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Restoration Division |
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Douglas A-26C (43-22499) History |
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Military History
The Douglas Aircraft Company at its Tulsa, Oklahoma plant manufactured our aircraft in 1944. The manufacturing lot was A-26C-20-DT. Douglas delivered to the USAAF on November 4, 1944 and ferried to France in December 1944. It was assigned to the 416th Bomb Group (Light), 671st Bomb Squadron stationed at A-55 at Melun, France.
While the Form 1 logbook is missing, research based on USAAF documents and discussions with some veterans who kept their own flight records, shows "Reida Rae" few on 39 Combat Missions with the 416th BG. See the "Detailed Military History" link for a list of missions.
Civilian History
After the aircraft was struck off Air Force inventory in 1957 and aircraft ownership passed to the National Metals Corporation of Phoenix, Arizona on June 18, 1958. After eight years of civilian service, ownership passed to the tenth and final civilian owner, Consolidated Aircraft Sales of Fairfield, New Jersey. Consolidated Aircraft Sales eventually abandoned the aircraft in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1969. In 1971, the New England Air Museum took ownership of the aircraft from the City of Bridgeport.
In August 1971, the Museum arranged for transportation of the aircraft to its museum facilities in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. Click on the photo on the right to view photos of the aircraft as it appeared in Bridgeport, CT and some photos of the disassembled parts loaded on trucks.
· Check out the “Detailed Military History” link above for the complete USAAF and USAF history. · Check out the “Detailed Civilian History” link above for the complete civilian history.
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Douglas A-26C Restoration Project Web Pages Originally developed by:
A-26C Restoration Crew Chief Permission to include these web pages on 416th.com graciously provided by Carl's Family |
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Click on photo below for photos of the move from Bridgeport, CT to our museum |
