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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Aircraft More Aircraft Initials E to J  Invader |
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| Invader Aviation Prints |
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| Text for the above items : |
No Trains Today by Stan Stokes. The A-26 Invader was one of the most effective attack bombers to see action late in the War, and the aircraft, when fitted with eight .5 caliber machine guns in its nose, was an incredibly effective ground or surface ship attack aircraft. Douglas Aircraft developed the aircraft. The team of Edward Heinemann and Jack Northrop worked on the initial design of what would become the A-20 Havoc. Northrop then left Douglas to form his own company. Heinemenn and project engineer Robert Donovan began work on the A-26 project in 1941. It would incorporate several of the A-20s features yet it would be as advanced as possible with many state-of-the-art concepts. A mid-mounted, laminar-flow airfoil wing was utilized with double slotted electrically controlled flaps. Defensive armament was limited to remotely controlled dorsal and ventral turrets both under the control of a gunner located in the rear of the fuselage. Approval to develop prototypes was received from the Army in June of 1941. Three were built at Douglas El Segundo, California plant and were designated the XA-26. Heinemanns design team had built in a lot of flexibility into the A-26s design. The aircraft could be easily modified to vary its role. A three-man attack bomber version with a Plexiglas nose could be modified into a two-man night fighter version with radar in the nose and four ventral-mounted 20mm cannons, or modified once again into a ground attack aircraft with a variety of nose-mounted armaments. Work on the three prototypes was slowed by the War, but the aircraft was ready to go into production by mid-1942. Screw-ups within the Army and a lack of manufacturing equipment delayed the start of production until 1943. The Army decided to cancel the night fighter version of the A-26 and proceed with production of both a bomber and ground attack versions of the aircraft that would be named the Invader. The A-26B with the nose-mounted armament generally was fitted with either six or eight machine guns. The B variant could carry a 6,000-pound bomb load powered by its twin 2000-HP Pratt and Whitney R-2800-27 engines. With a maximum speed of 322-MPH the aircraft had a service ceiling of 25,000 feet and a maximum range of approximately 3000 miles. The A-26C variant was the glass nosed bomber version. In total 1,355 B versions were built along with 1,336 C versions. After the War the A-26s designation changed to the B-26 - leading to some confusion with the Martin-built B-26. In Stan Stokes painting entitled No Trains Today, a pair of A-26Bs rip into an Axis freight train behind enemy lines in 1945. The A-26 would go on to serve in the Korean War and several of these splendid aircraft remain air-worthy to this day. |
Ruhr Valley Invaders by Nicolas Trudgian. When the seasoned B-26 crews of the 386th Bomb Group took delivery of their Douglas A-26 Invader aircraft in September 1944, the arrival of their new fast attack bombers neatly coincided with a move to France. Now based at Beaumont-sur-Oise, they were able to penetrate deep into enemy territory. The three man crews took part in the Battle of the Bulge, their twin engined aircraft being well suited to their task of destroying strategic bridges and cutting vital supply lines. After the Ardennes Campaign, now fully equipped with the A-26, the 386th BG continued to strike hard against important targets in Germany, the nimble handling characteristics of the aircraft making low-level attacks a speciality. As the Allies advanced upon Germany the 386th moved to St. Trond in Belgium, their base at the time of Nicolas Trudgians dramatic painting. Arriving at high speed over the busy German rail yard in the heart of the Ruhr Valley, barely skimming the nearby factory chimney stacks on the way into the target, the A-26 crews on the 386th deliver a devastating blow, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. With bombs away, the Invader crews strafe the area with their battery of ten forward-firing .50 cal. machine guns, the roar of their twin 2000hp engines heightening the tension and confusion on the ground. Published 2000. Signed by three distinguished A-26 Invader aircrew who flew the A-26 in combat during World War II. |
B-26 Invader Units Over Korea by Warren Thompson. SOLD OUT. |
| Invader Pilot and aircrew signature details |
