RAF Invader B Mk1 (A-26)

[frank may]

I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it mentioned that 130 (I
think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but were later diverted to
the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone's ever seen a
paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand & spinach over sky, or
what? might look pretty cool.

[Moose]

Hi Frank

I have a black and white photo of KL692 a Douglas Invader Mk. I
(A-26C-25-DT, U.S.A.A.F. s/n 43-22604 and Douglas construction number
18751). It was one of the aircraft that was not delivered to the Royal Air
Force. The aircraft is bare metal except for the anti-glare panel on the
nose. I can not tell you if it is black or olive drab. It carries the
R.A.F. serial number (KL692) just forward of the hortizontal stabilizer and
most of the the U.S.A.A.F. serial number '322604' two-thirds the way up the
vertical stablizer (none of the numbers cross over to the rudder). The
aircraft carries typical R.A.F. roundels and tri-colour fin flash.
Incently, KL690 and KL691 were the only two Invaders delivered to the Royal
Air Force.

If you want me to scan it for you, give me a shout off board at


Cheers...Chris

[Matt Wiser]

"Keith Willshaw" > wrote:
>
>"frank may" > wrote in message
om...
>> I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it
>mentioned that 130 (I
>> think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but
>were later diverted to
>> the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering
>if anyone's ever seen a
>> paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand
>& spinach over sky, or
>> what? might look pretty cool.
>
>According to Joe Baughers web site 2 were actually
>delivered
>to Boscombe Down for evaluation. The production
>versions were intended for the MTO and were
>to replace
>the Bostons of No 88 Squadron RAF as well as
>those of
>342 Squadron of the Free French Air Force.
>
>The paint scheme of those Bostons is probably
>the
>nearest approximation to that which would have
>been applied to the Invaders.
>
>Keith
>
>
So why didn't the RAF use the A-26?

Posted via www.My-Newsgroups.com - web to news gateway for usenet access!

[Peter Kemp]

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 16:20:31 GMT, "Matt Wiser"
> wrote:

>
> "Keith Willshaw" > wrote:
>>
>>"frank may" > wrote in message
om...
>>> I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it
>>mentioned that 130 (I
>>> think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but
>>were later diverted to
>>> the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering
>>if anyone's ever seen a
>>> paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand
>>& spinach over sky, or
>>> what? might look pretty cool.
>>
>>According to Joe Baughers web site 2 were actually
>>delivered
>>to Boscombe Down for evaluation. The production
>>versions were intended for the MTO and were
>>to replace
>>the Bostons of No 88 Squadron RAF as well as
>>those of
>>342 Squadron of the Free French Air Force.
>>
>>The paint scheme of those Bostons is probably
>>the
>>nearest approximation to that which would have
>>been applied to the Invaders.
>>
>>Keith
>>
>>
> So why didn't the RAF use the A-26?

Because we had the Mosquito? Admittedly a much lower load until the
later Marks, but probably more survivable and fewer crew required.

I honestly can't think of a direct equivalent to the Marauder in RAF
service in large numbers. The Wellington in the first couple oif years
I suppose, until it was withdrawn.

Peter Kemp

[Keith Willshaw]

"Peter Kemp" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 16:20:31 GMT, "Matt Wiser"
> > wrote:
>
> >
> > "Keith Willshaw" > wrote:
> >>
> >>"frank may" > wrote in message
> om...
> >>> I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it
> >>mentioned that 130 (I
> >>> think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but
> >>were later diverted to
> >>> the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering
> >>if anyone's ever seen a
> >>> paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand
> >>& spinach over sky, or
> >>> what? might look pretty cool.
> >>
> >>According to Joe Baughers web site 2 were actually
> >>delivered
> >>to Boscombe Down for evaluation. The production
> >>versions were intended for the MTO and were
> >>to replace
> >>the Bostons of No 88 Squadron RAF as well as
> >>those of
> >>342 Squadron of the Free French Air Force.
> >>
> >>The paint scheme of those Bostons is probably
> >>the
> >>nearest approximation to that which would have
> >>been applied to the Invaders.
> >>
> >>Keith
> >>
> >>
> > So why didn't the RAF use the A-26?
>
> Because we had the Mosquito? Admittedly a much lower load until the
> later Marks, but probably more survivable and fewer crew required.
>
> I honestly can't think of a direct equivalent to the Marauder in RAF
> service in large numbers.

How about the Marauder ?

