anyone involved with the a-26 in nam?

[bobski]

just curious.
was reading a 1969 popular mech mag in my attic and it showed them being returned to service.

 

[Big Old Boy]

What is a a-26? I was in Nam in 1969 and had a m14 a d7 and a 290. And a lot of beer.

 

[WAYNO]

Interesting so many older close-support aircraft have seen a second life for different missions, in Korea, Vietnam, and later, the desert wars.

http://warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/a-26-invader-association-2/night-flight-s-elmo-flying-a-26-invader-vietnam.html

A-1, OV-10, A-10, C-47, are just a few that come to mind.

I did not know the A-26 was used in Vietnam.

 

[Big Old Boy]

WAYNO, that was a very interesting story thanks for posting.

 

[Snake45]

I did not know the A-26 was used in Vietnam.

Yup. Original B-26Bs and Cs were used around 1962-64 in the Farm Gate program.

Completely remanufactured B-26Ks (later called A-26A) were used around 1966-1970, mostly at night over Laos. Operated out of Thailand.

 

[Bob Wright]

The A-26, the Douglas Invader, was a World War II twin engined attack/light bomber replacing the A-20. During the Korean War it was placed in service and its designation was changed to B-26, which caused some confusion among aviation buffs with the Martain B-26 Marauder. Early in the Viet Nam War both the Douglas B-26 and the P-51 Mustang were retrofitted for use in Viet Nam and it was re-designated as the A-26 again. In addition, the North American T-28 was pressed into service as an attack/light bomber role. Finally all were replaced by the Douglas A-1E Skyraider also dubbed the Spad.

Following WW II both the Navy and US Air Force transitioned from propeller planes to all jet, then to all supersonic aircraft. When Viet Nam raised its head, these arms were too advanced to really fight a down-and-dirty type of warfare.

A friend of mine, a retired major general in the Air Force told me of flying the B-26 (ex A-26) and gunnery range firing with its fourteen forward .50 caliber machine guns. As he said, it was awesome. The latest B-26 had eight guns in the nose and six guns in the wings.

Incidentally, the A-26 accounted for a couple, maybe more, aerial victories in Europe. But Gen. Kennedy wanted none of these in the Pacific, preferring instead the B-25 Mitchell.

Bob Wright

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I do know many 26s were used and some were lost.
Here is one that made it.
http://warbirdsnews.com/warbird-restorations/a-26-special-kay-restoration.html

This is about one that didn't :(
The relatives of Major Sizemore who was shot down while attacking the Trail are both very dear friends of ours. Son worked for RDAM Bill Sizemore USN and he was the guest speaker at Son's retirement ceremony. We have flown in the Elder Sizemore's Stearman.

On July 8 1969, Major James E Sizemore and his navigator Major Howard V Andre were flying an A-26 Invaderas part of the 609th Special Operations Squadron in support of Special Forces working in Laos. They were shot down on a night mission and have been MIA for 43 years. Their aircraft and remains were found this year and Major Sizemore is now returning home to be buried by his family at Arlington National Cemetery.

You could say Major Sizemore has some pretty stalwart military aviation DNA in his body. His brother is RDAM Gene Sizemore USN (ret) (over 7,000 flight hours and more than 1,000 arrested landings in over a dozen navy aircraft from 1948 through his retirement in 1982) and nephew is RDAM Bill Sizemore USN (ret), (over 6,000 flight hours and more than 1,000 arrested landings in fighters and strike-fighters.

Here's where things get interesting. Although Major Sizemore died in combat and has earned the right of a missing man formation, sequester cuts have forced the Air Force to be unable to provide fly-over services.

His son, James Sizemore, has arranged for flight of civilian aircraft, including an A-26 to fill the space in the sky where our military honors should have been.

https://www.blackfive.net/main/2013/08/warrior-aviation-to-honor-returned-vietnam-era-usaf-mias-.html

 

[Snake45]

Early in the Viet Nam War both the Douglas B-26 and the P-51 Mustang were retrofitted for use in Viet Nam....

No P-51s were ever used in Vietnam, though at about this same time Trans-Florida/Cavalier was rebuilding them for various other countries, including Indonesia, Bolivia, and Dominican Republic. The last military Mustangs, in Dominican Republic, were retired around 1983-84.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Early in the Viet Nam War both the Douglas B-26 and the P-51 Mustang were retrofitted for use in Viet Nam....

No P-51s were ever used in Vietnam, though at about this same time Trans-Florida/Cavalier was rebuilding them for various other countries, including Indonesia, Bolivia, and Dominican Republic. The last military Mustangs, in Dominican Republic, were retired around 1983-84.

Correct, Here was an attempt by Cavalier then Piper.

The Piper PA-48 Enforcer is an American turboprop-powered light close air support aircraft built by Piper in the 1970s. It is a development of the World War II-era North American P-51 Mustang fighter. The Enforcer concept was originally created and flown as the Cavalier Mustang by David Lindsay, owner of Cavalier Aircraft, in response to the United States Air Force PAVE COIN program, but Cavalier did not have the manufacturing abilities to mass-produce the Enforcer, so the program was sold to Piper by Lindsay in 1970.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piper_PA-48_Enforcer

 

[Flyfisher66048]

I had a neighbor when I was at Fort Hood, that flew P-51s, and A-26s in Korea. He had some great stories about conducting ground support missions. Plenty of hand waving and sound effects. He said he really loved shooting all of those forward firing 50 cal machineguns, really tore up some stuff.