39 P-70A-1's were delivered in 1943 to help combat Japanese night raids in the Pacific. The P-70A featured AI radar in a solid nose along with 2 x Wright R-2600-11 radial engines of 1,600 horsepower. The P-70 became the dedicated (albeit interim systems until the arrival of the Northrop P-61 Black Widows) night-fighter variants of the A-20 series. A-20K models were similar in design and scope to A-20J models, serving as lead ships though based on the A-20H and mounting different engines (Wright R-2600-29 Cyclone radials of 1,700 horsepower). The A-20J was eventually replaced by the A-26C Invader aircraft, this airplane with its own glassed-in nose. Total production of the A-20J was 450, built concurrently alongside the A-20G for ease. 7mm lower-fuselage machine guns were, however, still kept as standard armament in the type those there were sometimes deleted in the field for the simple idea of saving weight. 7mm machine guns were removed in the A-20J models to make room for the bombardier and his equipment. A-20J's were essentially the same aircraft with the exception of their nose construction. These aircraft were pivotal in increasing the bombing accuracy of the solid nose A-20G models as they featured dedicated bombardiers complete with Norden bombsights and would often "lead" the other "sightless" bombers to the target, achieve the appropriate drop time via direct sighting and inevitably drop its bombload, signaling the other A-20's in the flight group to do the same. III (DB-7B).Ī-20J models were "lead ship" variants with glassed-in nose assemblies as requested by the USAAC. The British Boston series covered three distinct marks as the Boston Mk. Some 95 French-operated DB-7's escaped to North Africa while the remaining models in American hands - and the contract to go along with them - were diverted to British ownership who took over operation of the type as the "Boston". Despite the initiative, only 115 DB-7 s were ultimately delivered to French forces before the collapse of France under German power. An initial batch of 100 DB-7's were constructed and an extended order for 270 more was put into action to help strengthen the ranks. These were assigned the official designation of DB-7 and construction covered two distinct production models to become the DB-7A and the DB-7B. Despite this setback, the French and Belgium governments came calling - with some desperation one can imagine - and ordered several hundred Model 7B's for immediate production in February of 1940. With America still in an isolationist mentality despite the worsening situation in Europe (and the world for that matter), the Model 7B was not followed upon by the USAAC and shelved for the time being. At any rate, the future of the Model 7B was showing great promise. The aircraft was fast on its twin engines and responsive to the controls with very few negative aspects to her overall design. The first flyable model took to the air on October 26th, 1938, and displayed extremely promising potential for such a design. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) showed enough interest after a design review in 1938 that it ordered an operational prototype to be constructed under contract. The A-20 series began life as the Douglas Model 7B design, a light bomber attempt originally put to the paper as early as 1936. Built as a light bomber but operated more or less as a heavy fighter, the Havoc proved a successful addition to the Douglas company line and the Allied war effort as a whole before being eventually replaced by the more capable Douglas A-26 Invader in the attack/light bombing role and Northrop P-61 Black Widow in the night-fighter role. Her crews put the aircraft through its paces with production topping over 7,000 units and several major production variants. The type saw extensive use, proving itself a war-winner capable of withstanding a great deal of punishment but living up to its namesake in turn thanks to its speed and inherent firepower. The Douglas A-20 Havoc served Allied forces through most of World War 2, fighting for British, American and Soviet forces. 8 Douglas A-20 Havoc / Boston Specification.
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