Hobby Master Archive

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA3225 Douglas B-26K Counter Invader 64-17660, 609 SOS, Nakhon Phanom 1969

True 1/72 scale. Professionally painted. Great attention to detail. All markings are Tampoed (pad applied). Option to display the model on a stand that is provided. Model can be shown with the landing gear in the down or up positions. Canopy can be removed to place figures inside. 3 figures included. Extremely heavy metal with a minimum of plastic. Highly collectable.

In 1941 Douglas Aircraft Company began work on their twin-engine medium-bomber A-26 Invader. By the end of production there were 2,452 aircraft produced for all variants. The A- 26/B-26 was the only U.S. bomber to take part in three wars, WWII, Korea and Vietnam. The confusion with the use of the designation B-26 began when the Martin B-26 Marauder was retired and in 1948 the USAF dropped the “A” (Attack) designator so the Douglas A-26 Invader became the B-26 Invader. The A-26 made its first European appearance in late 1944.

Operating from Nakhon Phanom, Thailand the 609th SOS, 56th SOW spent 1966 through 1969 flying highly modified B-26K/A-26B Counter Invader (Nimrods) on nightly patrols of the Ho Chi Minh Trail in search of North Vietnamese supply trucks. In December 1966 there were over 3000 sorties flown with B-26Ks flying 6.5% of the sorties but attributed with 64% of the 195 trucks destroyed. Thailand didn’t allow bombers so the B-26K became an A-26A, “A” for ATTACK. B-26K 17660 ex 44-35608 was the 60th SOS/56th SOW CO’s aircraft and was scrapped in 1972.

Douglas B-26K Counter Invader Specifications Modified From A-26C To B-26K By - On Mark Engineering Maiden Flight - May 26, 1964 Designated A-26A While In Thailand Nickname - Nimrod Number Of WWII A-26 Modified - 40 Dimensions Length - 51.7 ft (15.76 m) Wingspan - 71.52 ft (21.8 m) Height - 19 ft (5.79 m)

Maximum Take-Off Weight - 38,312 lb (17,378 kg)

Performance Power-Plants 2 X Pratt & Whitney R-2800-52W Water-Injected Radial Engines, 2,500 hp Per Engine Maximum Speed - 322 mph ( 519 kph, 280 kts) Maximum Range - 2,700 miles (4,345 km, 2,346 nm) Service Ceiling - 30,000 ft (9,144 m, 5.68 miles)

Armament Standard 8 X .50 Caliber (12.7 mm) Forward-Fixed Heavy Machine Guns Mounted In Nose Optional 8 X External Hardpoints For Up To 8,000 lbs Mixed Ordnance Up To 4,000 lbs Mixed Ordnance In Bomb Bay