Douglas Boston: American Light Bomber in RCAF Service

Douglas A-20 Boston.  The RCAF flew three at Suffield, Alberta, for "special" research operations.

 

Douglas Boston Mk. III, RCAF No. 418 Squadron, circa 1944.

Douglas Boston Mk. III (Intruder) (Z2240 TH-T) "Toronto", No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, circa November 1941-July 1943.

Douglas Boston, H for Humboldt, Saskatchewan, RCAF.

Douglas Boston, H for Humboldt, Saskatchewan, RCAF.

Douglas Boston formation, RCAF.

Douglas Boston Mk. III formation, No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, circa 1941-1943.

Douglas Boston Mk. III, T for Toronto, No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, with nine airmen, six of whom are from Toronto.  L-R: Sgt. H. J. Irving, Sgt. G. M. Riches, Sgt. J. W. Hutchison, Sgt. J. E. C. Pringle, P/O D. Duxfield (Timmins, Ontario), P/O E. Keyes (Ottwa, Ontario), Sgt. J. Field, Sgt. J. Sharples, and Sgt. G. Chabot (Sudbury, Ontario).  Photo taken at RAF Station Debden, Essex in the UK, February 1942.

Douglas Boston Mk. III,  No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, "B" Flight, taken at their home, RAF Station Debden, Essex in the UK, February 1942.

Douglas Boston Mk. III (W8358), No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, at RAF Debden, England.

Douglas Boston Mk. IV (W8268, TH-O, "Ottawa, Ontario"), No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, circa November-December 1941.

Douglas Boston Mk. IV (W8268, TH-O, "Ottawa, Ontario"), No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF.

Douglas Boston Mk. III (Intruder), No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, coded TH-C, taxiing at Bradwell Bay, Essex, prior to a night intruder raid over France, September 1942.  No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, operated Douglas Boston Mk. IIIs on night intruder sorties from Bradwell Bay.  Its usual targets were Luftwaffe airfields, the French railway system and occasionally factory buildings.  The aircraft in the photograph carry ventral fuselage gun packs housing four 20-mm cannon.

Douglas Boston Mk. III (Intruder), No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, illuminated by a Chance Light by the runway at Bradwell Bay, Essex, prepares to take off on a night intruder mission over North-west Europe, circa 1942. No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, led by Russ Bannock and Johny Caine (Edmonton), achieved more RCAF air to ground and air to air kills, than all other Canadian squadrons.  The squadron was later equipped with Mosquitoes.  The squadrons score included 173 aircraft destroyed of which 73 were on the ground, 9 probables, 103 damaged, 76 V-1's destroyed over water, and 7 V-1's destroyed over England.  No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron dropped 56 tons of bombs, destroyed 17 locomotives and damaged 59 locomotives, with 52 freight and passenger cars destroyed or derailed and 300 motor vehicles destroyed.

Douglas Boston pair, No. 418 (Intruder) Squadron, RCAF, 14 May 1943.