Hess N William. A-20 Boston at War

Ian Allan Ltd 1979. — 136p. — ISBN: 0 7110 0965 1.The combat records of the Douglas A-20 Boston Havoc and the A-26 Invader stretch out over 25 years and five major conflicts. There are very few sister aircraft whose record of missions and types of operations possesses such diversification: any type of combat operation in any type of conflict - the Boston or Invader has performed it. Even the names and designations of the aircraft have undergone so many changes that they are often confusing: the Douglas A-20 is perhaps as well-known as the Havoc, which was the designation the Americans used, as it was as the Boston. Shortly after World War II, the US Air Force dropped the Attack prefix from its rolls and designated the Invader the B-26 rather than the A-26, and thus caused much bewilderment to those who remember the Martin B-26 Marauder of World War II fame.As the Douglas DB-7, the Boston was one of the first American-built aircraft to see action in World War II. It was initiated into combat over France with the French Air Force in 1940, and many Boston aircraft destined for France found their way to England and the Royal Air Force when the French surrendered.The Royal Air Force was initially at a loss to find a mission and a purpose for the Boston. It found a niche first as an intruder aircraft, and was renamed Havoc, but then many were taken over as 'Turbinlite' aircraft for night fighting duties. When this project was finally abandoned the Boston found its real role in North-West Europe. As a light bomber and tactical support aircraft, it carried out an excellent Job, not only with the Royal Air Force, but with the USAAF 9th Air Force flying from England and France.In North Africa, the Boston excelled not only with its original air crews, the South Africans, but later with the USMF and the RAF. German airfield and harbour installations knew no rest with the Boston in the air. The Boston then continued its tactical successes, in the Mediterranean through the Sicilian and Italian campaigns.The first A-20s arrived in the Southwest Pacific when the USAAF was operating on a shoestring. Thanks to the genius of 'Pappy' Gunn, the forces there came up with a 'gunship' in the form of the A-20 that would strike fear into the hearts of the Japanese throughout the fight up the coast of New Guinea and on to the Philippines.The A-26 Invader won its spurs in World War II as well. Faster, heavier, and with greater armament and range, it was an immediate success in Northern Europe. Later, it made many of the final strikes on the Japanese home islands, destroying the enemy's aircraft and installations.The end of World War II brought only a brief respite to the A-26 Invader. As the redesignated 'B-26' is returned to combat in Korea, and compiled a tremendous record as an intruder and interdiction aircraft.Further the south, the Invader went to combat in Indo-China in the conflict between the French and the Viet Minh. There, it gave great support to French ground troops until the peace treaty, which divided the country, was signed.The French made use of the Invader once more when they attempted to suppress the FLN insurgents in Algeria. However, there was little the Invader could do in such a conflict, even when relegated to the role of chasing hostile light aircraft by night.The all-but-new 'On Mark' B-26s saw yeoman service with the USAF flying from Thailand, bombing and strafing along the Ho Chi Minh trail, and the Invader performed in this capacity until near the end of the conflict in Vietnam.