A-20G Skins *UPDATE*

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

After working on the B-17G Livery Competition I noticed that several of the other WWII AI aircraft were very lacking in regards to liveries. I decided to work on the A-20G first. The Ju-88 also needs some love but Warlord64 (keefyboy) has already done a few and also has a template posted: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3313581/.

If anyone want's my template for the A-20G (it's a bit of a Dog's Breakfast but functions) please post in this thread and I'll provide a link.

Anyway, Here's "Little Joe":

*UPDATE* 26 Sep, 23:
Moved underwing Star and Bar rondelle to correct position on Right wing.
Added a generic skin with Bort letter enabled (I kept the skull over the guns since several other planes used it in the Pacific theater. Skin title: 
USAF_389th BS Pacific Generic

• Presentation

Livery represents Douglas A-20G Havoc “Little Joe”, bureau number 43-21475 from the 389th Bomber Squadron, 312th Bombardment Group United States Army Air Force,1945.US A-20Gs were used on low-level sorties in the New Guinea theatre.

An A-20G 43-22200 , bureau number is displayed at the USAF Museum painted in the markings of "Little Joe". This aircraft is in much too clean a state however. I would imagine that the original "Little Joe" would show much more wear and this skin is representational of that. I also altered the normal map to represent what appears to be black rubber (leather) coaming around the gun turret.

• Aircraft History

Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Constructors Number 21122. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20G-40-DO Havoc serial number 43-21475. Disassembled and shipped overseas to the South West Pacific Area (SWPA).

Wartime History
Assigned to the 312th Bombardment Group (312th BG) "Roarin' 20s", 389th Bombardment Squadron (389th BS) at Gusap Airfield. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Leonard W. Happ with crew chief SSgt Thomas Dobrowski. Nicknamed "Little Joe" with the name painted in white in a cursive style on both sides of the nose. The front of th nose cone had the skull and cross bones motif. On the left side of the nose was a scoreboard with bomb markings indicating missions flown. Tail letter T was painted in white on both sides of the tail.

On April 16, 1944 took off from Gusap Airfield piloted by 1st Lt. Leonard W. Happ with gunner Sgt Nathan B. Adler on a strike mission against Hollandia. Returning, the formation experienced a severe weather front including severe thunderstorms and clouds. This aircraft managed to spot a hole in the clouds revealing the Ramu Valley and was able to land safely at Gusap Airfield but ran out of fuel on the runway.

During June 1944 operated from Hollandia. During November 1944 operated from Tanauan Airfield on Leyte.

On January 7, 1945 took off from Tanauan Airfield piloted by 2nd Lt. Thomas H. Jones on a low level strike against Clark Field on Luzon. Inbound to the target, the formation flew near the U.S. Navy invasion fleet off Mindoro.

In late January 1945 operated from McGuire Airfield (San Jose) on Mindoro. During February 1945 operated from Mangaldan Airfield (Honey) on Luzon. In April 1945 operated from Floridablanca Airfield on Luzon. In August 1945 operated from Yontan Airfield on Okinawa until the end of the Pacific War.

Fate
On September 30, 1945 this A-20 condemned as obsolete and scrapped.

Uploaded to User Files. Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333030/

Edited September 26, 2023 by II.JG1_Vonrd

[Rudel_chw]

Thanks you for this ... Skins for IA aircraft are really useful for adding believable nackground air operations on our WW2 missions, will download as soon as the link is cleared. Cheers 

[Boosterdog]

Id be interested too Vonrd and thanks for the work and offer. 

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

Template is too large to post in User Files. Here's the link:

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/ftr8xnzc1oz7ue7gu129u/A-20G-Public.zip?rlkey=st649uv3na2f2jfimqtqgyehm&dl=0

[Skewgear]

It's nice that skinners are turning their talents to the lesser known and loved AI assets, but it would also be good to have some more generic liveries for formation use, complete with user-customisable bort codes.

A correct generic RAF livery would be a huge help for big missions and multiplayer servers because the stock one looks like a child's first Airfix kit.

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

11 hours ago, Skewgear said:

but it would also be good to have some more generic liveries for formation use, complete with user-customisable bort codes.

Good point. I will make a generic version of each detailed skin with Borts enabled.

[Boosterdog]

Sometimes there is a thought that creeps in that says "its been done - i wont bother" - in the case of generic skins I think the more the merrier as each skinner has their own way of doing things which gives a nice variance. 

@II.JG1_Vonrd thanks for the template link

[Boosterdog]

Im going to try and add a little detail to the panel lines, rivets and hatches. 

Can anyone point me to the edm for A20 for the model viewer please?

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

EDM is here:

?:\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World OpenBeta\CoreMods\WWII Units\A-20G\Shapes

a-20g_lod_0.edm

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

OP "Little Joe" skin Updated.

