The Douglas A/B-26 Invader

Out of uniform












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The individual aircraft sites listed below, follow the same format as this main site, so the same method of interrogation should be applied.

 
 
                                              The Douglas A-26 Invader
                                           
                                            The Grumman F7F Tigercat
                                                 
                                                    The PBY Catalina
                                         
                                          The Northrop P-61 Black Widow
                                                    
                                                  The North American B-25 Mitchell
                                                      
 
                                                      They all had one thing in common
                                                   They were all fighter/attack big twins
                                             That swapped their uniforms, for civvie street
                              
 
               And declared war on the wildfire
 
 
                                         Read the story of how these legendary aeroplanes,
                                               some having already fought in three wars,
                                                then went onto to deliver a deadly blow 
                                    against wildland and forest fires in Canada and the USA,
                                            but with some pilots who had also flown them
                                  when they were combat aircraft in WWII, Korea and Vietnam
 
 


 

 

 

                                     Performance comparisons - Click on the drawing to access the site









































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Douglas A-26 Invader

Dimensions

Wing Span: 75.00 ft. / 22.86 M
Length: 50.00 ft. / 15.24 M
Height: 18.50 ft. / 5.64 M
Wing Area: 539.27 Sq ft. / 50.10 Sq M
Weight Empty: 22,370 lb. / 10,147 Kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 43,372 lb. / 19,673 Kg

 

Power & Performance

Powerplant(s): 2x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-103W 18 cylinder radial

 

Maximum Wing Loading: 80.43 lb. per Sq. ft.; 392.67 Kg / Sq. M

 

VMax High Altitude / VMax Low Altitude: -- / --
Max Speed: 345 knots, 396.75 mph, 638.94 km/h
Operational Ceiling: 30,000 ft. / 9,144 M

 

Armament

8 x 0.50in machine guns in the nose, 4990 kg ordinance in bomb bay and on external hardpoints

 

 

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North American B-25 Mitchell

Dimensions

Wing Span: 67.59 ft. / 20.60 M
Length: 52.92 ft. / 16.13 M
Height: 15.81 ft. / 4.82 M
Wing Area: 609.99 Sq ft. / 56.67 Sq M
Weight Empty: 21,100 lb. / 9,571 Kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 41,800 lb. / 18,960 Kg

 

Power & Performance

Powerplant(s): 2x Wright R-2600-13 14 cylinder radial
Engine Power: 1268 kilowatts / engine

Maximum Wing Loading: 68.53 lb. per Sq. ft.; 334.57 Kg / Sq. M

Max Speed: 236 knots, 271.4 mph, 437.072 km/h
Operational Ceiling: 23,200 ft. / 7,071 M

 

Armament

4000lb bomb load, and up to 13 0.50 in machine guns






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Grumman F7F Tigercat

Dimensions

Wing Span: 51.51 ft. / 15.70 M
Length: 46.82 ft. / 14.27 M
Height: 16.57 ft. / 5.05 M
Wing Area: 455.31 Sq ft. / 42.30 Sq M
Weight Empty: 16,270 lb. / 7,380 Kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 25,269 lb. / 11,462 Kg

 

Power & Performance

Powerplant(s): 2x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-22W or -34W Double Wasp 18 cylinder radial

 

Maximum Wing Loading: 55.50 lb. per Sq. ft.; 270.97 Kg / Sq. M

 

VMax High Altitude / VMax Low Altitude: -- / --
Max Speed: 378 knots, 434.7 mph, 700.056 km/h
Operational Ceiling: 40,700 ft. / 12,405 M

 

Armament

4 x 20mm cannon, 4 x 0.50 machine guns, and 2000 lbs of external ordinance

 

 

 

 






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Northrop P-61 Black Widow

Dimensions

Wing Span: 65.98 ft. / 20.11 M
Length: 49.57 ft. / 15.11 M
Height: 14.67 ft. / 4.47 M
Wing Area: 664.03 Sq ft. / 61.69 Sq M

Weight Empty: 22,000 lb. / 9,979 Kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 38,001 lb. / 17,237 Kg

 

Power & Performance

Powerplant(s): 2x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65 Double Wasp, 18 cylinder radial

 

Maximum Wing Loading: 57.23 lb. per Sq. ft.; 279.41 Kg / Sq. M


 

VMax High Altitude / VMax Low Altitude: -- / --
Max Speed: 318 knots, 365.7 mph, 588.936 km/h
Operational Ceiling: 33,100 ft. / 10,089 M

 

Armament

4 x 0.50in MG in ventral position, 4 x 20mm cannon in dorsal turret, 6400lbs of ordinance

 

pbydrginv_jpg_w300h119hh.jpg

PBY Catalina

Dimensions

Wing Span: 104.00 ft. / 31.70 M
Length: 63.85 ft. / 19.46 M
Height: 18.83 ft. / 5.74 M
Wing Area: 1,399.95 Sq ft. / 130.06 Sq M
Weight Empty: 17,527 lb. / 7,950 Kg
Max. Takeoff Weight: 34,000 lb. / 15,422 Kg

 

Power & Performance

Powerplant(s): 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp 14 cylinder radials
Engine Power: 895 kilowatts / engine
 
Maximum Wing Loading: 24.29 lb. per Sq. ft.; 118.58 Kg / Sq. M

Max Speed: 170 knots, 195.5 mph, 314.84 km/h
Operational Ceiling: 18,000 ft. / 5,486 M

 

Armament

5 x 0.30in or 0.50in machine guns, 4000lbs. Bombs or other ordinance

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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