The Douglas A-20 Havoc/Boston.....whiff ideas and potential

[Radish]

OK chaps, a current favourite of mine is the Douglas Boston or Havoc.

The French originally ordered it and we Brits took it on too, eventually inheriting French, Belgian and Dutch orders, as well as our own.

Did you know that the French ordered the Model DB-73 as a solid-nosed aircraft, with guns fitted? This eventually developed as the RAF's Boston III with a re-insteted glass nose.
So.......what about a delay in the German attack until 1941, allowing the French to accept these solid-nosed Bostons? Might some appear later in Vichy camo?
Or....perhaps the dates remain the same, but RAf Boston IIIs have a solid nose?

Did you know that 4 A-20Gs were stopped from flying to Israel in 1948 at the last minute? Now there's a great story with whiffing potential

Did you know the Soviets used the A-20 into the 1950s (presumably at the end for testing stuff) but as they had so many, might some have been re-issued to favoured allies late in the '40s ....China? Poland? Bulgaria? North Korea??

Did you know that as well as Brazil operating the A-20K, some late model (A-20Gs??) have been identified in Nicaragua? And a wreck was reclaimed in Bolivian markings!!!! Huge whatiffery with a "hint" of what might be true!!

More potential in the fitting of remote controlled turrets as well.

Kits are good in 1/48th, the MPM one in 1/72nd is out, and Airfix are re-releasing their old Boston III in 1/72nd too.

Mmmmmmm

[Maverick]

Always loved the Boston or Havoc, particularly the gun-nose variants.  Turbinlite was also another 'odd' idea, along with the LAM (Long Aerial Mine).  I've also done up a post war RNZAF co-in ship in my Gallery.

Regards,

Mav

[elmayerle]

As I remember, Douglas flew one prototype with a twin-tail for comparison; that'd make for some interesting possbilities.  Also, wasn't the DC-5 based on the wings and tail surfaces of the A-20?  there's potential development that way, too.

[Daryl J.]

A gunship with some depth charges has been in mind ever since AMT released the A-20G some years back.   Coastal Command markings perchance?


Daryl J.

[jcf]

As I remember, Douglas flew one prototype with a twin-tail for comparison; that'd make for some interesting possbilities.  Also, wasn't the DC-5 based on the wings and tail surfaces of the A-20?  there's potential development that way, too.

The 131st aircraft from the French order was modified to a twin-tail layout in an attempt to improve directional stability and
increase the field of fire for the dorsal machine gun.

The DC-5's connection with the DB-7/A-20 was that the Project Engineer Leo Devlin and Ed Heineman, as supervising engineer,
drew on their experiences with the high-wing twin-engined Northrop 7A and Douglas 7B designs and there was a family resemblance to the 7B.
The DB 7/A-20 had been the result of a heavy redesign of the 7B.
The wings and engine nacelles of the DC 5 were very different from the light bomber design and the DC-5 was larger overall, 78' span versus 61' for the DB 7/A-20.

A transport/bomber version of the DC 5  was proposed as the 'DB-5'.
Douglas also offered a DC-5 version powered by four 600 hp Ranger SGV-770 air-cooled inverted V-12 engines.


Back to the subject at hand, some A-20 variations.
A-20: Turbo-supercharged 1,700hp R-2600-7, sixty-three ordered, only one completed (#15) due to overheating problems - became P-70 prototype.
XA-20B: Tested three different designs of remote control turrets, experiment was not entirely successful and was discontinued.
A-20D-DO: Turbo-supercharged engines and lightened airframe, contract canceled.
XA-20F-DO: two GE twin .50MG remote controlled turrets, one above and one below the fuselage, later converted for 37mm nose cannon test.
XF-3: Turbo-supercharged 1,700hp R-2600-7, photo recon prototype, later re-engined and delivered to US Navy as the BD-1.
YF-3: Turbo-supercharged 1,700hp R-2600-7, two photo recon prototypes, only DB 7/A-20 series aircraft fitted with a tail turret, twin .30 MG.


Jon

[Radish]

There were large numbers of Bostons/Havocs kept in the US for training, as well as those in war theatres. Unfortunately, it was superceded by the A-26 Invader, but surely there's export potential in South America and even Europe? The RAF kept theirs into 1946 in Italy (only giving them up when they vacated the Occupation as a cost-cutting excercise.....same with their Mustang III and IVs)...and the idea of A-20Gs flown by Yugoslavia, Italy, Honduras, Chile, etc., is attractive.

As for Coastal Command, I like the idea of a Bay of Biscay Boston with perhaps HVARs too, as I've seen a photo of an operational A-20G so equipped (British ones were tested with RAF 60lb rockets as well)...all white with grey and green upper surfaces?

Interestingly, the Fleet Air Arm operated some Bostons and Havocs in second-line roles, by 771 Sqn based at Twatt in the Orkneys.  Dark Sea Grey and Dark Slate Grey over Sky with Yellow Codes.

I must admit I'll be doing an A-20G in totally spurious nose art markings to catch the unwary!

And what about a Portuguese AF or Navy operating A-20s from The Azores, or why not a Portuguese AF operating some in Africa?
Could the Dominican AF have had them?
Why not one from The Knight's Templar?

The South Africans kept their Venturas for a long time....why not the A-20J or K? For Maritime Reconnaisance?

[kitbasher]

I've been fighting off an urge to build my Matchbox (ex-Revell) P-70 as a canard intruder in RAF Mosquito intruder colours, but have been waiting for Special Hobby (or is it MPM, one or the other) to bring out an RAF Havoc II first. 

[Radish]

Follow your urges....I always do

[jcf]

Page of A-20 drawings:

http://www.wunderwaffe.narod.ru/Magazine/AirWar/92/Draw/index.htm

Jon