N360Q c/n 1112 returned to the US in 2000. It featured in John Travolta's movie "Basic" and it was sighted at Herlong Field,FL on 01Apr03 and 12Oct03; during Oct03 it was ferried to Red Deer and was reported in May05 operational as Tanker 83.
Air Spray had it registered C-GYVI on 18Sep03.

Source: Lockheed L-188 & L-1011 by Lundkvist Aviation Research, 1980.
And my own records.

The name Mandala can still be read on the fuselage, reappearing through the white paint.
Just like PK-RLD can be read, vaguely, on the photo on the right.

C/n 1082 first flew on 04Aug59 and was operated by Northwest Orient A/L (N123US), San Diego Padres, Aztec Aircraft Corp., Air California and sold to Mandala A/L in 1979.

The sad state of affairs in the cockpit; it is clear that PK-RLD is only used as spare parts supply.

Both PK-RLD (C-FVFI) as well as Tanker 83 C-GYVI were parked away in the field upon my REVISIT 24SEP07

So, where did all the Invaders go? Well, they are parked out in the field, stored and for sale...
Air Spray, one of Canada's leading companies in aerial firefighting, used the Douglas Invader for many years as the backbone of its fleet. In 2004 it was decided to retire them and 2005 was their first year of storage.

Propliner magazine featured a splendid article by Bob Petite in the No.107 (Summer 2006) issue, detailing Air Spray's history and celebrating the last season of Air Spray's Invaders.

Bill Vorbau wrote me in July 2007:
"Just saw your notes on a plane I once flew... I was the pilot of N161H when it was owned by Grumman Ecosystems. We flew an aerial survey of the Peru jungle with the Motorola side-looking radar."

A-26B C-GTOX Tanker 14 has c/n 22802.

The nose art has the name "Hasta Luego" added.

USAAF serial was 44-34523 and this Warbird's construction number is 27802.
On Mark Engineering Company (at Van Nuys,CA) converted it in 1963 and its civil tailnumber became N9174Z.
Garrett Corp. of Los Angeles and Phoenix,AZ became onwers during 1964-1977.
This Invader was modified for turboprop engine in the nose position.... Would have been quite a looker!
Air Spray became the owner in Jan.1982 and registered it as C-GTOX; it faithfully served as tanker 14, nicknamed "Hasta Luego".
Source: www.warbirdregistry.org

Life for this Douglas Invader, c/n 29177, started with the military as 44-35898.
Its civilian history started with ownership by Lear Inc. of Santa Monica,CA (1961-1964), registered as N3328G.
Lear Siegler Inc of Santa Monica,CA bought it in 1966.
Aerospace Modifications (Coatsville,PA) purchased it in 1969. It flew as race '76' !
Air Spray Ltd purchased it all the way back in July 1971 and had it registered as CF-PGP, Tanker 2.
The official registration was slightly altered in Air Spray Ltd, Red Deer in 1976 (previously located in Edmonton. The tailnumber was changed too: C-FPGP; but it remained Tanker 2.
www.warbirdregistry.org

The noseart also states:
Forever
In Memory
Nancy Caldwell

Invader 44-35497 (c/n 28776) changed to "civvie street" for Trade school as an Instructional Airframe, but was purchased by Johnson Flying Service of Missoula,MT and they owned/operated it for the period 1961-1970 as N3426G.
It arrived in black USAF scheme (stunning!) and was converted to fire tanker (Tanker A17).
Then Evergreen Air (Missoula) owned it form 1975 until 1977, it continued as Tanker A17.
In 1977 Lynch Air Tankers (Billings,MT) bought it and they owned/operated it until 1992; during this time it was modified/converted to Lynch STOL 26 and flown afterwards as tanker 56.
Air Spray Ltd bought it as late as 1995, registered it as C-FOVC, turning it into Tanker 56/"Safe Passage".
www.warbirdregistry.org

C-GXGY Tanker 10 is c/n 28987 and this Invader has set a next step too in its aviation history: it has been sold to Classic Aircraft Museum of Hillsboro,Oregon.

Invader c/n 28987 was delivered to the French Airforce as 44-35708, based in Indochina.
It returned to the USAF on 10Nov55 and was put in open storage at Clark AFB on the Philippines, 1955-1958.
On Mark Engineering Co owned it during 1963-1966 and had it registered as N5530V.
Raytheon Manufacturing Co. of Bedford,MA bough it in 1969 and ownership continued until 1976.
Air Spray Ltd purchased it that year and registered it as C-GXGY, fighting fires as Tanker 10.
www.warbirdregistry.org

The following information was also learned from Bob Petite's extensive article Air Spray Invader Retirement, in Propliner magazine no.107 (Summer 2006); it paints a clear picture of what kind of aircraft the Douglas Invader is.

All the Air Spray Invaders were WW-2 vintage, built during 1943 and 1944.
Considering these Warbirds, one immediately notices the big Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines (each capable of 2.000 hp)... they seem to overpower the sleek lines of this rugged, speed demon!
Its large, electrically-operated, double-slatted wing flaps provide better lift and drag than conventional flaps: a useful attribute in the demanding airtanker role.
Typical take-off distance at gross-weight is 4.000 feet, but take-off on a hot day at higher elevation airport will take a lot more runway.
But once airborne and cleaned up, the impressive cruise speed of 225 knots will cover the distance to the fire quickly. The maximum range is 1.250 nautical miles, with an endurance of 5 hours, but operationally the aircraft is usually topped up with fuel after 3 hours or during a lull in the fire action.
Specifications show a wartime load of 4.000 pounds and the airtanker was modified to carry 760 imperial gallons of slurry fire retardant in a specially designed tank, weighing 8.700 pound. The 2 bomb doors are independent and operate by either an hydraulic or air compressor pneumatic system, with an emergency manual system as backup.
When the bombdoors are opened, air vents pop open on the top of the fuselage; this way air is forced into the tank and will help to drop the entire load of retardant in one and a half second!
Air Spray redesigned the cockpit instrument panel, moving the flight instruments and gauges along with navigation and radio packages.
All the trim controls are manual, with no flight control boost or autopilot. Consequently, the A-26’s maximum allowable speed of 310kts is seldom attained, as the flightcontrols become very heavy. However, when properly flown, at the recommended speeds and power settings, the A-26 Invader is highly manouvrable and a very effective airtanker.

