From 2023 (YouTube Edition): One Aircraft, Three U.S. Wars The Douglas A-26 Invader is a WWII era, American, twin-engined light-bomber and ground attack aircraft designed to meet a 1940 U.S. Army Air Corps (USAAC) requirement for multi-role light-bomber optimized for low-level and medium-altitude precision bombing attacks. The order called for an aircraft capable of carrying both a substantial bomb-load and a great deal of defensive armament. The A-26 fit the USAAC’s specifications to a tee, being the first U.S. aircraft capable of carrying a truly large bomb-load—three-thousand-pounds internally and another two-thousand-pounds beneath its outer wing panels. What’s more, the plane was fast, tough, and able to accommodate a wide range of armaments. The confluence of offensive and defensive attributes made the A-26 both an effective bombing platform and a formidable ground-attack and support aircraft.
