Douglas Havoc and Boston: SOLD OUT

[aerovin2]

Just sold my last available copy of Douglas Havoc and Boston: The DB-7/A-20 Series. It was published a five or six years ago by Crowood in the UK. I saw it as a companion book to the Douglas A-26/B-26 Invader I did a few years earlier for Crowood. The A-20 book was better, but I was happy with the way both books turned out. Neither sold very well. Crowood "remaindered" out the last of the A-20 book stock a couple years ago and they are now available here and there new, and here and there used. The "new" price on my site was $49.95 but the "new" price online is, like $165 or more. Anyways, a good book and sorry to see it go "out of print" at least to me.

If your life was not going to be complete until you had this book, well you missed your chance at $49.95.

[Sydhuey]

G'day Scott,
Just found this site after a lot of searching, I have your book on the Boston/Havoc and think its one of the best writen on the A-20 family ,on page 98 you mention the Dutch markings on RAAF Bostons , I have attached photos of the actual skins removed from A28-8 DU-J (AL907) which show the Dutch triangle painted over RAF markings with RAAF marking over the top of them, I am a Boston enthusiast and have considerable information on Bostons in RAAF service and early US service with the A-20 in the Pacific. thanks Mark

[Sydhuey]

The L/H skins from A28-8 this aircraft flew 49 missions before crashing sept 43

[aerovin2]

Those are some very interesting photos. I did not know there were remains of a Dutch A-20 that showed these markings off. Thanks much for sharing. I need to go back and look at that part of the book and refresh my memory.

[Sydhuey]

G'day Scott ,
a couple more facts of info to come to light on Aussie Bostons you may be interested in, in just about every book writen on A-20's reference is made to A28-78 , an A-20J 43-22140, strange considering no A-20J's were in the South West pacific, a picture recently found by the ADF Serials web site shows it to be A28-78, DU-R, A-20G-45-DO, 43-22148, a hand written mistake in RAAF records on the US seial number puting a 0 instead of an 8 had many people scratching there heads for years about an A-20J.The RAAF never had a J model. Photo attached

[Sydhuey]

Another common mistake is with the attached picture , this picture has been used in about half a dozen A-20/ Boston and RAAF history books all with the wrong info attached, it either has the info as on the picture about DU-Y being A28-3 the a/c flown by Bill Newton on his last mission 19 Mar 43 with the photo taken early 1943 or others state over Kirawina Island Nov 43, in fact the photo was taken 24 Mar 1944, and the pilot was Flying Officer Connell, this was about the only time in about 6 months 22 Sqn had 8 aircraft up on one mission and A28-18 now carrying DU-Y code after returning to the Sqn in Jan 44 after 2 major crashes and rebuilds (10/42 and 09/43).
A common mistake with 22 Sqn Bostons is there Codes from getting Bostons in Apr 42 till Sep/Oct 42 when the Sqn went to New Guinea the a/c hade no codes only the serial number then up until mid 1943 the Sqn only carried a single letter a/c code around mid 43 the sqn code DU was added to the a/c , this does help in a time line for when shots were taken but when the same code letter is used on new aircraft it becomes confusing. Hence Flt Lt Bill Newton flew his last mission in A28-3 "Y" and not A28-18 DU-Y, it is unfortunate that this Code letter of all is the one to get confused as I have seen paintings done and models commisioned for museums of Newtons last mission when he was awarded the V.C. and they have all been wrong I have seen 2 paintings and 3 models made of A28-3 DU-Y , it was unfortunate the reserch into the subject was wrong, but these things happen with the passage of time.
Hope this has been of interest regards Mark