**** DONE: GB-41 1/48 A-26B Invader - PTO from 1937

Donivanp · Mar 28, 2019

1/48 Douglas A-26B Invader
Username : donivanp
First name : Don
Category : intermediate
Scale : 1/48
Manufacturer / Model : Monogram Pro Modeler
Extras : Eduard Mask, Cockpit and old interior set.

I bought these kits when they released and have never done one. Kit markings are for two different aircraft, the second is for A-26B 434220 of the 437 BS, 319th BG Okinawa July 1945. I'll use the kit decals.

Donivanp · Mar 28, 2019

N4521U · Mar 28, 2019

I was advised long ago to keep my photos to 800x600 PIXELS
makes a big difference in file size.

Good choice for the GB

Donivanp · Mar 28, 2019

N4521U said:
I was advised long ago to keep my photos to 800x600 PIXELS
makes a big difference in file size.

Good choice for the GB

I thought I did keep them 800x600. sorry if I goofed.

fubar57 · Mar 28, 2019

Good one Don. If you need any detail shots give me a shot. I wonder if Jan has seen this kit?

Wurger · Mar 28, 2019

Donivanp · Mar 28, 2019

fubar57 said:
Good one Don. If you need any detail shots give me a shot. I wonder if Jan has seen this kit?

Hadn't thought of Jan when I looked at it but yeah, good question. I will only use the newer Eduard kit as the other adds nothing to this kit and is for the C. Same basic kits for the B and C but the C has the glass nose and the thing this adds can't be seen in the hard nose B.

fubar57 · Mar 28, 2019

Wurger · Mar 29, 2019

T Bolt · Mar 29, 2019

Good one Don. I've almost picked up that kit a couple of times. Are the panel lines raised or recessed?

Donivanp · Mar 29, 2019

T Bolt said:
Good one Don. I've almost picked up that kit a couple of times. Are the panel lines raised or recessed?

No Glenn they are raised but clean.

Donivanp · Mar 29, 2019

Oh and I have two B and two C models. I might be able to have one pryed from my cold dead fingers if you're still interested.

at6 · Mar 29, 2019

I built that kit when it was first released. It's a great model when done. The Revell re-issue as a fire bomber was disappoiting as it only had the thearly canopy in the kit. The instructions claimed to have both styles of canopy but that was a lie.

Airframes · Mar 29, 2019

Should be good. Always fancied doing the 'glass' nose version, but I'd need a bigger house !

Wayne Little · Mar 30, 2019

Look forward to it.

Donivanp · Mar 30, 2019

Thanks all for the inputs.

The A-26 was a late entry into WWII. The original A-20A was to be equipped as a night fighter but the Air Corp decided against this having the P-61 proving to do the job well. So the A-26 was produced in two variants. The A-26B with a hard gun node and the C with a glass nose.

It was introduced to combat in the Pacific in early 1944 with the 13th BS/3rd BG flying out of Hollinda, New Guinea with four early B model aircraft. The 13th was flying A-20 Havocs and had a hard time integrating the new airframe into a cohesive combat formation as the A-26's were faster then the A-20's just in cruising speed. The aircrws had to fly the four aircraft in their own attack formation apart from the A-20's. The deficiencies noted were due in large to the heavily framed canopy and the engine nacelles being to far forward restricting sight in low level operations.

After this they were not used in the Pacific until the end of the war.

Introduced in Europe, the A-26 fared far better in combat. The European commands would not ad hoc the switch to the A-26 from the groups current aircraft, but instead, stand down the group and swap all aircraft, do familiarization and then go to combat with the new plane all in therator.

The 319th did not swap till January 1945. Flying B-25's out of Italy, they stood down and rotated to Columbia Filed where they were given a short leave and then trained in their new steads. Transfering to Turner Field in Georgia they then moved on to a new combat location being built in southern Okinawa called Machinato. Arriving on 2 July 1945, they had to bed down temporarily at Kadena AB and indeed flew their first five combat missions from Kadena which was 16 miles north of the new airfield.

While flying in Europe the 319th had painted the tails of their aircraft with large two digit numbers and were going to carry this forward on the Invaders. As it would be with the short lived combat operations, only a few were completed. Two for sure and possibly at least one more started in the process. The first was an A-26C assigned to the group CO was 01 and then 434220, a B model with tail painted number (not to be confused with a "tail number") 13.

Donivanp · Mar 30, 2019

The kit itself was released in 1995, a retooling of the original A-26C release in 1993. The retooling added the weighted tires and the hard nose as well as a set of rockets for wing mount. The B model release also revised the clear tree to include an positionable open canopy which was molded close in the original C model release.

Timeline for A-26B Invader, Pro Modeler 5920 (1995)

The kit has finely raised panel lines and as is the case with most Monogram kits, the gerar well doors and bomb bay doors are designed to be open. I do intend for these to be open but If one wishes to close them, it can be fun!

Clear tree A-26B