Art Scale D48079 1/48 Boston MK.III part 1 - Workhorses in the sky RAAF (1)

The Boston Mk.III was the British designation for a variant of the American Douglas DB-7B light bomber, later known as the A-20 Havoc in American service.

A brief history of the Boston Mk.III

• Origin: The DB-7 was developed in response to a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) requirement for a new light bomber in the late 1930s. The French government showed interest in the type before the USAAC and ordered a significant number.
  
• French order and the fall of France: The first production DB-7s were delivered to France in 1939. After the fall of France in 1940, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) took over the remaining French order.
  
• British service and Boston designation: The RAF renamed the bomber version of the DB-7 "Boston" and the fighter/night fighter version "Havoc". Boston Mk.III was the designation for the DB-7B, which was powered by Wright R-2600 engines and had improved armour protection.
  
• Deployment: Boston Mk.IIIs entered service with the RAF in the spring of 1941. They were used as light bombers, mainly by units of the 2nd Group RAF, and operated against targets in occupied Europe. They replaced the older Bristol Blenheim bombers.
  
• Modifications: Some Boston Mk.IIIs were modified into "Havoc-Intruder" night fighters with additional machine guns in the nose or into "Turbinlite" aircraft with a powerful searchlight for illuminating enemy bombers at night.
  
• Other users: In addition to the RAF, Boston Mk.IIIs also served with other Allied air forces, such as the Free Dutch Air Force and later the USAAF, where they retained the British designation "Boston" for some of the aircraft delivered.

The decal sheet contains the following markings

• Boston Mk.III, flown by Squadron Leader Charles Learmonth.
   
  
• Boston Mk.III, 24th Squadron, SAAF, April 1943.
   
  
• Boston Mk.III, 418th Squadron, winter 1942/43.
   
  
• Boston Mk.III, Tunisia 1943.