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

• A-20G Miss Laid / La France Libre and related generic skins uploaded.

A-20G-25-DO ser. no. 43-9224, nicknamed "Miss Laid" (later changed to "La France Libre"), CodeF6-E of the 670th BS, 416th BG and depicted as after D-day when the upper surfaces invasion stripes were overpainted.

Miss Laid was renamed to be more politically correct when taken for ceremony to Paris to honor the accomplishment. Note that the old nose art is still faintly visible through the olive drab. This aircraft was first in the ETO to complete one-hundred missions. Never once during these one-hundred missions was the plane forced to return because of mechanical failure. The original engines that powered "Miss Laid" on the first mission on 3 March 1944 against an enemy held airdrome at Poix, France were still in use on the 100th mission.

Included are two generic skins with Bort letters enabled. One with full invasion stripes and one with the upper surfaces invasion stripes overpainted.

 

Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333089/

Edited September 28, 2023 by II.JG1_Vonrd

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

On 9/23/2023 at 2:48 AM, Skewgear said:

A correct generic RAF livery would be a huge help

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the RAF used the gun nose A-20G. I was only able to find one example of a similar Havoc III? with gun nose as a nightfighter. The RAAF used some gun nose converted? DB-7s but they had 4 20mm nose guns and no dorsal turret.

The DCS default RAF skins represent glass nose A-20s.

The Russian skins are also not A-20Gs.

I'm reluctant to make the compromise to historical accuracy but if people want them I will make them to the best of my ability.

[Boosterdog]

Thank you for the template @II.JG1_Vonrd. 

@NineLine I dont really get why the templates for aircraft in the asset pack are not made available given the limited livery options shipped. Its just a file afterall. 

[danythunder14]

5 hours ago, II.JG1_Vonrd said:

• A-20G Miss Laid / La France Libre et skins génériques associés téléchargés.

A-20G-25-DO sér. Non. 43-9224, surnommée "Miss Laid" (plus tard changée en "La France Libre"), CodeF6-E du 670th BS, 416th BG et représentée comme après le jour J lorsque les bandes d'invasion des surfaces supérieures ont été repeintes.

Miss Laid a été renommée pour être plus politiquement correcte lorsqu'elle a été emmenée pour une cérémonie à Paris pour honorer cet accomplissement. Notez que l’ancien art du nez est encore légèrement visible à travers l’olive terne. Cet avion a été le premier de l'ETO à accomplir cent missions. Jamais au cours de ces cent missions l’avion n’a été contraint de revenir en raison d’une panne mécanique. Les moteurs d'origine qui propulsaient le "Miss Laid" lors de la première mission du 3 mars 1944 contre un aérodrome ennemi à Poix, en France, étaient toujours utilisés lors de la 100e mission.

Sont inclus deux skins génériques avec les lettres Bort activées. L'un avec des rayures d'invasion complètes et l'autre avec des rayures d'invasion sur les surfaces supérieures surpeintes.

very good work it's magnificent

[Skewgear]

6 hours ago, II.JG1_Vonrd said:

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like the RAF used the gun nose A-20G. I was only able to find one example of a similar Havoc III? with gun nose as a nightfighter. The RAAF used some gun nose converted? DB-7s but they had 4 20mm nose guns and no dorsal turret.

The DCS default RAF skins represent glass nose A-20s.

The Russian skins are also not A-20Gs.

I'm reluctant to make the compromise to historical accuracy but if people want them I will make them to the best of my ability.

It seems 18 Sqn RAF actually did fly A-20Gs, albeit semi officially. Intriguing photo here including markings from both RAF and USAAF on the same airframe: https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/raf-a-20gs-yes-they-did-operate-them.50238/

But you are right, the vast majority of RAF Bostons were A-20Js with the glazed nose. From some brief reading it looks like the Soviet A-20s were RAF orders diverted straight over there after the USSR entered WW2.

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

@Skewgear, thanks for the link! Unusual markings and very interesting. The same forum had some good stuff on RAAF A-20Gs:

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/done-a-20g-havoc-raaf-no-22-squadron-kamiri-1944-group-build.18252/

Scale modelers are a great source...

 

[Helles Belle]

These are great @II.JG1_Vonrd

[Gunfreak]

With the La-7 coming would be cool with soviet skins for A-20, and C-47.

So we could do some basic escort missions in Russian planes.

[Boosterdog]

Hi,

Ended up doing a whole new template from scratch. Seemed more appropriate to start a new thread for it here:

This doesnt take away from Vond's work. Simply adds more options to anyone who wishes to skin the A20G. 

