Invader ‘Sugarland Express’ finds new home

After more than 36 years, Douglas Invader N167B popularly known as ‘Sugarland Express’ has left Scandinavia. It has now found a new home. It seems to have arrived at Bremgarten Airport  in the afternoon of 13 August 2024. 

Douglas A-26B Invader N167B was flown by the USAF as 44-34602 (c/n 27881) and struck of charge on 1 July 1958. It was sold as N8329H to Jack Lysdale Flying Service, St Paul (MN) in 1964. The plane underwent a number of modifications from A-26B to TA-26B, then to TB-26B and VB-26B, to finally end up as a ‘Monarch 26’ conversion.

But this was all done in vain, as the Invader was restored to full military configuration with a solid eight gun nose in 1987. It was then delivered to Oslo, Norway in May 1988 where it was flown as 44-34602/BC-602/S ‘Sugarland Express’.

Still registered in the USA as N167B  it was operated by the Scandinavian Historic Flight until 2011. In 2006 a reservation was made for the registration LN-IVA but this was not taken up). Since 2011 Jan Andersson of Nordic Warbirds, Vasteras, Sweden has taken care of N167B but it was rarely seen in the air.

For quite a period of time ‘Sugarland Express’ has been for sale, which now finally seems to have had result. Hopefully things will now change and will we be able to enjoy the sight and sound of the beautiful Invader.

Photo by Gert Jan Mentink during Flying Legends at Duxford on 12 July 2008