Douglas A-26 Invader: Military History and Specifications

direct link to video

I have great respect for an airplane that has such a long history. The Douglas A-26 Invader saw service in the last year or so of World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam. She saw a couple changes in her designation. As I understand it, she started out as the Douglas A-26 Invader in World War II, where the "A" stands for "attack. In 1948 the B-26 Marauder was deactivated, and the Douglas A-26 Invader was redesigned the B-26. She kept that designation until sometime around 1962 when she was again redesignated as the A-26.

For more about the military history with specifications of the A-26 check out the MilitaryFactory's page on the Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader. If you are interested of her WW II history, you might want to check out World-War-2-Planes page on the Douglas A-26 Invader. The Warbirds Registry maintains a listing of Douglas A-26 Aircraft by named aircraft and by serial numbers on this webpage with links for more information. Finally, wikipedia's article on the Douglas A-26 Invader may be found here.

Douglas A-26 Invader -- Introduction

I am not quite sure when I was first introduced to the Douglas A-26 Invader, so to speak. It may have been through reading Linc Alexander's Firebombers into Hell, or perhaps through a couple of books about tankers that I have. Or it could have been through watching the movie Always, where Richard Dreyfuss' character (Pete Sandiich) flys an A-26 tanker. After meeting a retired tanker pilot friend who used to fly an A-26 tanker (among others he flew) for Conair, I began to get this magnificent airplane a little better. So, I am writing a series of articles on the Douglas A-26 Invader. 

My timeline for posting these articles follows. I am still working on articles in this series, which will include embedded videos as I write this. So, I will be adding to the outline of articles in this series over the next couple of weeks.

Feb. 27: military history and specs

March 1: flying the A-26

March 4: restoring an A-26

March 6: A-26 in flight

March 8: intro to the A-26 as a tanker

What is coming up -- About the Douglas A-26 Invader

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direct link to video. I think that you are seeing the A-26 serial # 41-39359 in this video. If I am correct in my identification you can get more information about her on this warbirds registry page.

These videos are a sneak peak about the next historical airtanker that I will be writing about, the Douglas A-26 Invader. I'll be starting writing about this airplane starting this Monday (February 25) and continuing through to about March 6 or 8.  I'll be back on Feb. 25 with an introduction to these articles on the A-26 along with a tentative outline. Stay tuned

News about tankers in 2013

I don't know about you, but I've been waiting for word on the status of the contracts for the P-2V tankers, the DC-10 tankers, and the next generation tankers. As I understand the existing contracts, e.g. for the P-2V tankers and the DC-10 tankers, expired at the end of 2012.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today reported in an Feb. 20 article:

Since the U.S. Forest Service has not awarded any new contracts for next-generation, legacy, or very large air tankers and all existing contracts expired December 31, 2012, this left none available as the wildland fire season began in the southwest United States.

In order to mitigate this self-inflicted crisis, the USFS just extended Neptune’s 2012 expired contract through March 5 and Minden’s contract through April 22, according to information from Jennifer Jones of the agency’s office in Boise. The contract for the DC-10 has also been extended (Bill's complete Feb. 20 article may be found here.)  

Michael Archer of Firebombers Publications included a link to an article from the Almogordo News reporting that Neptune Aviation are in the process of conducting training and proficiency flights in and near Almamogordo NM starting on Feb. 20 through Feb. 22.

I'll continue to be on the watch for more news of the availability of the P2-V, DC-10 and the next generation tankers and will post updates of any related news that I run across.

SEATs: view from cockpit

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I was spending some time yesterday going through videos of airtankers in action when I came across this video. As I have been in holiday mode the last couple of days, I thought this would might be a good time to share this video with you. Enjoy!

Power of Nature: Wildfires

In 1997 Discovery Channel broadcast a series known as Raging Planet focusing on the power of nature. Season two was broadcast in 2008, see this Wikipedia stub on Raging Planet. The Discovery Channel has a webpage where you may access video clips from different episodes. You may purchase the Raging Planet DVD from the Discovery Store. 

