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LF RB-26C camera info


ReccePhreak

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I have decided that I want to start on my Monogram 1/48 A/B-26C Invader, and do it as a Korean War RB-26C. I will probably use Aeromaster's Marauding Invaders Pt.III "48-617"
What I want to do is install the cameras and their respective windows, as well as the M46 flash bombs used for night photography. I have done an extensive Google search of the various forums and the internet, but have not seen any hard factual info on the locations of the cameras, their windows and the flash bombs.

 

I even checked all through the following references, to no avail.

 

Douglas A-26 Invader "Warbird Tech #22"
Douglas A-26 and B-26 Invader "Crowood"
A-26 Invader in Action "Aircraft No. 134" 
A-26 Invader in Action "Aircraft No. 37" 
Douglas A-26 Invader "Famous Airplanes of the world No.092 1977-12"
A-26B & A-26C Erection & Maintenance Instructions "25 December 1944"
Pilot's Handbook for Army Models A-26B & A-26C Airplanes "10 August 1945"
A-26 Invader Pilot's Notes
B-26K Flight Manual "T.O. 1B-26K-1"
B-26K Illustrated Parts Breakdown "T.O. 1B-26K-4"

 

The only photos of a B-26 camera fit were for the Vietnam era B-26K, which is totally different from the Korean era RB-26C. Can anybody help with the info I need?

 

Larry
lengesath(AT)cox(DOT)net

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9 hours ago, Jure Miljevic said:

Hi, Larry

Have you checked the following topic on Britmodeller? It looks quite informative to me.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234944516-rb26-b26c-questions/

I hope it helps. Cheers

Jure

Thanks Jure,

 

I can see why my search didn't turn anything up, they used RB26 instead of RB-26. The needed data is slowly coming in. Once I am confident that I have what I need, I can start on the model. One thing I don't know is if they just put sheet metal over the holes left by the removed gun turrets. I read that they put an extra fuel tank in one of those locations, but no confirmation.

 

Larry

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3 hours ago, ReccePhreak said:

Thanks Jure,

 

I can see why my search didn't turn anything up, they used RB26 instead of RB-26. The needed data is slowly coming in. Once I am confident that I have what I need, I can start on the model. One thing I don't know is if they just put sheet metal over the holes left by the removed gun turrets. I read that they put an extra fuel tank in one of those locations, but no confirmation.

 

Larry

Larry I'll take a look through the parts T.O. to see if it has anything about the extra tank. 

 

John

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On 10/25/2016 at 3:06 PM, canberra kid said:

Larry I found this, 

RB26_zpsvsb8vh1t.jpg

John

Thanks John, for that info. I don't know how much of that fuel tank will be visible when I build the kit.

I guess it would be visible, as I plan to have my bomb bay open, to show my photoflash bombs.

 

Larry

Edited by ReccePhreak
more questions
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  • 3 years later...
  • 6 months later...

I think that Korean RB-26Cs had the cameras in the gunners compartment and the bomb bay was used to carry flare bombs. I don't think that they had a split bomb bay/bomb bay doors that would have protected the cameras from the elements and buffeting and or allowed access to cameras in flight. Some RB-26Cs had a side window on the nose. The early RB-57A were the same, I believe. 

One of my period Japanese aviation magazine has a tech uploading a camera through the nose crew ? hatch. It is on the bottom just behind the nose glass. The nose side window is visible. It is also a WB-26C due to the slim AMQ-133 psychrometer on the right side of the nose. Not all of the WB-26Cs had the nose side window. 

See here for WB-26C. 

https://thejivebombers.com/2018/07/30/rb-26-invader-of-the-363rd-tactical-reconnaissance-wing/

 

Here is a link to airliners.net for a French RB-26C with the nose window.

https://www.airliners.net/photo/France-Air-Force/Douglas-RB-26C-Invader/2046513

 

Grant

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If you want to go to town, the 11th TRS flew ELINT RB-26Cs. They appear to be the same as flown in Europe. One pic taken in the mid 50s at Yao Airport (八尾飛行場) .  Glass nose all black with no wing tanks. BC-500 aft the fuselage star, United States Air Force over 139500 0n the tail. Forward half of the fin tip in white. Ventral radomes under the nose and rear fuselage just before the star. Football DF antenna aft of the upper gunner's window. 

Like this one.

41-1.jpg

 

But lacks the blade antennas. 

 

Grant

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While I was at McClellan AFB, the base library had a copy of the unclassified version of USAF Historical Study NO. 127, United States Air Force Operations In The Korean Conflict, 1 July 1952-27 July 1953.  From pages 239, 240...  

The 12th TRS provided night photography but also provided electronic and weather reconnaissance. 

...the 67th TRW was authorized 27 RB-26's, but it seldom possessed so many planes and several B-26s were modified for electronics reconnaissance. For navigational assistance, the RB-26's carried shoran and loran; for photography, the standard RB-26 configuration was two 9- by 9-inch formay 12-inch focallength cameras mounted in a split vertical installation in a section aft of the bomb bay. Either K-19 or K-27 cameras were successfully used for night photography but the RB-26's usually carried K-37 cameras. 

Night photography was a problem because of limitations in artificial illumination.

When the (162nd TRS (Night Photo), later redesignated the 12th TRS (Night Photo) first arrived, the RB-26s carried the then new A-3 cartridge-ejection illumination system which employed A-14 magazines and M-112 flash cartridges. The first lots of flash cartridges had a high dud rate. Better cartridges and increased usage brought wear to the magazines. Also the system was designed foe low altitudes. The flares were designed for 3,125 feet  optimal illumination, but the rugged terrain and increasing enemy AA capabilities meant a higher altitude was necessary. In May, 1952, the cartridge system was abandoned and the equipment sent to FEALOGFOR. The M-46 photoflash bombs that had also been used now took over the illumination role. The M-46 with K-37 cameras produced good results from 7,000 to 8,000 feet. But the main problem was their size. The RB-26s could only carry 6 to 12 M-46s. Clearly not enough. They also needed to carry flares. By  July 1952, Project Hi Light had modified the bomb bay and provided wing racks to carry 30 M-46s and Mark-VI flares. 16 internally and 14 on two wing racks. But by Aug. 1952, the 12th TRS had almost exhausted all supplies of the M-46s. The RB-26s were modified to carry the newly developed M-120 photoflash bombs, 16 in the bomb bay and 8 more on the wing racks. They could operate at higher altitude, 14,000 was desirable, but the 12-in K-37  could not take satisfactory scaled photos at that altitude so in Sept 1952, two modified K-22 24-inch cameras were obtained. They had capping curtains instead of standard shutter curtains. To compensate for image motion, (1/25th second exposure time) A-18 image motion compensating magazines were used. The two cameras were installed in two RB-26s. Initial results seemed good, but later FEAF reported that they "did not produce satisfactory results," and the K-22s removed.

There is more on getting accurate navigation with test installation of AN/APN-160 airborne beacons. But they had to operate out of the optimal altitude of the flares and cameras. A secondary mission to use the APA-54 shoran recorder in two aircraft to check the accuracy of the shoran grid map system was a failure as the RB-26s were too sluggish at 20,000 feet and difficult to align properly and the oxygen system could not proved enough oxygen for flights over an hour and a half. 

 

Hope that this is useful.

More later.

Grant

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