Invader takes a break at Antwerp airport

Not many people believed the rumours that a Douglas Invader would arrive to join the Dakotas of the D-Day squadron during the 2024 commemorations of the Normandy Invasion. But it turned to be actually true and at 21:30 local time on 3 June Douglas B-26C N26BP landed at Antwerp Deurne airport, Belgium. It arrived from Wick in the North of Scotland.

Our local correspondent, Walter van Brempt, immediately went to Deurne the following day and sent us a nice selection of this rare warbird.

The Invader was built as an A-26B with serial 41-39359 (c/n 7072) but later received the designation B-26C (after the withdrawal of the Martin B-26 Marauder). The bomber is registered to the Marine Aviation Museum in Wilmington (DE) but it is sponsored by the Million Air, a US company specialized in bizjet services.

It is because of this sponsorship that N26BP is adorned with the nose art of a younglady with the name ‘Million Airess’ and the sponsor name on the nosewheel doors. Except for this nose art and a green painted vertical stabilizer and rudder, the colour scheme of the plane is basic aluminum with a large USAAF star and bars.

N26BP left Antwerp on 4 June and flew to Cherbourg to participate in the commemorations of D-Day in the following days. It returned to Antwerp on 7 June, and, after refueling, continued to Warsaw, Poland to participate in an airshow. It once again showed up in Antwerp on… but was then hangared because of a technical issue.

After its withdrawal from USAAF service, 41-39359 was sold on via MASDC Davis-Monthan to Aero Union Corp. of Chino (CA) as N91281. It was flown as one of their firebombers until 1970. Conair then acquired the plane and as CF-BMR (later C-FBMR) Tanker #21 had a distinctive career as firefighter until 1987.

It was then rebuilt as a warbird and its solid firebomber nose was replaced by a glazed one. It had several owners before it was finally bought by its current owner, the Marine Aviation Museum in 2008.

Photos: Walter van Brempt (N26BP) and Daniel Tanner (C-FBMR) via AirHistory.net