I'd like to thank a friend for point to some clips from the Raging Planet episode focusing on fires. I thought that some of you might be interested in these clips, so I am sharing them here. These clips have certainly wetted my appetite to see the full episode as well as other episodes from Raging Planet.

Clip 1: Three Types of Fires

direct link to Three Types of Fires

Clip 2: Air Support

direct link to Air Support

Clip 3: Ground Forces

direct link to Ground Forces

Clip 4: How a fire storm forms

direct link to How a Fire Storm Forms

Senator Mark Udall meets with Fire Chiefs

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I found this video report from CBS in Denver Colorado interesting and I hope you do as well. 

Avialsa Air Tractor's: 802 and Fireboss

direct link to video on youtube, one of a series of airtanker videos recently made available on the new Associated Aerial Firefighters youtube channel

This is a video of an Avialsa AT-802 and a Fire Boss. Avialsa Air Tractor's fly fires. I don't know about you, but I love watching Air Tractors. Air Tractors hold a special place in my heart because I have met the AT-802's little brother, the AT-602 up close and personal thanks to my friends at Downstown Aero. I could spend all day watch Air Tractors fly. I would love to see a Fire Boss up close and personal, never have. Perhaps one day.

Iron 44 Crash - Sikorsky S-61N (August 5, 2008)

direct link to video

On August 5, 2008 a Carson Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N then under contract with the U.S. Forest Service crashed on take-off, nine of thirteen on board were killed. The accident helicopter was working a fire near the Iron Complex in a remote area of the Trinity Alps Wilderness Area of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest northwest of Redding CA. She had already made two trips transporting wildland firefighting crews to safe locations. At about 7:30 PM, the S-61N helo had picked up a third load of firefighters and was on her  initial takeoff climb after departure when the main rotor assembly lost power and crashed. 

The nine who died that day are:

Jim Ramage, 64, from Redding, CA -- USFS Inspector Pilot, Shasta Trinity National Forest

Roark Schwanenberg, 54, from Lostine, Oregon -- Pilot, Carson Helicopters

From Grayback Forestry (7 employees)

Shawn Blazer, 30, from Medford, Oregon

Scott Charlson, 25, from Phoenix, Oregon

Edrik Gomez, 19, from Ashland, Oregon

Matt Hammer, 23, from Grants Pass, Oregon

Steven Caleb Renno, 21, from Cave Junction, Oregon

Bryan Rich, 29, from Medford, Oregon

David Steele, 19, from Ashland, Oregon

After the crash the USFS cancelled its contract with Carson Helicopters. 

In the latest of a series of legal actions resulting from the Iron 44 crash, two former employees of Carson Helicopters were indicted on Feb. 4, 2013 of criminal charges stemming from an alleged conspiracy to defraud the US Forest Service. These charges carry up to 20 years in prison. According to a Feb. 4 article from Oregon Live (Feb. 4th Oregon Live article) the men are accused of

"falsifying the weight and takeoff power of the helicopter that crash and other helicopters that were a part of a 'call-when-needed' contract worth up to $20 million to Carson Helicopters."

According to the indictment, these falsified weight and takeoff power charts were then included in the charts used by flight crews and pilots in aerial firefighting missions. The Feb. 4th Oregon Live article includes a brief synopsis of prior legal actions stemming from the Iron 44 crash. You might also want to check out a report from KVAL (with photos and a video clip) on the indictment along with a brief review of the crash and prior legal actions.

Other sources of information

Always Remember on Iron 44 Sikorsky S-61N crash that including but not limited to links to the NTSB reports and dockets, memorials of those who died in the crash, maps of the crash scene, and links to some media coverage.

Oregon Live articles on the Iron 44 crash.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today has covered the Iron 44 crash and recently wrote about the indictment of the former Carson employees here.

New Associated Aerial Firefighters website

The Associated Aerial Firefighters (AAF) has recently redesigned their website. You might want to check it out. They have a nice set of news articles available on the entry page of their site. I am especially interested in their nice set of links featuring aerial firefighting, some of which are still being developed, including a page on fixed wing specifications and rotor specifications,  fire chemicals, history (including a piece by my friend Tom Janney) and terminology.

