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Home > Fact Sheets > Douglas B-26C in Air National Guard Service
DOUGLAS B-26C IN AIR NATIONAL GUARD SERVICE
Posted 12/31/2008
Printable Fact Sheet
After World War II ended, the Army Air Forces planned to reequip most light and medium bomber units flying the A-20, B-25 and Martin B-26 with the Douglas A-26, the best light attack bomber available at the time. As the demobilization continued in the years following the war, National Guard units began to get the A-26 also. In 1948, the newly formed U.S. Air Force decided to drop the attack designation and re-designated the A-26 as the B-26. The Martin B-26 "Marauder" was out of service by this time, so there was no confusion between the two types. By early 1950, the USAF was phasing out the B-26 with the introduction of jet fighter bombers and jet medium bombers. Plans to transfer more B-26s to the National Guard were put on hold with the outbreak of the Korean War. The USAF needed an attack bomber aircraft for night interdiction and the B-26 was used to fill the role. The USAF built up B-26 units during the Korean War, but almost immediately afterwards, began to equip units with jet aircraft. The B-26s were transferred back to National Guard units where the aircraft remained in first line service into the late 1950s. As the aircraft were replaced with more modern types, the B-26s assumed liaison and fast transport duties. The last staff transport conversion of a B-26 was withdrawn from service in the early 1970s.
The museum has an A-26C on display in its Modern Flight Gallery.
| Type |
Number built/
converted |
Remarks |
| A-26C* |
1091 |
Light attack bomber |
* The A-26C was re-designated B-26C in 1948 after the USAF dropped the attack designation
TECHNICAL NOTES:
Armament: Highly variable -- A-26C had two forward-firing .50-cal. machine guns and two turrets with two .50-cal. machine guns each, also carried bombs internally (4,000 lbs. maximum) and under wings (2,000 lbs. maximum)
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800s of 2,000 hp each
Maximum speed: 373 mph
Cruising speed: 284 mph
Range: 1,400 miles
Service ceiling: 28,000 ft.
Span: 70 ft.
Length: 51 ft. 3 in.
Height: 18 ft. 3 in.
Weight: 35,000 lbs. loaded
Crew: Three (pilot, bombardier/navigator and gunner)
Serial numbers: 41-39152; 41-39193; 41-39195; 41-39199; 41-39200; 43-22304; 43-22308 to 43-22312; 43-22346 to 43-22349; 43-22467 to 43-22493; 43-22494 to 43-22564; 43-22565 to 43-22751; 44-35198 to 44-35357; 44-35996
Click here to return to the Attack Aircraft index.
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