A-20's ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

"Irene" 410th Bomb Group

410th Bomb Group

417 Bomb Group

3rd Bomb Group

410th Bomb Group

417 Bomb Group

3rd Bomb Group

410th Bomb Group

'The Real McCoy" 646th Bomb Squadron 410th Bomb Group 9th Air Force

409th Bomb Group 641st Bomb Squadron 9th AF

410th Bomb Group

646th Bomb Squadron 410th Bomb Group 9th Air Force

Looks to be a mix-up with an A-20 and B-24

647th Bomb Squadron 410th Bomb Group 9th Air Force

Rob Mears · **Posted:** Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:15 pm

Does anyone have a general understanding of why so few A-20's survive to this day? Like the B-25, it would seem to be a great basis for an exec transport, water bomber, etc. So much potential, yet all but ignored in that regard.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:24 pm

Rob Mears wrote:

Does anyone have a general understanding of why so few A-20's survive to this day? Like the B-25, it would seem to be a great basis for an exec transport, water bomber, etc. So much potential, yet all but ignored in that regard.

A-26

Jerry O'Neill · **Posted:** Sat Oct 27, 2012 5:34 pm

I think the reason might be tha the A-20 it was a single pilot aircraft and I think it was thinner than the B-25. Probably not conducive to a plush conversion.
Jerry

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Oct 27, 2012 6:29 pm

TriangleP wrote:

Gold Star for you Mark, for gallantry above and beyond the call of duty! Your series of picture posts make WIX an enjoyeable experience for many people. Well done!

I love these A-20s, the low altitude missions they performed made them the plane to fly for pilots hooked on these kinds of missions. A-20s were used by the RAF in Europe for missions later done by the de Havilland Mosquito. The 5th AF used to them to great effect attacking airfields and shipping at low altitudes in the Southwest Pacific. These guys were a gutsy bunch!

Rob, Jerry and The Inspector are right, the A-20 was a pre-war design and had a smaller, narrow fuselage that I think didn't lend itself to retrofitting a comfortable cabin space. The writing was on the wall when A-20 production ceased in 1944 and the Douglas A/B-26 light attack bomber was produced to replace it. Consequently, the A-26 had a postwar role in the Air Force that the A-20 didn't have. The A-26 had a larger payload and was faster, so any executives or corporations wanting an fast plane would have looked past any surplused A-20s and chosen the Douglas B-26 because of its performance. Also, the A-26 had an airframe size that lended itself to making a cabin better than the A-20. B-25s had a postwar career in military and civilian use for the same reasons. A WIX poster recently wondered why de Havilland Mosquitos didn't have a strong postwar career either. Although it was a high performance machine, I think it's narrow fuselage just didn't allow it to be modified for executive transport or for carrying hogs too well.

Regarding the non acceptance of DH Mosquitos as executive transports, bending double and crawling on your hands and knees to get to your seat in an executive airplane only became fashionable when the LEAR 23 hit the market, s/n 003 who's former owner was some guy named Frank Sinatra now sits in front of the MoF restoration facility @ KPAE

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

The A-20 that the CAF had was an executive conversion. So was the one Rod Lewis owns. I worked on it quite a bit when Bill Farah still owned it. It was pretty spiffed up at one time. The problem with the executive conversion of A-20s was the lack of space in the back and ease of access for the passengers. Not to mention that the pilot had to crawl up the outside of the airplane to get in the coffin style door.

Wilson · **Posted:** Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:19 pm

I’ve always liked the A-20. My friend’s dad built them in Santa Monica until Uncle Sam decided they needed him as a rifleman.

I had the chance to go inside the Howard Hughes A-20 when it was at Fox. There was a bench seat for two where the gunner’s turret would be. That was it. Access was through the gunner’s entry door in the bottom of the fuselage. The fuselage tapered down quickly by the door, so there wasn’t much room. You would have definitely felt like you were traveling as a jump-seater rather than an executive.

I remember reading somewhere that the A-26 was first offered to A-20 units in the Pacific. They were given one to evaluate. They didn’t like it. They felt the engines blocked the pilot’s view. They asked for new A-20s instead.

CoastieJohn · **Joined:** Fri Feb 11, 2011 5:37 pm **Posts:** 1380

There's still a British A-20 up in Greenland if anyone is so inclined to dig a little.

Hemiman · **Posted:** Sun Oct 28, 2012 1:08 pm

Wilson wrote:

I remember reading somewhere that the A-26 was first offered to A-20 units in the Pacific. They were given one to evaluate. They didn’t like it. They felt the engines blocked the pilot’s view. They asked for new A-20s instead.

3rd Attack Group 8th Sqdn evaluation: Courtesy of Ed Shook, CO of the 8th and one of the test pilots...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Two BD-2's pictured during delivery to the Navy after transfer from the Army Air Corp

442nd Service Group Patterson Airfield Iceland 12 May 1944

A-20 Havoc 1944 exact location unknown

Mark Sampson · **Joined:** Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:02 pm **Posts:** 302

Many A-20s were used up in combat or sent to the Russians, so there must have been fewer surplus ones available. I've looked over the MARC-owned A-20 that lives at Geneseo and can't really imagine why you'd want to turn one into a passenger airplane. The fuselage is as narrow as a fighter plane's. The A-26 parked next to it certainly has a wider fuselage and thus room for carrying people. That said, I'd love to see that A-20 fly, but IDK what the plans for it are. It's been 'mostly completed' for several years but untouched since...

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

Great, and a few horrifying photos, of a little covered attack aircraft.

I must say though......love the D-Day stripes!!!

Chappie

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:32 am

CoastieJohn wrote:

There's still a British A-20 up in Greenland if anyone is so inclined to dig a little.

Lets go!!!!! I'll bring the shovels :lol:

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Navy BD-2 Havoc "Daisy Mae"

A-20 "Honey" 43-21415

Refueling a pair of P-70's at a dispersal area 7 Mile Drome Jackson's Field near Port Moresby

A-20G No 701 with Col Harold A Mace in the cockpit

A-20G Havoc USAAF New Guinea 1944

A-20A with wing mounted rocket launchers

Marine Corp BD-2 Havoc

9th Air Force Douglas A-20G or A-20H over France

A-20 Havoc USAAF 3rd Attack Group 13th Bomb Sqdrn strafes Maru Tadji New Guinea 1943

A-20 Havoc USAAF bombs Ship Luzon Philippines 1945

A-20G of the 417th Attack Group destroyed on the ground at Mindoro Philippines on Dec21 1944

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

More great photos. Those shots taken from the rear facing strike camera on A-20s and B-25s are some of my favorites from WWII. They simply fascinate me.

Chappie

Warbird Information Exchange

A-20's ...

Who is online