GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
One XA-26A was built, but not produced.
This is why I said there wasn't an A-26A, because there wasn't.
This is why I said there wasn't an A-26A, because there wasn't.
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The recon version of the P-38 has the honor of sharing designations with another famous aircraft. The first 120 recon Lightnings were designated F-4 (100 P-38E conversions) and F-4A (20 P-38F conversions), sharing the designation F-4 with the Phantom.Other examples are Northrop F-15 Reporter and McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle/Lockheed F-5 Lightning and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter (there are others).
Except that the "F" designation before 1948 was Photo/Recon and "F" after '48 was Fighter.Usually these designation changes occur only when two 'conflicting' types have largely passed out of the inventory: this was the case with the Marauder and only now do we conflate the two. In-period there was no confusion since B-26 and A-26 operated concurrently as different designations. By the time that the Invader became 'B-26' there were no Marauders left in the USAF inventory.
Other examples are Northrop F-15 Reporter and McDonnell-Douglas F-15 Eagle/Lockheed F-5 Lightning and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter (there are others). Again, no concurrent usage so confusion only at some distance from the fact.
Yep, like the B-1 and B-2 bomber - the original B-1 and B-2 can be seen here:Also not to mention that when the USAF/USN/USMC and US Army standardized on aircraft designations after 1962, everything largely reset to zero, so new designs started over from -1 and so on.
XA-26-DE, XA-26A-DE.........B-26K re-designated to A-26AMartin built the B-26 Marauder as a medium bomber. This aircraft was retired from service shortly after the end of WW2 and the aircraft scrapped. Very few survived in civilian colours.
When Douglas designed a replacement for the attack aircraft, the A-20 Havoc/ Boston, it became the A-26 Invader. In June 1948 the USAF decided that the A for Attack designation was not required and so the A-26 was redesignated the B-26. Hence the B-26 designation was attached to a second type.
Hope this helps you understand the history.
AAron, check out this book.I know I have been gone for quit some time, and I apologize for this. But I have a question that I cannot find the answer to. Years ago, I was reading about the Douglas Invader, I cannot find or remember the title of the book I was reading or I would not be asking the seemingly silly question.
When the Invader was first designed and brought into production, was it not labeled as B-26 like the Mauder, fore when I was reading said article, I was thinking, why would they name two planes with the same designation? I was either dreaming, or lost what little mind I have. Please clear this up for me.
If I remember correctly, they did away with the A designation on the Invader when the Marauder was completely phased out. I may have been dreaming this but I thought I remembered reading that when the Invader first came out during WWII is was designated the B-26 just like the Marauder and the ArmAirForce had them change it to the A. But that does not make sense either for it was not used during WWII as a ground attack.Basically it seems that the USAF got rid of the A for Attack category not long after the change P for Pursuit to F for Fighter (and recon planes got a R prefix added to whatever they were, like the F-6 became the RP-/RF-51, the F-15 became the RF-61, etc). And since the B-26 was retired from frontline use not long after World War II and the A/Attack category got phased out for about 15 or so years, the A-26 became the B-26 until before or during Vietnam it reverted back to being known as the A-26.
Also not to mention that when the USAF/USN/USMC and US Army standardized on aircraft designations after 1962, everything largely reset to zero, so new designs started over from -1 and so on.
I think you need to read through the thread...If I remember correctly, they did away with the A designation on the Invader when the Marauder was completely phased out. I may have been dreaming this but I thought I remembered reading that when the Invader first came out during WWII is was designated the B-26 just like the Marauder and the ArmAirForce had them change it to the A. But that does not make sense either for it was not used during WWII as a ground attack.
AD-1 to A-1 coincided with the 1962 redesignation of aircraft (F3H to F-3; SA-16 to HU-16 etc); this should not be confused with (as a number have stated) the changes made to the later Invader designation in the Far East. Both have been explained above.But there was a period of time where the USAF for about 15-20 years got rid of the A category, but revived it during Vietnam with the USAF and USN changing the Skyraider's designation from AD1 to A-1, and ultimately the B-26 reverted back to being known as the A-26. And not long after that due to experience in Vietnam the USAF launched what I think was called the AX program, that gave birth to the A-10.
Aaron,I know I have been gone for quit some time, and I apologize for this. But I have a question that I cannot find the answer to. Years ago, I was reading about the Douglas Invader, I cannot find or remember the title of the book I was reading or I would not be asking the seemingly silly question.
When the Invader was first designed and brought into production, was it not labeled as B-26 like the Mauder, fore when I was reading said article, I was thinking, why would they name two planes with the same designation? I was either dreaming, or lost what little mind I have. Please clear this up for me.
Aaron,
Has no one "jumped-in" to answer this? I see that it's 2 days old so here goes - I'll try to keep it short and to the point.
Cheers.
Sometime around late 1967 or early 68 Sattahip, that became U-tapao, ( wrong spelling maybe ) became fully operational with B-52s.Okay, I just woke up. Still working on the first coffee. Weren't B-52s stationed in Thailand?
First of all, I was going nuts trying to remember Sattahip, without actually looking for it on a map.Sometime around late 1967 or early 68 Sattahip, that became U-tapao, ( wrong spelling maybe ) became fully operational with B-52s.
We at Nakon Phanom started having a hard time getting 500 and 750 lb bombs. And the supply of 750lb bomb fins were even worse.
At NKP we had to go around base and get all the damaged 750lb bomb fins that were used as butt receptacles and repair them so they could be used.
Thailand evidently changed their mind about not allowing any bombers on their soil around that time, because I never heard anybody try to deny the B-52 was a bomber. A-52??? I think not.