Aircraft flown by USAAF in the Pacific (1944)

[JoeB]

Thanks,
Photo:
You are right, also the USAAF markings are not WW2, but it seems that the serial printed on the picture is one of the A-26B. Anyway the photo is probably about Korea time.

The a/c in the photo was equipped with an experimental infrared detector for night attack, AN/AAS-1, 'Project Redbird', photo taken March 1953 in Korea. It belonged to 13th BS/3rd BW. 41-39401 was among those a/c contracted as A-26B but delivered as A-26C. By the time of the photo, of course, it was referred to as B-26C.

Joe

 

[maxs75]

Thanks Joe, never heard before that some A-26B were completed as C.

Max

 

[GrauGeist]

Re. P-38/P-39:
Do you know if it was the same for the other squadrons of 13th Air Force?
AFAIK 339th FS had P-38 from the beginning, but probably 67th and 68th had P-39 or P-40 till 1944. Did they have 2 types of planes as well?

Some quick numbers for the other Fighter Groups under the 13th:

18th FG, transferred from the 5th AF (1943-45): P-40, P-39, P-38, P-61, P-70
347th FG (1942-45): P-40, P-39, P-38
4th RG (1943-45): P-38(F-4)
Additional Squadrons operated under the 13th at various times as detatched units, all Night Fighter Squadrons equipped with P-38, P-61 and P-70 aircraft.

The timeline for equipping the P-38 aircraft for all units was about the same, the P-39 being rotated out by late 1944.

A-26:
AFAIK only 4 A-26 went to 3d BG in june 1944 as test a/c, but the main equipement was A-20 till the group went to Okinawa in 1945. Or do you have different informations?

Pretty much the same info, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of information regarding the A-26. What I do know, though, is that the A-26B was one of the fastest American bombers in service during the war. One of the few complaints, was that the pilots did not like the nose because it obstructed thier vision. They were equipped with 6 or 8 .50 MG in the nose and some had thier lower turret removed. The pilots said the A-26B was far better than the A-20, but less than 3,000 were delivered by war's end.

Photo:
You are right, also the USAAF markings are not WW2, but it seems that the serial printed on the picture is one of the A-26B. Anyway the photo is probably about Korea time.

I was pretty sure that was a Korean machine of the 13/3, just not familiar with the IR nose. Thanks to Joe for the info!

 

[maxs75]

Some quick numbers for the other Fighter Groups under the 13th:

18th FG, transferred from the 5th AF (1943-45): P-40, P-39, P-38, P-61, P-70
347th FG (1942-45): P-40, P-39, P-38
4th RG (1943-45): P-38(F-4)
Additional Squadrons operated under the 13th at various times as detatched units, all Night Fighter Squadrons equipped with P-38, P-61 and P-70 aircraft.

The timeline for equipping the P-38 aircraft for all units was about the same, the P-39 being rotated out by late 1944.

This is the info I have, except that 18th FG was transferred from 7th AF in the central Pacific.
AFAIK from september 1944 all the P-39 were assigned to 2nd line duties and the P-40 remained only for the Tac. Rec. Sqns.
The RNZAF squadrons were rapidly equipped with Corsairs about the same time, while RAAF operated with P-40 till the end of the war.

One of the few complaints, was that the pilots did not like the nose because it obstructed thier vision. They were equipped with 6 or 8 .50 MG in the nose and some had thier lower turret removed. The pilots said the A-26B was far better than the A-20, but less than 3,000 were delivered by war's end.

I was surprised the first time I read that. Simply reading the performances I seemed to me impossible that at first the A-20 was preferred.

Max

 

[kool kitty89]

The B-26 would be able to tanke more damage (though also being a larger, slower target), had a much better sefensive armament, and a substancially longer range.

I think the A-20 could have done better is configured differently though. Sort of a US equivelent to the Mosquito including the Nightfighting capability. (remove defensive armament, reduce crew to 2, switch to 2-stage supercharged R-2800's like the Corsair, Hellcat, or P-61 used)

 

[GrauGeist]

The Douglas A-26 didn't become designated B-26 until after the Martin B-26 was out of service. The A-26 also has the distinction of being in service through three wars. WWII, Korea and Viet Nam and some surviving aircraft currently serve as fire bombers.

