Douglas A-26 Invader

The Douglas A-26 Invader was the best medium bomber to see service with the USAAF during the Second World War, but production delays meant that it wasn't available in large numbers until late in 1944, and it was only used in significant numbers by the Ninth Air Force in Europe.
The Douglas A-26B the gun-nosed version of the Invader medium bomber, and was designed to carry out both bombing and low level strafing attacks, a combination of functions that was seen as the most effective way to attack the many Japanese island bases scattered across the Pacific.
The Douglas A-26C Invader differed from the A-26B in having a transparent bombardier's nose in place of that version's solid gun carrying nose.
The Douglas A-26D Invader was an improved version of the solid-nosed A-26B, with more powerful engines.
The Douglas A-26E Invader was to have been a version of the glass nosed A-26C but with the same more powerful 2,100hp Chevrolet-built R-2800-83 engines as the A-26D.
The Douglas XA-26F was a jet-augmented version of the Invader, powered by two 2,100hp R-2800-83 radial engines and by a General Electric J31 turbojet.
The Douglas JD Invader was the designation given to 141 Douglas A-26 Invaders that were operated by the US Navy as utility aircraft, target tugs and target drone launching and controlling aircraft.
The On Mark B-26K Counter Invader was a major redesign of the Invader, produced in the mid 1960s for use in Vietnam.
Although the Douglas A-26 Invader made its combat debut in the Pacific it only played a small part in the war against Japan.
The Douglas A-26 Invader saw most combat during the Second World War against the Germans, serving in significant numbers with the Ninth Air Force.
The outbreak of the Korean War caught the USAF by surprise, and in the middle of converted from piston engined aircraft to jets. As a result a number of Second World War era aircraft had to be rushed back into front line service, including the Douglas B-26 Invader (designated as the A-26 until 1947)
The Douglas B-26 Invader was involved in the fighting in Vietnam for nearly twenty years, from 1951 when they were used by the French, until 1969 when the last aircraft in American service were withdrawn