Douglas A-20B Havoc

Douglas · United States · first flew 1941 · bomber

The Douglas A-20B Havoc was a USAAF light attack bomber variant of the DB-7 family, featuring armour improvements and revised armament compared to the A-20A. It was used for training and some combat operations in the early years of US involvement in World War II.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	14.48 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

USAAF twin-engine attack and light bomber
Twin oval fins and mid-wing configuration
Glazed nose bombardier position, two Wright R-2600 engines

Essentially identical in external appearance to other A-20 variants — twin-engine mid-wing layout, twin oval fins, and smooth engine nacelles; sub-variant differences are internal and not visible externally.

Specifications

The Douglas A-20B Havoc has a length of 14.48 m (48 ft).
It has a wingspan of 18.69 m (61 ft).
Its maximum speed is 510 km/h (317 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The A-20B was procured by the USAAF primarily for training purposes in the continental United States, with many eventually transferred to Allied nations under Lend-Lease. It shared the basic airframe of the successful DB-7/A-20 family that served in numerous configurations throughout the war.

Variants

The A-20 family runs from the A-20 through A-20K, with parallel RAF Boston and Havoc designations; the A-20B introduced armour and armament improvements over the initial A-20A production batch.

Where you'll see it

Used mainly for training in the continental United States; some transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend-Lease and to other Allied air forces during World War II.

Related aircraft

AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.