Sydhuey
Airman
While doing research on Italian based Boston units mention was made in an 18 Sqn article about A-20G's this sparked my interest as just about every book and article written about RAF Boston ops they all state that the RAF did not operate solid nose Strafer Boston's , wrong!
This got me going on information on 18 Sqn RAF and US 47th BG operations in North Africa and Italy, the 47th and 18 Sqn had a close relationship from when 18 converted to Boston's thru to the end of the war, when 18 converted to Boston's while they waited for RAF Boston III's to arrive the 47th lent 18 Sqn at least 4 x A-20B's (41-3239 being at least one of them) these had RAF markings applied and were used on ops beside RAF Supplied Boston III's and on joint raids with the 47th, this is were a few confusing photo's exist of A-20B's with RAF markings in amongst US A-20B's with the 47th, on return to the 47th these aircraft ran mixed markings for awhile till finally repainted, heavy tooling was also borrowed from the 47th as like most US units they had more equip and tooling than most RAF units had ever seen. This liaison continued up thru Italy when in early 1944 supplies of Boston replacement aircraft were getting scarce the 47th offered new A-20G's which they had abundance of to 18 Sqn as possible replacements, 4 x A-20G's were taken on the books by 18 Sqn and given RAF markings and Sqn code letters,
A-20G-25, 43-9195 "N"
A-20G-25, 43-9198 "?"
A-20G-25, 43-9199 "P"
A-20G-30, 43-9619 "K"
These A-20G's flew approx. 20 missions between Jan and May 44 while the crews liked the 6 x .50's in the nose for ground strafing they were rejected for the night interdictor role as most of the bombing was done from 2000' to 7000' for which a bomb aimer and bomb sight was required, not to mention the tight space in the back of the aircraft for the Navigator as one gunner had to be left behind, it was found they could only be used effectively on nights with a full moon to give the visibility reqd for low level strafing at night ,it was decided to return the A-20G's to the 47th but in April/May it was announced that 18 Sqn was to be re equipped with Boston IV's (A-20J's), so the A-20G's were kept for a little longer as trainers for pilots and gunners until the Boston IV's arrived then they were returned to the 47th BG. At a later date an experimental A-20J was lent to 18 Sqn from the 47th, this aircraft had B-25J gun packs on the fuselage sides aimed down approx. 10-11o for ground strafing (47th BG had previously done this with A-20B's with some success) , this was not a success and this A-20J (43-9646) was shot down on a strafing mission with 18 Sqn.
This got me going on information on 18 Sqn RAF and US 47th BG operations in North Africa and Italy, the 47th and 18 Sqn had a close relationship from when 18 converted to Boston's thru to the end of the war, when 18 converted to Boston's while they waited for RAF Boston III's to arrive the 47th lent 18 Sqn at least 4 x A-20B's (41-3239 being at least one of them) these had RAF markings applied and were used on ops beside RAF Supplied Boston III's and on joint raids with the 47th, this is were a few confusing photo's exist of A-20B's with RAF markings in amongst US A-20B's with the 47th, on return to the 47th these aircraft ran mixed markings for awhile till finally repainted, heavy tooling was also borrowed from the 47th as like most US units they had more equip and tooling than most RAF units had ever seen. This liaison continued up thru Italy when in early 1944 supplies of Boston replacement aircraft were getting scarce the 47th offered new A-20G's which they had abundance of to 18 Sqn as possible replacements, 4 x A-20G's were taken on the books by 18 Sqn and given RAF markings and Sqn code letters,
A-20G-25, 43-9195 "N"
A-20G-25, 43-9198 "?"
A-20G-25, 43-9199 "P"
A-20G-30, 43-9619 "K"
These A-20G's flew approx. 20 missions between Jan and May 44 while the crews liked the 6 x .50's in the nose for ground strafing they were rejected for the night interdictor role as most of the bombing was done from 2000' to 7000' for which a bomb aimer and bomb sight was required, not to mention the tight space in the back of the aircraft for the Navigator as one gunner had to be left behind, it was found they could only be used effectively on nights with a full moon to give the visibility reqd for low level strafing at night ,it was decided to return the A-20G's to the 47th but in April/May it was announced that 18 Sqn was to be re equipped with Boston IV's (A-20J's), so the A-20G's were kept for a little longer as trainers for pilots and gunners until the Boston IV's arrived then they were returned to the 47th BG. At a later date an experimental A-20J was lent to 18 Sqn from the 47th, this aircraft had B-25J gun packs on the fuselage sides aimed down approx. 10-11o for ground strafing (47th BG had previously done this with A-20B's with some success) , this was not a success and this A-20J (43-9646) was shot down on a strafing mission with 18 Sqn.
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