26th October 1938

[antarmike]

First flight of the Douglas Boston/ Douglas Havoc.

(some souces also quote a first flight date 23rd Jan 1938.)

 

The Boston (bomber version) and the Havoc (night intruder/ night fighter) were somewhat chance aircraft to enter RAF service (April and July 1941 respectively)

 

The RAF acquired a number of planes ordered by the French, but at the fall of France this order did not go through to completion, and Britain agreed to accept the last part of the French order.

 

Some of the French planes had been delivered to Casablanca in kit form, 64 fought the German Panzers as they attacked France and the Low Countries, these evacuated to Noerth Africa but ended up with The Vichy Government.

 

The Boston (as the british named it) gained a reputation as a rugged plane, not tremendously fast, but very easy to fly, with no vices. It could be tossed around the sky like a fighter.

 

The Boston/Havoc was very versatile and in RAF service is noted for attacks on the Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen during their dash through the English Channel (Operation Cerberus) and the infamous raid on Dieppe (Operation Jubilee).

The night operations versions flew either as intruders with 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) bombs, or as night-fighters with AI Mk IV radar. These were known collectively as Havoc Mk I. A total of 181 Bostons were converted to Havocs. In interdiction raids, Havoc intruders caused considerable damage to German targets.

The Boston/Havoc flew with anumber of airforces including the Soviet Union , the Australians and the Americans.

Edited October 25, 2008 by antarmike

[antarmike]

 

 

[antarmike]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZDf9rKmCUc