  Flight Officer J Frank Bell Our estimated value of this signature : £35 | Flight Officer J Frank Bell 409th B G. A-26 pilot, flew his first combat mission Dec 15th 1944. Shot down and taken POW April 16th 1945. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Captain Ralph F Conte Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Captain Ralph F Conte Navigator / Bombardier, Ralph flew 65 combat missions in the A-20 & A-26 A Clipped Signature is Available |
 Captain Narval F Davis Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2002 | Captain Narval F Davis Narval Francis Davis proudly served in the Army Air Corp during World War Two as a Captain with the 647th Squadron, part of the 410th Bomb Group flying 72 combat missions on both the A-20 and A-26 aircraft, the first on D-Day June 1944. He participated in five major battles including the Battle of the Bulge and earned the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross. Sadly Captain Narval F Davis passed away on 27th June 2002. |
Colonel Richard Dick Denison Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2018 | Colonel Richard Dick Denison Navigator Dick Denison's first combat missions were flown during the D-Day invasion, flying C47s towing gliders into the Normandy bridgehead, and making casualty evacuations. He transferred to the 552nd Squadron, 386th Bomb Group flying the Martin B26 Marauder, before converting over to the Douglas A26 Invader. Dick completed a total of 40 combat missions during his tour. He died on 1st February 2018. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  First Lt Wayne E Downing Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2018 | First Lt Wayne E Downing A pilot, Wayne Downing flew Douglas A20 Havoc light bombers with the 416th Bomb Group, the first Group to fly the A20 in Europe. On D-Day the 416th BG targeted Argentan, a major German troop crossroads, and later in the day a second mission to hit a major marshalling yard. Moving to France in September 1944, in October he converted over to flying the more advanced A26 Invader. Wayne Downing flew a total of 86 combat missions. Post-war he stayed with the Air Force flying the B-47 and B-52 until 1962, becoming a maths teacher after leaving the service. He died on 4th August 2018. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  First Lt Leonard R McBride Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2009 | First Lt Leonard R McBride Flew 65 missions with the 416th Bomb Group flying the A-20 Havoc and A-26 Invader. He died on 9th September 2009. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Lt Colonel Arthur R Milow Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2012 | Lt Colonel Arthur R Milow Arthur Milow was Commanding Officer of the 643rd Squadron, 409th Bomb Group, and commanded a total of 66 combat missions flying the Douglas A20 Havoc, and A26 Invader. He flew combat missions during the D-Day operations, and later took part in the Battle of the Bulge. He died on 28th June 2012. A Clipped Signature is Available |
Major Carl Oates Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Major Carl Oates Carl Oates joined the 386th Bomb Group at Great Dunmow, England in September 1944. Piloting first the B-26 and later the A-26, he flew 22 combat missions from England, and later from bases in France and Belgium. Carl was appointed Operations Officer of the 554th Squadron during the last six months of World War II. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Capt Michael T Russo USAAF Our estimated value of this signature : £50 Died : 2006 | Capt Michael T Russo USAAF Michael T. Russo was born in Cleveland, Ohio on September 4, 1920. Mike was attending Ohio University when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Like many patriotic Americans, he immediately enlisted in the US Army, and requested pilot training. Mike received his primary training at Pine Bluff, Arkansas, advanced training at Randolph Field, Texas, and finally earned his wings at Moore Field, near Mission, Texas. He was then sent to Meridian, Mississippi for training in the new A-36 Invader, the dive bomber version of the P-51A Mustang. Following sixteen hours of flight time in the A-36 Russo was assigned to the 16 th Bomb Squadron (later redesignated as the 522nd Fighter-Bomber Squadron) of the 27 h Bomb Group (Light.) Flying out of North Africa, then Lt. Russo would score his first confirmed aerial victory on September 13, 1943, when his flight executed a diving attack on twelve Fw-190s which were attacking Allied shipping off the coast of Italy. In October Russo's flight attacked Ju-88s on the ground at an airfield