Forum: Military Aircraft of the Cold War

Back in the AAF days:

Graduation photo from A-26 Invader Aircraft Mechanics training.

Dad is in the lower right corner. He was with the 3rd Bomb Group, 5th Air Force stationed in Japan during its occupation, giving him credit for participating in WWII.

Four years later, now the USAF:

Dad was back in Japan, only working on the first F-86 Sabre jets sent to Korea. His old unit was slugging it out- this 3rd Bomb Group Invader made it back with some serious damage. The A-26 Invader made the first and last aerial attacks of the Korean War. Also, they were the only combat plane to fight in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

Anyone else have some old school stories and pics to share from the AAF and early USAF days? Smile

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StolichnayaStrafer wrote:

Also, they were the only combat plane to fight in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

One of my favorite planes, the A-1 Skyraider just barely missed this honor. It first flew during WW2, but wasn't operational until after the war ended. And did the A-26 ever drop a toilet in combat like the Skyraider? Laughing

Should have filled it's bomb bay with them! Laughing

Skyraiders rule, love the 4 20mm cannons it packed. Even better though, the heaviest armed standard A-26 had 18 .50 cal MGs- 16 able to fire forward , with 8 of them right in the nose! Skyraiders sure could carry a pretty hefty payload though, an excellent CAS/SAR bird. Douglas Aircraft sure made great planes, especially that prop driven duo!

To Douglas Aircraft!!! Cheers

Forum: Military Aircraft of the Cold War

Old School Memories...