I noted with interest an article on the AAF site with information about the new AAFAirtankerVideos channel on youtube , go here to see the brief news article from the AAF announcing their new youtube channel.

There is more to the AAF site than I have discussed here. I am proud to be a member of the AAF.

Pine Island Cranberry Bog (NJ) in the winter

Some of you know that I spent a day last October with my friends from Downstown Aero in Chatsworth NJ watching them load their AgCats and the AT-602 for aerial applications on some near by cranberry bogs. I watched them make a couple of aerial application runs and then visited two bogs, Pine Island Cranberry and Lee Brothers. 

Oct 26 - aerial applications on cranberry bogs - AgCats

Oct. 29 - aerial applications on cranberry bogs - AgCat

Oct. 31 - Pine Island Cranberry 1 of 2

Nov 2 - Pine Island Cranberry 2 of 2

I had hoped to be able to get back to the Chatsworth in late October to watch Downstown make their final aerial applications of the season on the bogs. Unfortunately, my power outage couplesd with a gasoline shortage as a result of SS Sandy conspired against this. I found myself thinking about the cranberry bogs recently. Fortunately, Pine Island Cranberry maintains a wonderful blog called the Pine Island Scoop. I had been wondering what they do after the harvest is over in November, their blog provided an answer. Most blog entries are accompanied by pictures so you really do get an up close and personal point of view in reading their blog.

Three of the many things that Pine Island does in the winter jumped out at me. First comes fall planting using rooted cuttings for the first time. During the winter "dormancy period", the cranberry buds mature. A severe winter can hurt and even kill the cranberry vines. In order to protect their cranberry crop, growers flood the bogs during the winters. The Pine Island blogger writes about the winter flooding of the bogs. After the bogs are flooded for the winter, one-fifth of the bogs are sanded. Sanding is important for cranberry yield and growth. Of course, winter is a good time for facilities maintenance.

I will visit the Pine Island Scoop from time to time and I hope that you do as well. I don't know when I'll get to go and see Downstown do aerial applications in the bogs again. Perhaps sometime in the upcoming season.  When I do, I'll write about here.

RIP Allan MacNutt

Dear Allan,

A good friend of yours sent me a copy of your book, Altimeter Rising, a while back. I read it over the summer. When I told your friend how much I loved your book, wondering how I might contact you, he gave me your contact info. My plan was to look over your book again and then write you. Summer turned to fall and fall turned to winter. Two days ago, I got an e-mail from our mutual friend saying that you had passed away. 

I lost my chance to write and tell you how much I loved your book. So, I write now. You do not know that I am do not have a pilot's certificate, and it is unlikely that I will get one. Yet, I love aviation and I love flying. I go on scenic airplane rides as I can so I can experience flight. Over the last three years I have learned that there are other ways that I can fly. One of the ways that I fly is through reading the words of pilots such as yourself.

But your book was special. It was as if I was in the plane with you through out your 50 year career in the air. Almost as if I was flying the plane too. For indeed through your words, I was flying. 

A couple things stand out to me from your book without having to go in and reread the book. One is the picture of your wife, Irene and your Aeronca Champ in 1947, with the caption "writers only two assets in 1947." I loved the stories from the early period of your marriage which you called the flying school era. 

Fast forward to when you were flying P-38's and Mosquitoes doing aerial photographic surveys. Having seen a few photos from similar aerial surveys over the past few years, I can say that I had no idea at that time how precise that type of flying is.

Finally, you flew firebombers for twenty years, is that right? You can be sure that I'll be re-reading what you wrote about your experience flying tankers. 

I am skipping over much of your career in this short letter. As I write this, I understand that Altimeter Rising is available on Amazon and elsewhere. I hope that others will read your book and enjoy it as I have. I have a couple of projects that I have on the burner at the moment that will eventually end up on this blog. Writing about Ag-Cats and the A-26 (which you flew as a firebomber) are but two projects. I'll be adding a third project, rereading your book.

In closing, you given me the gift of flying through your words. Thank-you. It is my loss that I never got to say this to you before now. I hope that doesn't matter. I know you are flying in favorable tail winds. And be assured of my thoughts and prayers for your family, friends, colleagues, and all those who love you.