Invader at Jeffco

[Steve Nelson]

Hi All,

Back in the early '80s I remember there was an A/B-26 based at Jefferson County Airport outside of Denver. It was an exec bird with tip tanks, painted in SEA camo as an A-26K. On one side of the nose was the name "Brannon's Bomber," and on the other a girlie nose art with the name "Pretty Patty."

I don't know the N-number or military serial..I'm just curious if anybody knows the history and current status of the aircraft.


Thanks,

Steve

[T J Johansen]

Hi All,

Back in the early '80s I remember there was an A/B-26 based at Jefferson County Airport outside of Denver. It was an exec bird with tip tanks, painted in SEA camo as an A-26K. On one side of the nose was the name "Brannon's Bomber," and on the other a girlie nose art with the name "Pretty Patty."

I don't know the N-number or military serial..I'm just curious if anybody knows the history and current status of the aircraft.


Thanks,

Steve

I would imagine that to be the A-26 owned by Mark Johnson of Lakewood, CO at the time. http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a26regis ... 34766.html

Would anyone have photos of this a/c in the 80s? Either in the scheme mentioned by Steve here, or in the colors the registry claims it wore while at Castle AFB.

T J

[Steve Nelson]

Thanks..I think that's the one..the last time I saw it (sometime around '86) the plane was in the process of being repainted in the scheme in the pics. I've got some shots of it in the SEA scheme..I'll scan and post them.

SN

[corsair166b]

Bingo...that's your bird....having talked to Mark several times about the bird, he wishes he had never parted with it (he now has a DeHavilland Venom and a Jet Provost)....he had a lot of fun in it and unfortunately he sold it before I met him. Apparently the A-26 played a part in the Robert Redford movie 'Havana'.

Mark

[John Kerr]

Here are a few shots of N910G from my collection.

photo by Craig Parchman, Jul 85


photo shot at Topeka, KA. Aug 84


photo shot at Stockton, CA Jul 84


Photo shot at Topeak, KA. Aug 84

[corsair166b]

AND before everyone asks "What Mustang is that in the background?" of the second shot, that is Mike Bertz's 'Stang Evil', still based at Jeffco and flown regularly....look for it at a Mustang Gathering near you later this summer!

Mark

[a26invader]

John, beautiful shots. Thanks for sharing!

[Steve Nelson]

Great pics!

I believe the first one was taken at Grand Junction, CO. I was at that show..last time I saw that particular bird fly.

SN

[mustangdriver]

Since we are on the subject of A-26's. What went wrong with Rude Invader that is with Tom Reilly. At one time I saw pics of it, and it look just amazing, now she is in really rough shape.

[T J Johansen]

Excellent photos John. I guess that still leaves my earlier question regarding the plane's history before venturing to Colorado. The registry says the following:

History:
Delivered to Reconstruction Finance Corp as 44-34766, 19??.
- Immediately put up for dispossal, 1945.
Dianna Converse Cyrus Bixby, 1947-1949.
- Registered as N67807.
- Flown as Bendix Racer #91/Huntress.
- Fitted with bomb bay fuel tank for Bendix cross-country race, 1947.
Stanolind Oil & Gas Co, Tulsa, OK, 1954
- Registered as N67807.
Pan American Petroleum Corp, Tulsa, OK, 1961-1964
- Registered as N1243.
Standard Oil Co (Indiana), Chicago, IL, May 31, 1965.
Nine Ten Corp, Chicago, IL, Aug. 4, 1965-1966.
- Registered as N910G.
Paramount Trading Co., Vero Beach, CA 1968-1969
- Registered as N9150.
Miami Aircraft Ventures Inc., Miami, FL, 1970-1972.
Vicky Miller, Burbank, CA, 1977
USAF Museum, Castle AFB, CA, 1983
- Displayed as USN JD-1 "34766" port side.
- Displayed as USAF 34766/Mary Jo starboard side.
V. Mark Johnson, Lakewood, CO, Dec. 1984-1987
Donald Douglas Museum, Santa Monica, CA, 1987-1990
- Displayed as 434766/Pretty Patti/J
Larry Leaf, Willston, FL, 1990-1991.
David Brady, Cartersville, GA, 1991-1992
- Damage in mid-air collision with Brady's T-37.
- A-26 landed safetly, Cartersville, GA, June 7, 1991.
Reva J. Brady, Cartersville, GA, Feb. 1992.
Museum Of Flying, Santa Monica, CA, 1993.
- Restored to executive configuration, Mojave, CA, 1993-1995.
Howard B. Keck/Thermco Aviation, Thermal, CA & Coachella, CA, May 25, 1994-2002.
- Registered as N26BK.

Has anyone ever seen this a/c at Castle in the colors mentioned here?

I was looking through Mike O' Leary's "Bombing Twins" which has got some photos of 44-34766 in different stages of its career. Amongst the photos the author has written some captions about the a/c as it spent some time in the 70s at Van Nuys (where I believe the Challenge warbirds were based). Here is a part of it:

The a/c had passed to the Paramount Trading Co by 1968 as N9150, and is seen in that company's markings during May 1977 at Van Nuys Airport, with the name Amazones on the extended On Mark nose. By this time the machine had gone through several different owners and was operating rather questionable flights "down south". By Jan. 78, N9150 sported a "warbird" camouflage scheme, had its wing tip tanks removed, and was operating on fairly regular drug flights from Van Nuys and other locations in company with a few other tired B-25s and A-26s. This chancy occupation was being performed directly under the eyes of the local feds, who were either too stupid to notice, or were turning a blind eye for other reasons. By 1979, the bomber had been impounded and had become the property of the USAF museum, who displayed it at Castle AFB.

Unfortunately O' Leary put a photo of N6840D in its SEA colors next to this caption, which then leaves the question; did N9150 sport the camo paint job from this timeframe (77-79), until the mid 80s as seen in John's photos, or did it wear this strange scheme with different colors on the two sides around 1983? I have asked around, but not found anyone who can remember seeing this a/c at Castle AFB. The museum have also had the old John Crocker A-26 N26VC on display since 1980!

Any ideas...?

T J

[John Kerr]

Here are some requested photos of A-26B, N9150, 44-34766. All our from my collection. John R. Kerr

1. At Oakland, CA. Oct 77. Note Paramount on tip tanks, and Amazones
on nose.



2. At Oakland, CA Dec 77.



3. At Oakland, CA Nov 81. Ride side: Jo Ann
Left side: Leo's Lady



4. On display at CAFB, CA. 5-10-82, Leo's Lady



5. On display at CAFB, CA Sep 83, Mary Jo