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

A-20G Havoc ser. no.43-9521 nicknamednamed "LITTLE CHIEF" of the 321st BS, 90th BG "Jolly Rogers", New Guinea. Nicknamed "Little Chief" with the nose art of a woman wearing a leather jacket with a 90th Bomb Group patch, her legs resting on boxes stenciled "Gin Cairns" and her head on a parachute with "521" below her arm. This A-20 was used as a "fat cat" for flight from New Guinea to Australia for fresh food and alcohol, essentially a beer run hack.

Why Little Chief?
The B 24 in the same bomber group, was Big Chief.

I have included a generic version without the Little Chief nose art. Not historically correct since the Jolly Rogers were pretty much a B-24 squadron but who doesn't like a shiny, bare aluminum aircraft.

Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333233/

 

 

 

 

Douglas A-20G Boston, A28-52 DU-C of No 22 Sqn., RAAF This A-20G was delivered in June 1944 and served with the Squadron until it was badly damaged at Morotai on 22 November 1944.
It was subsequently written off and reduced to spares. Note the larger diameter fuselage roundel proportions.
This A-20G was possibly painted in the field with the original Olive Drab being painted over with RAAF Foliage Green whilst still retaining its Neutral Gray undersides.

I have included a generic version with selectable Bort letters.

Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333234/

 

 

 

 

Douglas A-20G Boston, A28-67 DU-V of No 22 Sqn., RAAF This A-20G was delivered in August 1944 and served with the Squadron until it was damaged in an air raid in October 1944 and was later reduced to components.
Standard Olive Drab upper surfaces over Neutral Gray undersides. Note heavy weathering and darker shade of Olive Drab tail fin with Medium Green splotching on the rudder.

I have included a generic version with selectable Bort letters.

Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3333235/

Edited October 11, 2023 by II.JG1_Vonrd

[Boosterdog]

On 10/1/2023 at 2:32 PM, Gunfreak said:

With the La-7 coming would be cool with soviet skins for A-20, and C-47.

So we could do some basic escort missions in Russian planes.

Ive done liveries for 3 VVS units. Sadly, The inflexible BORT system of DCS doesnt play nice with VVS aircraft in both fornt or position, kinda making the whole thing a bit pointless. 

 

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

An A-20G-35-DO Ser. No. 43-10067, White 51 of the commander of the 51st Mine and Torpedo Aviation Regiment of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Ivan Feofanovich Orlenko, at Kolberg airfield, Germany, April-July 1945. It appears that the upper four 50 caliber guns were removed and windows added to allow for a bombardier for more accuracy in torpedo delivery. Of course, that's not an option in game so it's left without the nose glazing.

A generic 51st MTAP skin is included with BORT numbers enabled. This skin is named "USSR 51st Mine and Torpedo Regiment".

Uploaded to DCS User Files. Link: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3334245/

Edited November 8, 2023 by II.JG1_Vonrd

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

This livery depicts a Douglas A-20B-DL, SerNo. 41-3157, Code No. 17 of the 84th BS, 47th BG, 12th AF based at Youks-les-Bains airfield, Algeria, 6 January 1943. (In the attached photograph, 41-3157 is the leading aircraft.

A generic version with Bort numbers enabled is included. Place in \Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Liveries\A-20G. (Create an A-20G folder if you don't have one).

The 47th Bomb Group moved to Algeria beginning mid-December 1942 and completed the move in early January 1943. The unit began operations by flying low-level missions against the enemy in North Africa. When Axis forces broke through at Kasserine Pass in Feb 1943, the 47th Group, though undermanned and undersupplied, flew eleven missions on 22 Feb to attack the advancing armored columns and thus to help stop the enemy's offensive - an action for which the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

The group remained in action in the Mediterranean theatre in Malta and Italy until V-E Day. From late 1944, the Group was flying several configurations of the A-20 and the A-20's big brother, the Douglas A-26.

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

This livery depicts a Douglas A-20B-DL, SerNo. 41-3665, Code: #72 of the 86th BS, 47th BG, 12th AF based at Youks-les-Bains airfield, Algeria, 6 January 1943. (In the attached photograph, 41-3157 is the aircraft with only the tail showing.

A generic version with Bort numbers enabled is included. Place in \Saved Games\DCS.openbeta\Liveries\A-20G. (Create an A-20G folder if you don't have one).

The 47th Bomb Group moved to Algeria beginning mid-December 1942 and completed the move in early January 1943. The unit began operations by flying low-level missions against the enemy in North Africa. When Axis forces broke through at Kasserine Pass in Feb 1943, the 47th Group, though undermanned and undersupplied, flew eleven missions on 22 Feb to attack the advancing armored columns and thus to help stop the enemy's offensive - an action for which the group was awarded a Distinguished Unit Citation (DUC).

The group remained in action in the Mediterranean theatre in Malta and Italy until V-E Day. From late 1944, the Group was flying several configurations of the A-20 and the A-20's big brother, the Douglas A-26.