brewerjerry Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 Hi Always finding something new to me , just browsing an A-20B manual it has a drawing of the rear firing engine nacelle guns so curiousity asks did the RAF bostons have these fitted ? cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted August 30, 2020 Share Posted August 30, 2020 Not that I know of, but I wouldn't say they didn't. If so, it may have been just some early one or those taken over from French orders. I'm sure more information will follow soon. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydhuey Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 Nacelle guns fitted to A-20A and A-20B, removed almost as soon as they saw action, good in theory but didn't work , extra weight, maintenance etc. Models operated by RAF never had the facility for Nacelle guns , Boston III's operated by RAAF had mg's added to extreme tail of 8 aircraft when they went into action in NG at the end of 1942, proved a failure and removed within 6 mths. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted August 31, 2020 Share Posted August 31, 2020 The key problem with fixed rear-firing guns is that to use them the bomber has to place itself into just the position the attacking fighter wants it to be. And totally useless when relying on the mutual cover provided by close formation flying. Most air forces tried them, in triumphs of ingenuity over thought, but none persisted. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted September 1, 2020 Author Share Posted September 1, 2020 Hi Thanks for the replies so only on a freshly delivered aircraft cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 I think that conclusion is unwarranted. Not on RAF aircraft, which were A-20B equivalents not A-20Bs as in US manuals, is closer to the evidence presented. Remember Bostons were bought before Lend-Lease, and later A-20s didn't have these guns anyway. It would also have been cheaper for Douglas to continue to produce aircraft for Britain without these guns, or rather without these gun positions. There remains the question of when any guns were fitted: in the UK this would not have been at the factory but at a service Maintenance Unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydhuey Posted September 1, 2020 Share Posted September 1, 2020 Engine nacelle guns only fitted to A-20A and A-20B, RAF never operated these versions , 18 Sqn borrowed several A20Bs from the US 47th BG to help with transitioning from Blenheim to Boston III but this was the only case, RAF operated (Big Tails) DB-7B (Boston III), A-20C (Boston IIIA), A-20J (Boston IV) and A-20K (Boston V), 18 Sqn also operated 6 x A-20Gs for several mths borrowed from the 47th BG while they waited for their new Boston IVs, these were the only A-20Gs operated by the RAF. No nacelle guns on RAF operated Bostons. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted September 1, 2020 Author Share Posted September 1, 2020 Hi ok so only the havoc II / db-7A had them before conversion ( maybe ? ) Armament: ....... " One fixed aft-firing 7.5-mm machine gun in the rear of each engine nacelle " http://www.joebaugher.com/usattack/a20_4.html cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sydhuey Posted September 2, 2020 Share Posted September 2, 2020 DB-7A was a French ordered machine the 100 built all went to the RAF as Boston II's, 7.5 mm MG's were a French weapon and never fitted till delivery in France as they never got to France never got fitted. RAF used the Boston II in a variety of roles but not light bombers . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BS_w Posted September 14, 2020 Share Posted September 14, 2020 In the erection maintenance manual of DB-7, printed in french langage by Douglas(SAnta Monica. Cal. 1940), there is no mention about provision of nacelle fixed gun. The only gun firing to the rear lower is the lower flexible gun of rear gunner. This gun could be operated as flexible gun by the gunner or fixed and controled by a pedal. The mounting is elastic for the gun sprinkles backward(french speciality! also on Potez, Bloch, Breguet...). I doubt about engine nacelle gun on DB-7-A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brewerjerry Posted September 14, 2020 Author Share Posted September 14, 2020 Hi Thanks for the info cheers jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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