Designed in response to a 1940 U.S. Army Air Force requirement for an attack
aircraft, the first of 1,300 A-26 were delivered in 1944. A-26s
fought in both Europe and the Pacific.
In 1948, the USAF eliminated the Attack category and re-designated the
Invader as the B-26 (the Martin Marauder then being out of
inventory). As the B-26, the Invader saw extensive service in
Korea. By the end of the war, the Invader was considered obsolete
and replaced by the B-57.
Counter-insurgency demands in Vietnam saw the resurrection of the
B-26, again re-designated the A-26 due to a consolidation of U.S.A.F. and Navy
designations in 1962. Invaders remained in service well into
the 1970s.