Tanker 36 is C-FAGO, Douglas B-26C Invader with c/n 28735.

Its military serial was 44-35456 and it was delivered to the USAAF as such. its military ended at Davis Monthan AFB,AZ when it was put in storage during July 1956.
As N330WC Western Contracting Corp. of Sioux City,IA owned it from 1963 to 1970.
Aero Union Corp. of Chico,CA bought it in 1972, but that same year it was sold to Conair Aviation Ltd (Abbotsford,BC) and they owned it until 1983, registering it as CF-AGO, flying it as Tanker 26.
The undercarriage collapsed on landing at Fort St.John,BC on 14Apr80.
Air Spray Ltd (the of Edmonton,ALB) bought it on 20Apr83 and registered this Invader as C-FAGO. With Airspray it became Tanker 36 "Dragon Lady".
From: www.warbirdregistry.org

Upon my visit in Sep.2007 I found it had gone... It found a new home at Minter Field Air Museum, Shafter,CA (near Bakersfield).
Sean Keating wrote me: "it was "Dragon Lady" in Korea, so it became destined for preservation and one can find an illustration in a book called "A26 in Action" by Squadron Signal Publications…"

See how I found Dragon Lady at Minter Field myself in May 2008...

Tanker 36's nose art up close: "Dragon Lady".

John Olafson kindly forwarded additional info as was provided to him by Robert Finch:
"You said that you would like to read the log book of this aircraft. I can tell you the first entries!
It was sent directly into storage at Piote,TX, in 1945. It was pulled out of storage in 1950 and flown to Hill AFB,UT and modified into an RB-26 for use in Korea by the 162nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 363rd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
It was delivered to the 162nd at K-2 Tague, Korea in early 1951, which had become the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, 67th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.
44-35456 flew night photo reconnaissance missions until the end of the Korean War. The 12th TRS was then transferred to Japan, and subsequently converted to RB-66 aircraft. The RB-26's were sent to Vietnam for use by the French Air Force.
Most were returned to the USAF in the late 1950's. The majority were sent to Davis-Monthan AFB,AZ where they were either sold on the civilian airplane market, or scrapped...
44-35456 and 44-35457 were sold to Airspray. Another 162nd RB-26 that was sold to Airspray was 44-35323. It is still flying as part of the Planes of Fame Museum, Grand Canyon, Arizona."

Its USAAF serial was 44-34778 and its civilian career began with Raytheon Manufacturing Co. of Bedford,MA who owned it from 1954 to 1972, registered as N67943.
Air Spray Ltd bought it in May 1975 and registered it as C-GWLT. First it was flown as tanker 7, later it became Tanker 98.
Source: www.warbirdregistry.org

Ron Lapp sent me images in April 2008 of 'GWLT's rebirth as a Canadian warbird !!

USAAF 44-35857 turned civil in 1964 when Madden & Smith Aircraft Corp. of Miami,FL, bought it. It was registered as N9300R.
The next owner became Consolidated Air Parts Corp. (Los Angeles,CA) during 1966-1969.
It was stored unconverted, marked as NY ANG, Tucson,AZ, in 1969.
The Forest Patrol Ltd bought it in July 1971 and had it registered as CF-ZTC.
J.D. Irving purchased it in 1979 and changed the registration to C-FZTC.
Air Spray Ltd bought it soon after, in Aug79, and it became Tanker 14, later 13 "Lucky Jack".
From: www.warbirdregistry.org

Its USAAF serial was 43-22653 and this Warbird was bought in 1963 by Idaho Air Tankers Inc. of Boise,ID. It was registered N9402Z.
Reeder Flying Service (Twin Falls,ID) became the new owners in 1966, this lasted until 1972; they flew it as tanker 26.
Air Spray Ltd bought it in 1989 and had it registered as C-GPTW, Tanker 26.
http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a26registry/a26-4322653.html

Numero Uno: tanker 1 is C-FPGF with c/n 29154 (A-26C).

This Invader flew as 44-35875 for the USAF/USAF.
The date of purchase by Rock Island Oil & Refining Co. of Wichita,KS is as yet unknown. It was registered to them as N4816E.
DM Air Enterprises Ltd (of Vancouver,BC) owned it during 1963-1965; the tailnumber became CF-PGF.
Air Spray Ltd bought it in 1970, changed the registration to C-FPGF and flew it as Tanker 1.
www.warbirdregistry.org

The nose art depicts a fireman putting out a fire: "If'n Ah Sez Out, Ah Means Out"
But it seems those days are over.

On my page Red Deer Revisited (24Sep07) one can see which Invaders remain as well as parts lying about...

Back to CANADA -2006-

To email me, click on the image and write the correct adress as given below
(replace -AT- by the @ symbol).

Sorry for the inconvenience, but this is because spam has increasingly become a problem.