Jay Dees

Air Classics, Oct 2002

UNWANTED BY THE RAF, THESE AIRCRAFT FOUND A NEW MARKET

When the Royal Air Force decided it did not want to adopt the Douglas A-26 Invader into service, orders had already been placed for numerous aircraft and some had been completed. Douglas had completed 33 Invader B.Is but with no takers, ferry crews flew the planes to Sacramento, California, where they were placed into storage - but not for long. The new operator would be the US Navy but they did not want the Invader in its combat form.

In actuality, at this point, America was building combat aircraft faster than needed and in April 1945 the first consignment of RAF Invaders went to the Navy with the designation JD-1. Stripped of armament, the Navy reasoned these aircraft could have an operational role as target tugs and general hacks. In all the Navy would receive 150 Invaders with Bureau Numbers 77139-77224, 80621-80622, and 140326140377 being assigned. It is interesting to note that a A-2613-45DL 44-34217 (BuNo 5799) and a A-26C-40-DT 44-35467 (BuNo 57991) were assigned to the Navy during 1945 as XJD-1s. Also it is presumed that the Navy did its own modifications (including a unique nose modification) to remove armament and install equipment needed for the new mission.

Some of the aircraft were modified as JD-1Ds to be utilized as directors for drone flights. Surviving aircraft were redesignated UB-26Js and DB-26Js in 1962. The Navy "Jay Dees" were operated by utility squadrons - VU-2, -3, -4, -5, -7, and -10 into the 1960s and they were utilized as hacks, drone directors, and target tugs. Some of the most brightly painted aircraft in the Navy inventory, these aircraft had insignia yellow flying surfaces with (initially) glossy sea blue fuselages which were later changed to engine gray. Also, the aircraft often carried red and dayglo trim. Although many of these planes were stored surplus at the Navy's NAF Litchfield Park, Arizona, it is interesting to note that none survived to become Warbirds nor Counter Invaders.