The RAF had 5 squadrons of em

The A-26 was of course the Invader and they were cancelled
in April 45 because the war was going to be over before they could
be delivered


> The Wellington in the first couple oif years
> I suppose, until it was withdrawn.
>

The Wellington was still in service in the 50's
with second line squadrons.

Keith

[ArtKramr]

>Subject: Re: RAF Invader B Mk1 (A-26)
>From: "Keith Willshaw"
>Date: 8/13/2004 3:28 PM Pacific Standard Time
>Message-id: >
>
>
>"Peter Kemp" > wrote in message
...
>> On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 16:20:31 GMT, "Matt Wiser"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >
>> > "Keith Willshaw" > wrote:
>> >>
>> >>"frank may" > wrote in message
>> om...
>> >>> I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it
>> >>mentioned that 130 (I
>> >>> think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but
>> >>were later diverted to
>> >>> the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering
>> >>if anyone's ever seen a
>> >>> paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand
>> >>& spinach over sky, or
>> >>> what? might look pretty cool.
>> >>
>> >>According to Joe Baughers web site 2 were actually
>> >>delivered
>> >>to Boscombe Down for evaluation. The production
>> >>versions were intended for the MTO and were
>> >>to replace
>> >>the Bostons of No 88 Squadron RAF as well as
>> >>those of
>> >>342 Squadron of the Free French Air Force.
>> >>
>> >>The paint scheme of those Bostons is probably
>> >>the
>> >>nearest approximation to that which would have
>> >>been applied to the Invaders.
>> >>
>> >>Keith
>> >>
>> >>
>> > So why didn't the RAF use the A-26?
>>
>> Because we had the Mosquito? Admittedly a much lower load until the
>> later Marks, but probably more survivable and fewer crew required.
>>
>> I honestly can't think of a direct equivalent to the Marauder in RAF
>> service in large numbers.
>
>How about the Marauder ?
>
>The RAF had 5 squadrons of em
>
>The A-26 was of course the Invader and they were cancelled
>in April 45 because the war was going to be over before they could
>be delivered
>
>
>> The Wellington in the first couple oif years
>> I suppose, until it was withdrawn.
>>
>
>The Wellington was still in service in the 50's
>with second line squadrons.
>
>Keith


I've flown in both the B-26 Marauder and the A-26 Invader. And the best way I
can compare the two is to think oof the B-26 as a garbage truck and the A-26 as
a race car.


Arthur Kramer
344th BG 494th BS
England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany
Visit my WW II B-26 website at:
http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer

[Moose]

Hi

The Royal Air Force had only 'three' squadrons that used the Marauder.

No. 14 (B) Squadron - Marauder Mk. I, Mk. II and Mk. III
No. 39 (B) Squadron - Marauder Mk. III
No. 231 Squadron - Marauder Mk. I - Marauders were stationed at Dorval,
Quebec in support of No. 45 Groups Trans-Atlantic ferry operations.

No. 70 (Middle East ) Operational Training Unit trained R.A.F. crews on the
Marauder Mk. II and Mk. III.


The following South African Air Force squadrons used the Martin Marauder:

No. 12 (B) Squadron
No. 21 (B) Squadron
No. 24 (B) Squadron
No. 25 (B) Squadron
No. 30 (B) Squadron
* The above four squadrons were assigned to the North African Air Forces
No. 25 (B) Squadron was assigned to the Balkan Air Force where it


The following Free French Air Force Squadrons also used the Martin Marauder
as part of the U.S.A.A.F.'s 42nd Bomb Wing of the 1st Tactical Air Force.

GB 1/19 'Gascogne'
GB 2/20 'Bretange'
GB 1/22 'Maroc'
GB 1/32 'Gourgogne'
GB 2/52 'Franche-Comte'
GB 2/63 'Senegal'
GB 1/34 - Although equipped with the Martin Marauder, the squadron did not
fly any operational sorties with the type.

Cheers...Chris

[John Walker]

(frank may) wrote in message >...
> I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it mentioned that 130 (I
> think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but were later diverted to
> the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone's ever seen a
> paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand & spinach over sky, or
> what? might look pretty cool.

By the time the Invaders would have been delivered they probably
wouldn't have been painted at all, at least in the day bomber role. If
we can speculate a bit further that some may have been used at night
for target marking, they would probably have been finished in one or
other of the RAF night schemes, either Dark Green\Dark Earth\Night or
overall Medium Sea Grey with Dark Green camouflaged uppers.

