I have always found the A20 Boston/Havoc family lineage a bit complicated, but in particular; can anyone out there please give definitive answers to the following questions regarding the defensive guns of RAF A20s?
I have read and seen shots of the first A20’s (including the Turbinlights) having a single .303″ Vickers Gas Operated (VGO) in the upper gun position. When did production change to twin .303″ Brownings?
Who manufactured the twin Browning upper gun mount? Guesswork would suggest maybe Rose Brothers of Gainsborough or perhaps the American Bell company? Was it the same mount as that used in Lysanders?
Did all RAF A20s carry a ventral gun? A20’s were certainly built with a ventral position. If so, was the weapon a VGO or, as some sources suggest a .5″ Browning?
Finally (!) does anyone know where I can find good pictures, or better still diagrams, of RAF – reiterate – RAF A20 upper and lower gun positions, particularly showing the twin .303″ Browning mount? RAFM can’t help and I’ve found nothing in the TNA.
Hope someone can help.
Thanks.
Tim.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd November 2009 at 18:43
Thanks for the replies folks. Much appreciated.
The AP seems to confirm once and for all that the twin Brownings were on a Rose mount.
On the subject of W8315, the references I have say that the turret on this airframe was designed by Rose Bros, and was a one off trialled at A+AEE. Strangely, it looks (externally at least) a little like the Bristol BI turret.
Cheers.
Tim.
By: Arabella-Cox - 2nd November 2009 at 17:16
Who manufactured the twin Browning upper gun mount? Guesswork would suggest maybe Rose Brothers of Gainsborough or perhaps the American Bell company?
See AP2811A, Rose Bros. Gun Turrets and Gun Mountings, Upper Gun Mounting Type R.B. 28 in Boston Mk. III aircraft. Available at The National Archives.
By: contrailjj - 2nd November 2009 at 15:21
From the info I’ve been reading through lately… here’s some info on the British defensive armament. Some specific – some generalized. Those from the original French order were all to be rearmed to British standard.
Boston I (early diversions from France and Belgium): Single flexible .303s (British) in Dorsal and Ventral
Boston III: Twin .303s (British) on Bell mount Dorsal. Single Vickers K flexible in Ventral.
At least one Boston III (W8315) was equipped with a Boulton-Paul turret in the Dorsal position.
Boston IV (Lend/Lease A-20J): Twin .50 Martin powered turret Dorsal, Single flexible .50 Browning Ventral
Boston V (Lend/Lease A-20K): Twin .50 Martin powered turret Dorsal, Single flexible .50 Browning Ventral
(A-20 defensive armament switched to the Martin .50 turret and .50 ventral from the A-20G onward)
Havoc I (Intruder): Single flexible .303 in Dorsal position
Havoc I (Night Fighter): No defensive armament
Havoc II (original French DB-7A taken over and factory converted): Single .303s in Dorsal and Ventral.
(close-up photos… unfortunately in this case, these are the American mounts on the A-20C – Twin Browning M-3s .30s on Bell mount Dorsal and single Browning .30 in Ventral)
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November 2, 2009 at 1:42 pm