near Rome. They were attacked by seven Bf-109s, and although his comrades downed three of the German fighters, Russo did not get one. Later that day, on a second sweep over that area, Russo downed a small biplane which unluckily came into the range of his guns. That aircraft was believed to be a Fiesler Storche 167. In December a flight of twelve A-36s were directed to the airfield at Aversano to strafe Ju-52s. Russo bagged one of the German transports after it had taken off, thereby attaining a third aerial victory. On one mission Russo strafed a column of German troops with devastating results. His crew chief surprised the young pilot by painting 'Killer Russo' on the tail of his A-36. Not wanting to make himself a target for the enemy, or risk hostile treatment, if were downed in combat, Mike had the nickname removed from his aircraft. On December 30, 1943 Russo's flight of twelve A-36s was bounced by sixteen Bf-109s near Rome. In the ensuing battle, Russo downed two of the German fighters. With those two victories Russo became the only A-36 ace of the War, and the first Mustang ace. Russo participated in a number of War Bond drives in the States, and he was promoted to Captain in 1944. Mike left military service with the end of the War with 169 points. He established a very successful business in Troy Michigan, MR Products, Inc. Among one of Mike Russo's patents was that for 'Mr. Chain,' a plastic chain used for crowd control worldwide. Russo's decorations include the Silver Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, The Distinguished Flying Cross with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Air Medal with fourteen Oak Leaf Clusters. Mike attributes his success with the A-36 to his engineering oriented way of thinking. He knew that the Allison engine in the A-36 would only perform at optimal levels close to sea level. At any altitude the German fighters would have far superior performance advantages. Knowing the limitations of his aircraft helped save his life on a number of occasions. There were very high casualties in Mike's squadron, and the Allison powered version of the Mustang would prove a relatively unimpressive aircraft until the Merlin engine was fitted to the airframe and the P-51B was born. Michael Russo passed away in 2006. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  First Lt Arthur J Schuler Our estimated value of this signature : £35 | First Lt Arthur J Schuler 409th B. G. 37 mission A-26 pilot, buzzed Paris with other Group planes on VE Day, and told us 'we blew the dust off the Arc de Triomphe!' A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Colonel Daniel F Shea Our estimated value of this signature : £35 Died : 2004 | Colonel Daniel F Shea Flew with the 668th Bomb Squadron, 416th Bomb Group. Graduate of West Point. He flew 66 missions as A-20 Havoc pilot, including one on the 22nd of June 1944 where he was wounded when his aircraft was hit by flak over the target. He managed to get the aircraft safely to the ground in France. He died on 25th July 2004. A Clipped Signature is Available |
Captain Earl Slanker Our estimated value of this signature : £40 Died : 2012 | Captain Earl Slanker Joining the USAAF in October 1942, Earl was posted to Europe flying the new B-26F Marauder, assigned to the 386th Bomb Group based at Great Dunmow, in Essex. He flew combat operations in the build up to D-Day, later moving to Beaumont, France in October 1944. Promoted flight leader, Earl converted to the A-26 Invader in February 1945, completing 62 combat missions. He died on 28th March 2012. A Clipped Signature is Available |
  Colonel Dick Wheeler Our estimated value of this signature : £35 Died : 2009 | Colonel Dick Wheeler Graduating from West Point in 1943, he was a pilot of the A-20 Havoc with the 416th Bomb Group in England. He flew 69 missions in Europe, including D-Day. Remaining with the Air Force after the war, he set a world record for a high altitude bail out and was involved in missile testing. He remained in the aviation industry after retiring from the Air Force in 1968. He died on 29th December 2009. A Clipped Signature is Available |
| Invader Squadron details |
386th Bomb Group Country : US | 386th Bomb Group |
409th Bomb Group Country : US | 409th Bomb Group |
410th Bomb Group Country : US | 410th Bomb Group |
416th Bomb Group Country : US | 416th Bomb Group |
46th Bomb Group Country : US | 46th Bomb Group |
552nd Bomb Squadron Country : US | 552nd Bomb Squadron |
643rd Bomb Group Country : US | 643rd Bomb Group |
647th Bomb Squadron Country : US | 647th Bomb Squadron |
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