Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aircraft and Vehicles => Topic started by: bustr on October 24, 2010, 05:54:49 PM
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I found an A20 Havoc manual at Google Books. Seems the gunsight was an N-3A. If this is pre 43 it will be a 30mil ring and bead. June of 43 the USAAF upgraded the N-3 to a 70mil ring and bead. There is also a good picture of the flexable single 50cal lower rear gun.
Douglas A-20 Havoc Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions By United States Air Force
http://books.google.com/books?id=Cf7nBM_4TtAC&pg=PA85&lpg=PA85&dq=gunsight+used+in+douglas+A20g&source=bl&ots=qLL3Bw0Ubc&sig=KCuG09IUiqWHpEUv1QQ71VVHloI&hl=en&ei=-rXETKDeNIqusAPgxpj0Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7&sqi=2&ved=0CCwQ6AEwBg#v=onepage&q&f=false
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nice find :aok
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Go down to page 31 and zoom in. You will see an N3B with a ranging nob on the left hand side like in the B25H
http://books.google.com/books?id=JN8DAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA28&lpg=PA28&dq=douglas+a20+gunnery&source=bl&ots=6eeWnM6sfS&sig=CF0QAc6jtD2wGyFHr7F_Q1fcYgE&hl=en&ei=-PDETJOHApGgsQPz8tSODA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&sqi=2&ved=0CCIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q&f=false
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:N3B_gunsight.jpg
Besides ranging and deflection for the 50cals, the N3B will help with level jabo bomb release.
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If you start looking for WW2 photos of A20 you find front pictures that show the original ring and post sight then to the pilots left side on the dash will be the reflector plate from an N-3. Check the 11th photo in this link and click on the HiRes version. You will see the reflector plate for the N-3. Zoom the HiRes page to about 200 and the glass plate will pop out at you. You will also see the ring and post kept as a backup sight. Some photos show the ring and post removed.
http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=2981
I found a russian page that shows the cockpits for the B-J A20. You see a fold up manual ring along with some reflector plates. And the C model has the torpedo lead aim device. I thought durning WW2 the U.S. tried to not send reflector gunsight technology to russia with it's lend lease aircraft.
http://www.bellabs.ru/51/A20/A20_Cocpit.html
HTC really needs to update the A20. You can find cockpit pictures in Google images. Dern thats one sexy front office with a view.
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The two finds I like from that manual are
1. - the SMOKE SCREEN equipment? First I have ever heard of that - blowing out a smoke screen from an A-20? For what purpose??
2. - the TORPEDO DIRECTOR - a calibrated, accurate way to launch torpedoes at moving ships. Wish we had something like that in AH....
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:aok nice
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I found a russian page that shows the cockpits for the B-J A20. You see a fold up manual ring along with some reflector plates. And the C model has the torpedo lead aim device. I thought durning WW2 the U.S. tried to not send reflector gunsight technology to russia with it's lend lease aircraft.
http://www.bellabs.ru/51/A20/A20_Cocpit.html
HTC really needs to update the A20. You can find cockpit pictures in Google images. Dern thats one sexy front office with a view.
English version. http://translate.google.com/translate?js=n&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bellabs.ru%2F51%2FA20%2FA20_Cocpit.html One thing about the Russians & documenting there WWII equipment & they can say just like in these twp photos. We dood it. :aok
(http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/1GMTAP_WeDoodIt-01.jpg) (http://i1002.photobucket.com/albums/af142/barneybolac/1GMTAP_WeDoodIt-04.jpg)
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Jus Tri'N Ta Hep Out Wid Der A20 Dher Fur Schore......... :)