Miloch
July 8th 16, 01:41 AM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_A-20_Havoc
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) was an American attack, light
bomber, intruder aircraft of World War II. It served with several Allied air
forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Soviet Air
Forces (VVS), Soviet Naval Aviation (AVMF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the
United Kingdom. Soviet units received more than one in three (2,908 aircraft) of
the DB-7s ultimately built. It was also used by the air forces of Australia,
South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil
afterwards.
In British Commonwealth air forces, bomber/attack variants of the DB-7 were
usually known by the service name Boston, while night fighter and intruder
variants were usually known as Havoc. An exception to this was the Royal
Australian Air Force, which referred to all variants of the DB-7 by the name
Boston. The USAAF referred to night fighter variants as P-70.
A-20 Havoc DB-7/Boston/P-70
Role Light bomber
Manufacturer Douglas
Designer Ed Heinemann
First flight 23 January 1939
Introduction 10 January 1941
Retired (USAF) 1949
Primary users United States Army Air Forces
Soviet Air Force
Royal Air Force
French Air Force
Produced 1939–1944
Number built 7,478
Developed into Douglas DC-5
Although not the fastest or longest-range aircraft in its class, the Douglas
DB-7 series distinguished itself as a tough, dependable combat aircraft with an
excellent reputation for speed and maneuverability. In a report to the British
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (AAEE) at RAF Boscombe Down,
test pilots summed it up as: "has no vices and is very easy to takeoff and land
.... The aeroplane represents a definite advantage in the design of flying
controls ... extremely pleasant to fly and manoeuvre." Ex-pilots often consider
it their favorite aircraft of the war due to the ability to toss it around like
a fighter. The Douglas bomber/night fighter was extremely adaptable and found a
role in every combat theater of the war, and excelled as a true "pilot's
aeroplane".
When DB-7 series production finally ended on 20 September 1944, a total of 7,098
had been built by Douglas and a further 380 by Boeing. Douglas redesigned its
Santa Monica plant to create a mechanized production line to produce A-20
Havocs. The assembly line was over a mile long (6,100 feet), but by looping back
and forth, fitted into a building that was only 700 feet long. Man-hours were
reduced by 50% for some operations. Production tripled
Specifications (A-20G late production)
General characteristics
Crew: 3
Length: 47 ft 11 in (14.63 m)
Wingspan: 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)
Height: 17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)
Wing area: 465 ft² (43.2 m²)
Empty weight: 15,051 lb (6,827 kg)
Loaded weight: 27,200 lb (12,338 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 27,200lb (12,338 kg) (9,215 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-2600-A5B "Twin Cyclone" radial engines, 1,600 hp (1,200
kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 339 mph (295 kn, 546 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Range: 1,050 mi (912 nmi, 1,690 km)
Service ceiling: 23,700 ft (7,225 m)
Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s)
Armament
Guns:
6× fixed forward firing (12.7 mm).5in Browning machine guns in the nose
2× flexible 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns, mounted dorsally
1x flexible 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine gun, mounted behind bomb bay
Bombs: 2,000 lb (910 kg)
*
The Douglas A-20 Havoc (company designation DB-7) was an American attack, light
bomber, intruder aircraft of World War II. It served with several Allied air
forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), the Soviet Air
Forces (VVS), Soviet Naval Aviation (AVMF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) of the
United Kingdom. Soviet units received more than one in three (2,908 aircraft) of
the DB-7s ultimately built. It was also used by the air forces of Australia,
South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil
afterwards.
In British Commonwealth air forces, bomber/attack variants of the DB-7 were
usually known by the service name Boston, while night fighter and intruder
variants were usually known as Havoc. An exception to this was the Royal
Australian Air Force, which referred to all variants of the DB-7 by the name
Boston. The USAAF referred to night fighter variants as P-70.
A-20 Havoc DB-7/Boston/P-70
Role Light bomber
Manufacturer Douglas
Designer Ed Heinemann
First flight 23 January 1939
Introduction 10 January 1941
Retired (USAF) 1949
Primary users United States Army Air Forces
Soviet Air Force
Royal Air Force
French Air Force
Produced 1939–1944
Number built 7,478
Developed into Douglas DC-5
Although not the fastest or longest-range aircraft in its class, the Douglas
DB-7 series distinguished itself as a tough, dependable combat aircraft with an
excellent reputation for speed and maneuverability. In a report to the British
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (AAEE) at RAF Boscombe Down,
test pilots summed it up as: "has no vices and is very easy to takeoff and land
.... The aeroplane represents a definite advantage in the design of flying
controls ... extremely pleasant to fly and manoeuvre." Ex-pilots often consider
it their favorite aircraft of the war due to the ability to toss it around like
a fighter. The Douglas bomber/night fighter was extremely adaptable and found a
role in every combat theater of the war, and excelled as a true "pilot's
aeroplane".
When DB-7 series production finally ended on 20 September 1944, a total of 7,098
had been built by Douglas and a further 380 by Boeing. Douglas redesigned its
Santa Monica plant to create a mechanized production line to produce A-20
Havocs. The assembly line was over a mile long (6,100 feet), but by looping back
and forth, fitted into a building that was only 700 feet long. Man-hours were
reduced by 50% for some operations. Production tripled
Specifications (A-20G late production)
General characteristics
Crew: 3
Length: 47 ft 11 in (14.63 m)
Wingspan: 61 ft 4 in (18.69 m)
Height: 17 ft 7 in (5.36 m)
Wing area: 465 ft² (43.2 m²)
Empty weight: 15,051 lb (6,827 kg)
Loaded weight: 27,200 lb (12,338 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 27,200lb (12,338 kg) (9,215 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-2600-A5B "Twin Cyclone" radial engines, 1,600 hp (1,200
kW) each
Performance
Maximum speed: 339 mph (295 kn, 546 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Range: 1,050 mi (912 nmi, 1,690 km)
Service ceiling: 23,700 ft (7,225 m)
Rate of climb: 2,000 ft/min (10.2 m/s)
Armament
Guns:
6× fixed forward firing (12.7 mm).5in Browning machine guns in the nose
2× flexible 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine guns, mounted dorsally
1x flexible 0.5 in (12.7 mm) Browning machine gun, mounted behind bomb bay
Bombs: 2,000 lb (910 kg)
*