Douglas A-20 Havoc, from the factory to the field ...

[Hemiman]

Re: Wood: Dug up my notes taken while talking with Melvin "Buzz" Freeman... Buzz was an 8th Sq. Crewchief/mechanic on B-18's, A-24's, A-20's and B-25's.
Buzz made a comment about the bomb bay doors and a fwd door being reinforced with wood.. no other remarks on any other components except flooring..

[airnutz]

Thanks Hemiman!

[Mark Allen M]

This A-20 is right off the coast of California and what looks to be close to my place. Just north of me.

[mexchiwa]

Got a question here (not related to this thread, but related to A-20s)

Does anyone have any color info on any of the civil A-20s in the Registry? Some nice B & W shots, but I have no idea what the colors are. (Except for the Hughes A-20, of course) And does anyone have any info on the CAF A-20's original civil markings? Sorry if this is OT, just always wondered

[jdvoss]

Hello Mexchiwa:

Regarding your request for paint schemes of civil A-20's I thought I would pass along a personal rememberance. In the mid-1950s (as an early teenager) I would often ride my bike out to the Van Nuys (CA) airport to watch the ANG F-51's. One of my trips there I spotted a magnificent civil A-20G parked there. I noted a picture of the same aircraft on page 152 of Scott Thompon's A-20 Havoc book. According to Scott's book the registration was N63148 and unfortunatley the aircraft was lost in 1955 when it crashed into the Gulf of California (Mexico).

The aircraft was painted a light mint green and was trimmed in dark green.

[Mark Allen M]

I know I've seen more Civil A-20 photos. I'll see what I can find. Not sure the colors here.

Douglas A-20G NL63148 modified executive plane at Sacramento, California, in November 1952, William B Larkin collection.

[jdvoss]

Mark:

Scott Thompson's A-20 book has two photos of N63148 one of which is the same one you posted (pg 153) and the one I saw at Van Nuys circa 1954-55.

[mexchiwa]

Thanks for the help. Didn't realize Scott Thompson had an A-20 book, too...

[Mark Allen M]

Here's a couple more


Standard Oil A-20G B Larkin collection


A-20G Howard Hughes NL34920 San Francisco August 13, 1955 B Larkin collection

[mexchiwa]

Mark, I think you posted this pic of N22M (the Lone Star (now Ron Lewis?) A-20) on your SDASM archive:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/4831852891/

And from the thread on CAF house liveries, there is this pic of the CAF A-20 (unfortunately a long-distance head-on shot):

http://www.warbirdinformationexchange.o ... 3&start=75

(Scroll about halfway down, in a long series of pics, with the CAF B-17, 24, and 26)

[jdvoss]

Mark:

YES !!! The top photo appears to be the same one I saw at Van Nuys (CA) airport circa 1954-55. As I commented it was painted light mint green with dark green trim and indeed had been modified with the windows in the aft portion of the fuselage. It was immaculate!

Your second photo appears to be the Howard Hughes A/C which was (or still is) painted white with red trim. I photographed this very aircraft in 1989 at Fox Field, Lancaster CA.

[Scott Rose]

"Heck and Fire" ??? YEESH!!!! "H E L L ' S F I R E"

am I gonna have to repost "Big Nigel" ??? LOL!!!

Talk to the management!! It's not me spelling it that way.

LOL, sometimes the word filters have interesting side effects...

[Chris Brame]

Might as well move these two of mine to this thread:




And a cameo appearance from The Best Years of Our Lives:

[gemmer]

Interesting Australian A-20 with flexible nose gun.

Duane

[rollittakeit]

89th BS A-20A over the harbor at Port Moresby c 1943

Great find.
This is my father's plane with him at the controls.
"Little Hellion"
Lt. Kenneth A. LaBarre
5th AAF, 417th BG.
He was eventually assigned to the 673th Bombardment Squadron "Flying Cowboys".