by Richard Mallory Allnutt (Chief Editor)
Kermit Weeks’ Douglas A-26B Invader (41-39401) made its first successful post-restoration flight on February 20th, 2023, making a thirty-minute hop from Chino Airport in Chino, California. Aero Trader performed the comprehensive restoration of this aircraft, which saw the aircraft return to its original, single-pilot configuration along with the installation of much period military hardware. Kermit Weeks has owned the Invader since July, 1987. He initially displayed the aircraft with the then-nascent Weeks Air Museum at the former Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport (now Miami Executive Airport) near Miami, Florida. However, when Hurricane Andrew swept up the Florida coast in August, 1992 the Weeks Air Museum’s hangar collapsed, with the Invader receiving considerable damage in the process… along with many of the other historic airframes alongside it. Weeks trucked the A-26 to Aero Trader for repairs in 1997, and the world-renowned restoration shop has worked on it off-and-on ever since.
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The aircraft was ready to go last May, with Steve Hinton at the controls (and Mark Moodie in the right seat) for the first test flight, although, as most readers will now know, that endeavor nearly ended in disaster when the cockpit’s clamshell doors burst open in mid-flight. Hinton was able to return the aircraft safely to Chino, but were it not for his cool-headed reactions, or had the doors departed the airframe, the outcome might have been very different – as the video below attests.
Thankfully, this time everything went well. Once the test-flying is complete, the Invader will likely make its way back to Kermit Weeks’ home base at the Fantasy of Flight Museum in Polk City, Florida. While it is unlikely that the aircraft will make many – if any – air show appearances, it wouldn’t be surprising to see it take part in the EAA’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo at Lakeland, Florida if Weeks can get the Invader back home in time for the convention, which takes place between March 28th and April 2nd this year.
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One of our regular contributors, Adam Estes, visited Aero Trader in early February, and was able to capture some excellent images detailing the aircraft’s features. We want to thank him for providing these excellent photographs to share with you here.
