A-20 "Boston" in Soviet VVS, help with photo

[photo-war]

Hello! Picked up this A-20 photo today, is this possbile to tell what variant is this? From what I know they were supplied in several variants to USSR for different purposes: bombers, torpedo-bombers, recon planes etc. I appreciate any help with this image!

Best regards,
Alexander

[PMoz99]

Nose glazing looks A-20B. Engine cowl looks A-20G.
The quickest illustrations to show that which I could find are attached.
Maybe it was modified/repaired after delivery.
Cheers

[kurlannaiskos]

A-20B
the USSR got about 2/3rds of all the A-20B's produced.
this style of nose glazing was used on the A-20 and A-20B

[HGabor]

Alex,

This is probably an A-20G with the nose of an A-20B. As a bomber, the soviets didn't really like the originally delivered American A-20Gs, so they usually removed the solid nose with the installed weapons and instead, they installed an old style A-20B/C bombardier cockpit for better navigational view. This was a well known method for modifications for bomber and recce. purposes. Especially bomber formation leader planes got these huge windows. Regular A-20G bombers had their smaller nose windows within formations, but formation and flight leaders usually had larger, A-20B/C nose. Night fighters, ground attack/torpedo bomber units however, might have kept the original, solid A-20G nose with armament. For the 17 VA regiments eg. I have a list of those mechanics, who were promoted for their quick and excellent job of these field modifications. Some ground crew chiefs got promoted for converting eg. 5 or 10 A-20Gs into A-20Bs for flight-leader, or recce. purposes in very short time. Not sure if these nose sections were separately delivered straight from the US via the South Atlantic, or the ALSIB route, probably they just used the many still good condition A-20B noses from their scrapped, ww old A-20B Bostons - as they had most of their production.

Gabor

[HGabor]

See a 1944 example of a modified soviet A-20G of 17 VA, 244 BAD, 449 BAP with an A-20B nose. The different paint color clearly marks the line of the new cockpit installation.
Gabor

[photo-war]

Gabor, kurlannaiskos many thanks for detailed information!

Best regards,
Alexander

[focusfocus]

Maybe you can find some informations in the french magazine "AVIONS" n° 117 and 118 (by Vladimir Kotelnikov).There are some photos of Boston with a nose of Iliouchine for example. unfortunately I have no scanner.

regards

[kurlannaiskos]

personally , I think it is a lot easier to swap cowling parts (especially around the exhaust) than to swap entire noses.
the Soviets did modify G's to have navigator/bombardier stations ,but these modifications were done minimally.
the access panels to the guns and ammunition were removed and replaced with perspex.
this is a lot quicker and easier than swapping out the entire nose.
I have also seen exhaust styles from A-20B's and A-20C's on A-20G's ,so don't be fooled by that.

[HGabor]

It is true that the formation A-20G bombers had minimal change in their nose by removing armament and solid cover. But these new bombardier cockpits still had too small windows for recce. and formation leader purposes. For such role entire sections were replaced. Not to mention that regardless these small modification, an A-20G remained A-20G in the soviet records (A-20Ж), not A-20C. Some documents however, did make a difference between A-20G and A-20C modification. This 244 BAD, 260 BAP mechanic guy eg. modified/re-equipped 10 A-20Gs into A-20C, - see attachment. It clearly says A-20C, not G/Ж! 5 VA, 218 BAD regiments (48, 452, 453 BAPs) in 1944-45 were fully re-armed with A-20Gs. According to their October 1, 1944 and January 1, 1945 mechanical reports they had only 2 UA-20C-BO (trainer version) Bostons (....428 and 41-19703), the rest was all A-20G.

According to their mechanical reports the soviet 17 VA, 244 BAD regiments (260, 449, -860. BAP until November 15, 1944-, 861 BAPs) on October 1, 1944 had 35 A-20Bs, 7 A-20Cs, 6 UA-20C trainers, 2 A-20Js (43-21874 and 43-22029), and 77 A-20Gs (based on their listed A.A.F. S/N).

In their January 1, 1945 mechanical report they still had 2 A-20Js (43-21874 and 43-22029), but had only 5 UA-20C trainers (41-19623 was lost), 6 A-20Cs (41-19353 was lost), 31 A-20Bs (41-3550, 41-3189, 41-3648 and 41-3581 were lost) and 73 A-20Gs (42-53948, 42-54185, 43-9782, 43-21369 and 42-86671 were lost, while 43-9505 was a new arrival from ВМФ (Navy) -> -5+1=4 difference). Later, in April, 1945 they received 2 new A-20K-10-DOs (44-124, 44-125) The 5 VA, 218 BAD also received 1 A-20K-11-DO after April 1, 1945 (44-148) with 2 old A-20Bs (41-2695, 41-2930) and 3 A-20Cs (42-33245, 41-19368, 41-19403).

Clearly the majority in both soviet bomber divisions (218 & 244 BAD) in 1945 was the A-20G by their American S/N. Their number increased, all the rest decreased towards VE-day according to the October 1, 1944, January 1, April 1 & July 1, 1945 reports & plane inventory. But since many-many planes were transformed into A-20B/C from A-20Gs, these modifications are not necessarily visible in the lists. They still 'hide' among the A-20Gs. (Or as in most cases written: А-20-Ж-20-ДО, А-20-Ж)
1st squadron of 260 BAP of 244 BAD, for instance, was specialized in single, recce. missions. They definitely needed big windows for better navigation and view. Surely, most A-20G/C modifications were recorded in this unit. This was more change than just replacing the armament with a small plexi window.

Cheers,
Gabor