The Invader is a new airplane, one of the first of the planes designed to meet the tactical requirements of the theater commanders. The A-26 attack bomber has tremendous striking power.

One of the most versatile aircraft ever designed, it approaches the speed of a fighter, and has the range and bomb load of a medium bomber, in addition to having a nose-full of concentrated cannon and machine gun firepower.

Make no mistake about it, the Invader is not a small boy's flying machine. It is a high-speed airplane with high wing loading. It requires exact procedures, top flying technique, and headwork to exploit its great striking power.

WINGS: Two-spar, full cantilever, laminar flow. (Span, 70 ft; maximum width, 10 feet; maximum depth, 18 ½ inches.)

FUSELAGE: All-metal structure of alclad skin shaped and reinforced by aluminum alloy ribs, bulkheads, and longitudinal members. (Length with bombardier nose, 51 feet 3 inches; length with all-purpose nose, 50 ft 9 inches; maximum width 5 feet 2 inches; height 5 feet 10 inches.)

ENGINES: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-27 Double Wasp, 2000 HP each

PROPELLERS: Three-bladed (12 feet, 7 inches in diameter) constant-speed, full-feathering hydromatic Hamilton Standard.

(of critical importance in an engine-out situation to reduce the enormous drag of a windmilling unpowered propeller)

The feathering device on this propeller has an electric pump which you start by pressing the red feathering button on the control pedestal in the cockpit. It takes oil from the engine oil tank and forces it, under extremely high pressure, to the prop governor housing. This high pressure in the housing actuates a transfer valve which disconnects the prop governor from the system and allows high-pressure oil to be forced to the back side of the piston in the propeller dome.

The high-pressure oil supplied by the feathering pump overrides the two forces at the front of the piston and forces the piston to the front of the dome which puts the prop blades in a full-feathered position.

The A-26 is literally a flying gun platform. No other tactical airplane has so much pilot-operated equipment.

Two Noses - interchangeable

Nose No. 1: All-purpose: (1) Six .50-cal machine guns, (2) One 37-mm cannon and four .50-cal machine guns, (3) One 37-mm cannon and two .50-cal machine guns, (4) Two 37-mm cannons, (5) One 75-mm, one 37-mm cannon, (6) One 75-mm cannon and two .50-cal machine guns.

Nose No. 2: Bombardier nose - bombsight brackets, bombing controls and two .50-cal guns.

You now have and airplane and a 2-man or 3-man crew for which you are responsible, not only when you are flying or on the flight line, but for 24 hours of the day.

You cannot over-emphasize the morale effect of a neat appearance. Insist on it.

Remember, your crew depends on you for survival. This means you must be an expert in every operation of the airplane. As an expert, you will have complete confidence to cope with any situation. Confidence is contagious.

You are the absolute boss. Use your authority wisely. Don't be a "swell guy pushover". Don't be a Simon Legree. Be fair - your crew will respect you and work with you.

When leaving the IP (Initial Point - a designated spot in the sky from which the bomb run is initiated) and starting your run:

1. Open the bomb bay doors and maintain constant bombing airspeed and altitude.

2. The bombardier immediately requests "Stabilizer level." Hold the airplane in a straight and level attitude.

Your bombardier is taking a bubble level which sets the bombsight gyro level.

When the bomb is dropped, the bombardier calls "Bombs away", cages the gyro and advises "O.K. to turn".

When using the gunsight, keep both eyes open. Do not turn on the FIRE CONTROL switch until you have rolled out of your last turn and are lined up on the target.

Then put your bead on the target with coordinated use of stick and rudder, freeze on the rudder and make last little corrections with aileron.

Fire short bursts of no more than 20 continuous rounds per gun. Pull out well over the target because bullets and dirt ricochet and may possibly come back through the windshield.