Douglas A-20C s/n 13137 camouflage

[warhawk]

Hello,

 

I often see this aircraft depicted in British two-color cammo as a base behind the sand blotches.

Such as here on the old Revell box-art:

 

Or here in FCM decals set No. 72045

source: Hannants

 

I have always found this odd, as other aircraft of 47th BG in Tunisia '43 (mostly A-20Bs turned up in photos so far) have a standard Olive Drab upper surface as a base...

What are your opinions on this aircraft's cammo? Did it exist at all?

 

Thanks

 

Edited August 27, 2020 by warhawk

[72modeler]

Your subject model might have been one of the A-20C's destined for Britain but impressed by the Air Corps, so it might have been finished with the DuPont equivalent for dark earth applied over the original OD in areas to approximate  the dark green/dark earth camouflage pattern, I think @Dana Bell  would be your man for this query, if he's not too busy at the moment. Slightly off-topic, but check out the linked article to an A-20 recently recovered; looks like it will take a fat wallet and a lot of man hours to restore it to airworthy or even static  condition- fortunately we have a beautifully restored airworthy A-20G here where I live as a part of oil/gas tycoon Rod Lewis' collection. The A-20 was such a handsome airplane, but it hasn't gotten the attention it deserves compared to the B-25 and A-26.

Mike

 

https://gosshawkunlimited.com/projects/potential-projects/douglas-a-20-havoc/

 

https://lewisairlegends.com/

[Space Ranger]

And I have read that the light patches might have been mud applied over Olive Drab!

[warhawk]

1 hour ago, 72modeler said:

looks like it will take a fat wallet and a lot of man hours to restore it to airworthy or even static  condition - fortunately we have a beautifully restored airworthy A-20G here where I live as a part of oil/gas tycoon Rod Lewis' collection. The A-20 was such a handsome airplane, but it hasn't gotten the attention it deserves compared to the B-25 and A-26.

 

Indeed, another restored Havoc (especially if it's an early one) would certainly be a welcome sight.

[brewerjerry]

Hi

    similar aircraft here in photo 

 

 

http://www.warbirdregistry.org/a20registry/a20registry.html

 

 

cheers

  jerry

Edited August 27, 2020 by brewerjerry

[Sydhuey]

This model is one of the "mix up" models released years ago (B ,C ,Boston III close enough no one will know the difference) , the serial 41-3137 is for an A-20B with the stepped glass nose but has an A-20C sloped nosed fitted on the model, the 47th operated almost all A-20Bs though some late A-20Cs were delivered toward the end of the African campaign some A-20C's were delivered in Std OD/NG and some A-20Cs earmarked for RAF were delivered in Dark Green /Dark Earth but the photos I have of these the "Sand" scheme was not applied over them, I can find no info of the "Sand" applied on A-20C's only A-20B's , which were only in OD/NG schemes.

As I said this is a mixed up "close enough" model the FMC and Revell artwork depict a DB-7B Boston III (which US never operated in North Africa) with slopped nose and single pot exhaust cowl with A-20B markings which should have a stepped nose with multi exhaust out back of engine cowl , A-20B/C didn't run the singles pot exhaust , also the 47th ran tropical filter intakes on all their aircraft. 

Edited August 29, 2020 by Sydhuey

[Clifton]

14 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

And I have read that the light patches might have been mud applied over Olive Drab!

Wouldn’t that add unnecessary weight to the airframe?

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

14 hours ago, Space Ranger said:

And I have read that the light patches might have been mud applied over Olive Drab!

Ive heard that as well. Though I think that may be a possibility as rumor sometimes spread from facts. I think most unlikely due to drag, weight and possible fouling of control surfaces ? 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[warhawk]

1 hour ago, Sydhuey said:

A-20B/C didn't run the singles pot exhaust , also the 47th ran tropical filter intakes on all their aircraft. 

 

Thanks for the info! Never knew there was a sand filter as a variation on these.

[stevehnz]

47th BG A-20B with tropical filters.

Steve.

[Seahawk]

20 hours ago, 72modeler said:

Your subject model might have been one of the A-20C's destined for Britain but impressed by the Air Corps, so it might have been finished with the DuPont equivalent for dark earth applied over the original OD in areas to approximate  the dark green/dark earth camouflage pattern, I think @Dana Bell  would be your man for this query, if he's not too busy at the moment.

According to the Douglas painting instructions as reproduced on p.38 of the Crowood Douglas Havoc and Boston book by Scott Thompson,  DB-7Bs built for the RAF were finished in "Brown (Fuller TL-8713 enamel)", "Green (Fuller TL-8714 enamel)" and "Blue (Duck Egg) (Fuller TL-8715 enamel)." 

[Sydhuey]

13 hours ago, Seahawk said:

According to the Douglas painting instructions as reproduced on p.38 of the Crowood Douglas Havoc and Boston book by Scott Thompson,  DB-7Bs built for the RAF were finished in "Brown (Fuller TL-8713 enamel)", "Green (Fuller TL-8714 enamel)" and "Blue (Duck Egg) (Fuller TL-8715 enamel)." 

Depends if they are Douglas or Boeing build aircraft , Douglas used Fuller paints and Boeing Du Pont , you would notice a tonal difference on a new aircraft but not so much on a faded aircraft in the field.