A-20 in distress

[kaki3152]

Can anyone identify this A-20 in obvious distress? From single star w/out bars I would say late 1942 early 1943

[25Kingman49]

Some limited aircraft speculation this photo on this site:

https://imgur.com/gallery/BcaoGax

"I wasn't able to dig up any context for this one and the fact that no tail markings are visible makes it even harder to identify the aircraft, however it is clearly a "solid" nosed model (as opposed to the earlier glazed nose model) of the factory manufactured variety, not a field modification where the glazed nose was painted over, making it an A-20G manufactured from February 1943. There also appears to be no power driven dorsal turret, making it one of the first 750 such aircraft manufactured, and since it is armed with .50 cal machine guns and not cannon, not one of the first 250 of the series

Also of note is the wing insignia that lacks the horizontal bars which became standard in June 1943, which gives us a fairly narrow time window for the image. The fact that the marking is only present on the left wing also dates the image to post February 1943."

[kaki3152]

It's possibly from the 3rd BG in the SWPA or the 47th BG in Tunisia

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The land seen below the aircraft is farmland, and so I think we can exclude SWPA in 1943, and probably too Tunisia.

Another possibility is that the picture was taken over the US during a domestic flight.

Here are some possibilities:
430412 A-20G 42-53612 9 Ferry 6 Ferry AAB, Long Beach, CA BLEF 5 Perry, Tom USA UT Hill Field, UT
430501 A-20G 42-53700 21 Ferry Palm Springs, CA KCRF 5 Luchsinger, Andrew G USA CA San Bernardino AAF, CA
430602 A-20G 42-53911 9 Ferry 6 Ferry AAF, Long Beach, CA LACEF 5 Bell, Woodrow M USA UT Hill Field, Ogden, UT
430614 A-20G 42-53827 4 Ferry Memphis, TN KCRF 5 Hampson, Robert W USA OK 1 1/2 Mi NE Edmond, OK
430615 A-20G 42-53969 21 Ferry AAF, Palm Springs, CA KLACEF 5 Ullrich, Dellie O USA UT Delta, UT

Taken from: http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/AFrptsMO.htm

[Kutscha]

Don't think so Laurent. Port engine on fire and the top of the fuselage badly damaged, possibly by flak.

[kaki3152]

I have to agree with Kutscha, this airplane has obvious flak damage and with the port engine on fire, this plane is going down.

[kaki3152]

Ok, to help identify this airplane, I looked at my copy of "American Combat Planes" by Ray Wagner, still the best compediun for information on US combat planes.
According to this, some of the A-20Bs working in Africa were modified with solid gun noses, which was chosen as the inspiration behind the A-20G. Enclosed is a picture from ACP which shows this solid nose A-20B.
Based on this information and the early US markings, I would submit this is one of the 47th BG A-20Bs with a solid gun nose. Notice the early USAAF markings.

[RSwank]

The picture appears in the 47th BGs collection of pictures here:

http://www.47thbombgroup.org/pictures/history/25.html

Enlarged Version:
http://www.47thbombgroup.org/picture...mages/249.html

It is the 249th picture in a collection of 300.

The label says "Out of the Picture, 41 down in flames". With the number of 41, it should have been in the 85th BS.

[kaki3152]

Thank you for that incisive find! I was guessing it was a 47th BG airplane but this firmly identifies it.

[kaki3152]

One possibility A-20B, 85BS, 47 BG, April 16,1943. 1st/Lt. Edgar Hinshaw and two POW