Douglas DB-7 (A-20) Havoc Night Fighters

Newsreel introducing the Douglas Havoc night fighter in Britain

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Douglas
• A-20
• Havoc
• DB-7
• night
• fighter
• aviation
• history
• aircraft
• airplane

[ps5108]

My uncle, F/Sgt Harry Tilby flew as Bomb Aimer/Observer in the aircraft (YP-T) shown in this clip. It shows 23 Squadron aircraft used on 'Intruder' missions over occupied Europe. They operated singly and in complete radio silence, patrolling known Luftwaffe airfields. They waited for the landing lights on the airfield to be lit, then attacked. Unfortunately, my uncle was shot down over northern France and is buried, along with his crewmates, at Montdidier.

[rickcee]

My dad was a bombadier and gunner in A-20s in North Africa and Sicily. Made 61 missions when they only had to do 25 in order to return stateside. My favorite of the pictures I have of him is a shot of him standing in front of his nose cone pointing to a dozen or so holes in the glass all around him. He was very lucky that day, and I was lucky to have him.

[TheIan37]

This is a B20 Boston, not an A20 Havoc.

[kolbpilot]

"Primary trainers & fighters had one thing in common, both had miserable cockpits for the long haul. One was either hot or cold, rattling around in a windswept cavern or cramped into a miniature oven. But now & then appeared a miracle, like the cushiony A-20. Orders to take this sturdy beauty with its luxurious armchair in a glassed-in room to Canada seemed to good to be true". Mary Lou Neale, A-20 Pilot, Women Airforce Service Pilot. Excerpt from 'Air Command' by Jeffery l. Ethell.

[ps5108]

If anyone is subhuman - it's YOU !!

[fjbutch]

Hats off to these brave dudes. Gutsy missions...

[SwissPyro]

Yeah what a bunch of fat british subhumans

[redbrackets]

I, like so many others, bow my head to the bravery of heroes like these, whose efforts are so often overlooked.