A-20 w/HVARs?

[Hoggardhigh]

Hi all,

According to the OP of this thread at sas1946.com, very late-production A-20 Havocs could carry underwing HVAR rockets, something I've never found mention of in any other source.

Can someone provide a bit more information on this?

Thanks

 

[ThomasP]

I cannot say that they did not carry 5" HVAR, but the only rockets I have ever seen mention of on the A-20 in US service were the tube-launched 4.5" Aircraft Rocket (either M8 or M16 rockets) and in UK service the 3" rockets.

Check out this thread over on Large Scale Planes website for some very nice photos of the 4.5" Aircraft Rocket installations, along with other armament installations: "A-20 Havoc References"

Here is a photo of the UK 3" rocket installation on a Havoc:

 

[Maxrobot1]

Bomb shackles?

 

[bf109xxl]

 

[bf109xxl]

 

[Temistocle]

View attachment 852924

What kind of rocket bombs are they? Maybe Russian, due to the snowy landscape?

 

[WESTLAND]

What kind of rocket bombs are they? Maybe Russian, due to the snowy landscape?

Hi. These aren't rocket bombs. They're standard Soviet FAB-100s bombs.

 

[MIflyer]

The 5 inch HVAR saw little use in the ETO. It was a USN development, inspired by RAF air-launched rockets, and the Navy agreed to provide a batch of them for use on P-47's, which went into action soon after 6 Jun 1944. One writer said they must have not been very effective in the anti-tank role, since they were used for only a short time, but in reality the USAAF in the ETO simply ran out of them. Reference the book "Druid's Circle" by Group Captain H.W. Dean, who flew with the USAAF P-47 unit while they were using the HVAR.

The introduction of the 5 inch HVAR almost coincided with the replacement of the A-20 by the A-26. So there would have been few opportunities for the Havoc to use the HVAR and pretty much only in the Pacific.