John

[Dave Holford]

Moose wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> The Royal Air Force had only 'three' squadrons that used the Marauder.
>
> No. 14 (B) Squadron - Marauder Mk. I, Mk. II and Mk. III
> No. 39 (B) Squadron - Marauder Mk. III
> No. 231 Squadron - Marauder Mk. I - Marauders were stationed at Dorval,
> Quebec in support of No. 45 Groups Trans-Atlantic ferry operations.
>
> No. 70 (Middle East ) Operational Training Unit trained R.A.F. crews on the
> Marauder Mk. II and Mk. III.
>
> The following South African Air Force squadrons used the Martin Marauder:
>
> No. 12 (B) Squadron
> No. 21 (B) Squadron
> No. 24 (B) Squadron
> No. 25 (B) Squadron
> No. 30 (B) Squadron
> * The above four squadrons were assigned to the North African Air Forces
> No. 25 (B) Squadron was assigned to the Balkan Air Force where it
>
> The following Free French Air Force Squadrons also used the Martin Marauder
> as part of the U.S.A.A.F.'s 42nd Bomb Wing of the 1st Tactical Air Force.
>
> GB 1/19 'Gascogne'
> GB 2/20 'Bretange'
> GB 1/22 'Maroc'
> GB 1/32 'Gourgogne'
> GB 2/52 'Franche-Comte'
> GB 2/63 'Senegal'
> GB 1/34 - Although equipped with the Martin Marauder, the squadron did not
> fly any operational sorties with the type.
>
> Cheers...Chris


Just out of curiosity and not really intending to cause an off-topic
drift.
What exactly was the role of 231 Squadron in support of No. 45 Groups
Trans-Atlantic ferry operations? Although Dorval was a major base in the
ferry operations it is a long way from the Atlantic. I could see their
usefulness in the battle of the St. Lawrence, but surely they must have
staged out of Goose or Gander to be much use on the North Atlanic.

Dave

[frank may]

Bummer! Another bare metal scheme. I wondered about that as late in
the war as it would've been. Thanks for the replies. I'd love to see a
Washington in a bomber camo scheme too, but I guess they just weren't
meant to be.



(John Walker) wrote in message >...
> (frank may) wrote in message >...
> > I stumbled up on an A-26 site earlier & it mentioned that 130 (I
> > think) A-26s had been ordered by the RAF but were later diverted to
> > the Navy or something. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone's ever seen a
> > paint scheme for the Invader B. Mk. 1. Sand & spinach over sky, or
> > what? might look pretty cool.
>
> By the time the Invaders would have been delivered they probably
> wouldn't have been painted at all, at least in the day bomber role. If
> we can speculate a bit further that some may have been used at night
> for target marking, they would probably have been finished in one or
> other of the RAF night schemes, either Dark Green\Dark Earth\Night or
> overall Medium Sea Grey with Dark Green camouflaged uppers.
>
> John

[Kevin Brooks]

"frank may" > wrote in message
om...
> Bummer! Another bare metal scheme. I wondered about that as late in
> the war as it would've been. Thanks for the replies. I'd love to see a
> Washington in a bomber camo scheme too, but I guess they just weren't
> meant to be.

You might be interested in the photo at...

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/URG/images/b29-009.jpg

Early delivery B-29's from the Wichita plant sported an OD and gray
paintjob.

Brooks

<snip>

[Moose]

Hi Dave

While at Dorval, No. 231 (T) Squadron operated at least one Marauder Mk. I
as a high-speed V.I.P. transport and diplomatic courier aircraft. It also
performed other duties as well in support of No. 45 Group.

Two other Royal Air Force units that operated the Martin Marauder were:
No. 301 Ferry Training Unit - Marauder Mk. I
No. 304 Ferry Training Unit - Marauder Mk. I and Mk. III


Cheers...Chris

[Dave Holford]

Moose wrote:
>
> Hi Dave
>
> While at Dorval, No. 231 (T) Squadron operated at least one Marauder Mk. I
> as a high-speed V.I.P. transport and diplomatic courier aircraft. It also
> performed other duties as well in support of No. 45 Group.
>
> Two other Royal Air Force units that operated the Martin Marauder were:
> No. 301 Ferry Training Unit - Marauder Mk. I
> No. 304 Ferry Training Unit - Marauder Mk. I and Mk. III
>
> Cheers...Chris


Thanks,

Dave