My uncle was part of the ground personnel (flight line mechanic) that serviced 6 lend lease A-20s for a raid on a German held Dutch airfield. These A-20's were lend lease to the British, but these 6 American crews borrowed them for the FIRST American air raid on Europe in WWII. The date was July 4, 1942. 2 of the 6 planes were shot down over the target. The history of the Mighty 8th AF will state that the first raid took place that following September, but that is a gross error and ignores the
My uncle flew A-20s in New Guinea. I believe he told me he also flew P-40s before that. He was a short( about 5 foot 4 inches) Polish/American off the streets of Brooklyn...but he was the toughest son-of-a-bitch I ever knew. I am going to visit him in Arlington Cemetery. I wish he were still with us.
A20's were a popular aircraft in the defence of New Guinea in the RAAF 22nd. 22nd was also known as the City of Sydney. They replaced Wirraway's when Australia inadvertently acquired A20's destined for France. France fell to Germany and the aircraft couldn't be shipped to Europe due to U boat threat. A beautiful aircraft endeared by all that touched it and they held their own in attack bombing and strafing runs with Beau fighters. A beautifully restored example takes pride of place in the RAAF museum, Point Cook, Victoria, Australia.
This type of plane was popular in the 5th AF in the western Pacific theater along with the B-25. The A-20's replaced the B-26 Marauders. The dominate heavy bomber was the B-24 and the best fighter was the P-38, some P-47s and P-40's were flown, but the best units had P-38's Such as the 49th Fighter Group and the 475th Fighter Group. Dick Bong was in the 49th and Tommy McGuire and Col. Charles McDonald were in the 475th.Col. Charles Lindberg flew with the 475th.
There was an A-20 that had been converted to a corporate plane in the 1960's. It had engine trouble and made an emergency landing on the harbor project under construction at Vicksburg, Miss. This plane sat there for over a year until repairs could be made and a pilot flew it off to the city airport where it sat for years. It was dismantles and taken to Texas for a complete restoration. This plane flew for a while until the pilot had an in flight heart attack and nosed in.
A fantastic aircraft loved by there crews, the Boston's (DB-7B's) of No 22 Sqn RAAF actually came from the Dutch East Indies, the MLD (Dutch navy) ordered them but Java fell before they were delivered, 22 Sqn operated 69 Bostons between April 42 and Nov 44 . DB-7B's, A-20A's, A-20C's and A-20G's Also British and Australian Sqn's are referred to as number Twenty Two Sqn (No 22 Sqn) or Four One Six Sqn or Four Sixteen Sqn (No 416 Sqn) for example , never Twenty Second Sqn (22nd) or Four Hundred and Sixteenth Sqn (416th) as is the norm for US Sqn's
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My uncle was part of the ground personnel (flight line mechanic) that serviced 6 lend lease A-20s for a raid on a German held Dutch airfield. These A-20's were lend lease to the British, but these 6 American crews borrowed them for the FIRST American air raid on Europe in WWII. The date was July 4, 1942. 2 of the 6 planes were shot down over the target. The history of the Mighty 8th AF will state that the first raid took place that following September, but that is a gross error and ignores the
What a great looking bird.
A-20 was a beautiful aircraft and very effective! Later morphed into the A-26 Invader!
Look up Ed Heinemann. One of the greatest aircraft designers of all time.
As usual, brilliant Zeno´s! Great Images and very good music!
Same guy that designed this, did my favorite; the A4D "Skyhawk," AKA the "Scooter."
Excellent video Zeno, thanks!
My uncle flew A-20s in New Guinea. I believe he told me he also flew P-40s before that. He was a short( about 5 foot 4 inches) Polish/American off the streets of Brooklyn...but he was the toughest son-of-a-bitch I ever knew. I am going to visit him in Arlington Cemetery. I wish he were still with us.
Respect.
Good job Zeno.
A20's were a popular aircraft in the defence of New Guinea in the RAAF 22nd. 22nd was also known as the City of Sydney. They replaced Wirraway's when Australia inadvertently acquired A20's destined for France. France fell to Germany and the aircraft couldn't be shipped to Europe due to U boat threat. A beautiful aircraft endeared by all that touched it and they held their own in attack bombing and strafing runs with Beau fighters. A beautifully restored example takes pride of place in the RAAF museum, Point Cook, Victoria, Australia.
This type of plane was popular in the 5th AF in the western Pacific theater along with the B-25. The A-20's replaced the B-26 Marauders. The dominate heavy bomber was the B-24 and the best fighter was the P-38, some P-47s and P-40's were flown, but the best units had P-38's Such as the 49th Fighter Group and the 475th Fighter Group. Dick Bong was in the 49th and Tommy McGuire and Col. Charles McDonald were in the 475th.Col. Charles Lindberg flew with the 475th.
6 crews that made the first raid and is an injustice for the 2 crews that went down over the target.
There was an A-20 that had been converted to a corporate plane in the 1960's. It had engine trouble and made an emergency landing on the harbor project under construction at Vicksburg, Miss. This plane sat there for over a year until repairs could be made and a pilot flew it off to the city airport where it sat for years. It was dismantles and taken to Texas for a complete restoration. This plane flew for a while until the pilot had an in flight heart attack and nosed in.
Nice music
A fantastic aircraft loved by there crews, the Boston's (DB-7B's) of No 22 Sqn RAAF actually came from the Dutch East Indies, the MLD (Dutch navy) ordered them but Java fell before they were delivered, 22 Sqn operated 69 Bostons between April 42 and Nov 44 . DB-7B's, A-20A's, A-20C's and A-20G's
Also British and Australian Sqn's are referred to as number Twenty Two Sqn (No 22 Sqn) or Four One Six Sqn or Four Sixteen Sqn (No 416 Sqn) for example , never Twenty Second Sqn (22nd) or Four Hundred and Sixteenth Sqn (416th) as is the norm for US Sqn's
my dad was an enlisted flight crew member on an A 20 during WWII in n. Africa.. looking for anyone who was there.
I met a man a while back named Peyton Kea. Found out after his death that he was a A 20 pilot. He was from south Hampton County va.
Wish I knew more
Isn't the contribution of the A-20 to allied victory one of the least known facts of WW2?
Only among the ignorant or uninformed.