Since Douglas was already producing the A-20, they were able to incorporate a number of the Havoc's weapon platforms to the Invader's design. As you can see in the specs, it was a fast machine, could handle a load, all with great range. The pilots that flew it always commented on it's positive handling.

Douglas A-26 Invader specs:
Crew: 3
Length: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
Wingspan: 70 ft 0 in (21.34 m)
Height: 18 ft 3 in (5.64 m)
Wing area: 540 ft² (50 m²)
Empty weight: 22,850 lb (10,365 kg)
Loaded weight: 27,600 lb (12,519 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 35,000 lb (15,900 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt Whitney R-2800-27 "Double Wasp" radials, 2,000 hp (1,500 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 355 mph (308 knots, 570 km/h)
Range: 1,400 mi (1,200 nm, 2,300 km)
Service ceiling 22,000 ft (6,700 m)
Rate of climb: 1,250 ft/min (6.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 51 lb/ft² (250 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.145 hp/lb (108 W/kg)

Armament
Guns:
6× 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in the nose
8× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in four optional underwing pods
2× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in remote-controlled dorsal turret
2× 0.50 in M2 machine guns in remote-controlled ventral turret
Bombs:
6,000 lb (2,700 kg) - 4,000 lb in the bomb bay plus 2,000 lb external on the wings

Douglas A-20 Havoc specs:
Crew: 2-3
Length: 47 ft 11 in (14.63 m)
Wingspan: 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)
Height: 17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)
Wing area: 465 ft² (43.2 m²)
Empty weight: 15,051 lb (6,827 kg)
Loaded weight: 27,200 lb ()
Max takeoff weight: 20,320 lb (9,215 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Wright R-2600-A5B "Double Cyclone" radial engines, 1,700 hp (1,200 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 339 mph (295 knots, 546 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Range: 1,050 mi (912 nm, 1,690 km)
Service ceiling 23,700 ft (7,225 m)
Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s)

Armament
Guns:
4× fixed 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns in the nose
2× flexible 0.303 in Browning machine guns, mounted dorsally
1× flexible 0.303 in Vickers K machine gun, mounted ventrally
Bombs:
4,000 lb (1,900 kg)

Martin B-26 Marauder specs:
Crew: 7: 2 pilots, bombardier, navigator/radio operator, 3 gunners
Length: 58 ft 3 in (17.8 m)
Wingspan: 71 ft 0 in (21.65 m)
Height: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Wing area: 658 ft² (61.1 m²)
Empty weight: 24,000 lb (11,000 kg)
Loaded weight: 37,000 lb (17,000 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt Whitney R-2800-43 radial engines, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 287 mph (250 knots, 460 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
Cruise speed: 216 mph (188 knots, 358 km/h)
Landing speed: 104 mph (90 knots, 167 km/h))
Combat radius: 999 nm (1,150 mi, 1,850 km)
Ferry range: 2,480 nm (2,850 mi, 4,590 km)
Service ceiling 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
Wing loading: 46.4 lb/ft² (228 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.10 hp/lb (170 W/kg)

Armament
Guns:
12× .50 in (12.7 mm) Colt-Browning machine guns
Bombs:
4,000 lb (1,800 kg)

 

[kool kitty89]

Sorry I missread the post. (I was thinking of the B-26) That makes more sense.

 

[InvaderHistorical]

The a/c in the photo was equipped with an experimental infrared detector for night attack, AN/AAS-1, 'Project Redbird', photo taken March 1953 in Korea. It belonged to 13th BS/3rd BW. 41-39401 was among those a/c contracted as A-26B but delivered as A-26C. By the time of the photo, of course, it was referred to as B-26C.

Joe

This is not correct. There were no planes that I have seen that were ordered as one type and delivered as another. These modifications have always occurred later. Case in point, this specific plane being discussed here, 41-39401, was compelted as a B model. It was accepted 28 Nov 1944. It remained a B-model until Aug 1952 when it went to Hill AFB. It was converted on 10 Aug 1952 to a C model and then sent to Korea 11 Nov 1952. At least 3 different longnose versions were made.

 

[glennasher]

There was also the Douglas A-24, the AAF version of the Dauntless dive bomber. I don't know the numbers, but they were on Guadalcanal. It was, obviously, used in a ground support role.