Douglas A-26 and B-26 Invader (Crowood Aviation Series) Hardcover – January 1, 2002

The Army Air Force/Air Force really confused a lot of people, past and present, by giving this plane the same designation as the B-26 Martin Marauder. This plane built by Doulgas Aircraft, was designed to replace the B-25 and Marauder. First flown July of 1942, it ran into developmental problems and delays associated with new designs, huge factory orders before the first plane has flown and creating new factories to build the planes.Just over 2,200 were built ( about 1/2 the number of Marauders). It gave good service in the Pacific and Europe, arriving just in time for the end of the war. It served well in Korea as a light bomber, night bomber and a counter-insurgency role in Vietnam. A good design, obviously one that allowed a lot of varients, flexibility and success.There are many excellent black and white photos showing every aspect of the plane, inside and out. Captions are good, line drawings and 8 pages of color photos. Good mix of narrative/history of the development and deployment of this plane, along with pilots stories that put you there. I recommend this book for any serious aviation fans to want to have a very detailed book about an overlooked plane which contributed to the Allied victory.

Having flown and owned an On Mark executive conversion A-26B, I found Scott Thompson's book to be very accurate and informative. A great historical and insightful work about a truly significant aircraft.