The Douglas A-26B Invader was a twin-engine attack aircraft designed as a fast, heavily armed replacement for the A-20 Havoc. First flown in 1942 and entering service in late 1944, the A-26B featured a solid nose packed with up to eight .50-caliber machine guns, making it highly effective in ground-attack, strafing, and bombing missions during World War II. Redesignated the B-26 in 1948, the Invader saw extensive combat in Korea as a night attack aircraft. Modernized versions even returned to action during the Vietnam War, giving the Invader the rare distinction of serving in three major conflicts and cementing its reputation as one of the finest piston-powered attack aircraft ever built.