
Operational Range
Structure
The nose-to-tail, wingtip-to-wingtip physical qualities of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft.
3
(MANNED)
Crew
51.7 ft
15.76 m
O/A Length
71.5 ft
(21.80 m)
O/A Width
19.0 ft
(5.79 m)
O/A Height
38,312 lb
(17,378 kg)
MTOW
Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B) Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft .
STANDARD:
8 x 0.50 caliber fixed, forward-firing heavy machine guns in nose.

OPTIONAL:
8 x External Hardpoints capable of up to 8,000lb of mixed ordnance (to include gun pods, cannon pods, bombs, rocket pods). An additional 4,000lb carried in an internal bomb bay.
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B) family line.
B-26K "Counter Invader" - Original Designation; Tactical Strike Aircraft Model fitted with 8 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose assembly; turrets removed; provisions for external wing hardpoints (8x); reconfigured cockpit.
VB-26B - US National Guard Model Designation
A-26B "Counter Invader" - Vietnam Theater Designation.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/29/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The B-26K/A-26B "Counter Invader" was based on a highly-modified airframe of the World War 2-era Douglas A-26 "Invader" twin-engined attack aircraft. By 1948, the A-26 had been redesignated as the "B-26" and the B-26K was developed for counter-insurgency work in Southeast Asia. On Mark Engineering converted forty B-26B/TB-26B airframes, along with a pair of B.26C and a single JB-26C - for the role and changes included 2 x R-2800-103W radial engines of 2,500 horsepower, dual-control schemes in the cockpit, wingtip fuel tanks, and modernized avionics. The ordnance load was increased from the wartime model and all turreted armament removed in favor of fixed, forward-firing weapons. Different engine cowls were also added as were cropped propeller units.

The original designation for this aircraft was known in the United States inventory as "B-26B" but became "A-26K" when the units were stationed overseas in countries such as Thailand for local authorities refused to allow "bombers" on home soil during the war in Southeast Asia - hence the designation changes in the Counter Invader's short history. As such, it is often referred rather interchangeably as the "B-26K" or "A-26B" ("B" meaning "Bomber" and "A" meaning "Attack").

Externally, the Counter Invader retained much of the form of its World War 2 counterpart. The aircraft utilized shoulder-mounted monoplane wings which were reinforced for its new mission role and showcased dihedral. The engine nacelles were fitted to the leading wing edges in the typical way with each powerplant driving three-bladed (reversible) propellers. The undercarriage was of a conventional tricycle arrangement with two main members and a noseleg for ground-running. The stepped cockpit was positioned just aft of the nose assembly with the nose housing the aircraft's primary armament. The fuselage incorporated rounded edges and was slab-sided, tapering off to form the empennage. The all-new tail unit relied on a single (clipped) vertical fin and low-set horizontal planes (also displaying dihredral).

The forward, fixed armament consisted of 8 x 0.50 caliber heavy machine guns stacked as two columns of four guns each. Up to 8,000lb of mixed ordnance (rocket pods, conventional drop bombs, gun pods, cannon pods) could be carried externally at multiple underwing hardpoints (four to a wing). Internally, an additional 4,000lb of drop stores could be hauled giving the B-26K quite the potent punch.

As modified, the aircraft could reach speeds of 323 miles per hour out to a range of 2,700 miles and up to a ceiling of 30,000 feet. Dimensions included a wingspan of 71.5 feet, a length of 51.6 feet, and a height of 19 feet. Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) became 38,314lb.

While the original Douglas A-26 Invaders saw combat actions throughout World War 2 (1939-1945) and the upcoming Korean War (1950-1953) (as the B-26), the revised B-26K "Counter Invader" would be sent to Southeast Asia in 1966.

The series was actually retired from frontline service in 1958 but brought back online in 1961 when the USAF saw a need for tactical bombers over the region. Wear-and-tear eventually forced their removal once more in 1964 but as soon as 1966, the revitalized series returned to service in their new Counter Invader guises. These aircraft would serve in the region up until 1969 by which time they were finally removed from frontline service - again simply due to the stress and rigors of war placed on the decades-old airframes.

Counter Invader pilots were known as "Nimrods".

Content ©MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national aircraft listing.

Total Production: 40 Units

Contractor(s): Douglas Aircraft Company - USA
National flag of the United States

[ United States (retired) ]
1 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
2 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
3 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
4 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
5 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
6 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
7 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
8 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
9 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.
10 / 10
Image of the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B)
Image copyright www.MilitaryFactory.com; No Reproduction Permitted.

Similar
Developments of similar form-and-function, or related, to the Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B) Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft Specifications and Pictures.
Going Further...
The Douglas B-26K Counter Invader (A-26B) Tactical Support / Ground Attack Aircraft appears in the following collections:
HOME
AVIATION INDEX
AIRCRAFT BY COUNTRY
AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS
COMPARE AIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT BY CONFLICT
AIRCRAFT BY TYPE
AIRCRAFT BY DECADE
COLD WAR AIRCRAFT
VIETNAM WAR AIRCRAFT
Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Cookies

2024 Military Pay Scale Military Ranks of the World U.S. Department of Defense Dictionary Conversion Calculators Military Alphabet Code Military Map Symbols Breakdown U.S. 5-Star Generals List WWII Weapons by Country World War Next

The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org (World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft), WDMMW.org (World Directory of Modern Military Warships), SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane, and MilitaryRibbons.info, cataloguing military medals and ribbons. Special Interest: RailRoad Junction, the locomotive encyclopedia.


©2024 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Content ©2003-2024 (21yrs)