Aircraft History
One of four A-20A's that arrived in Fairburn, Canberra on June 12, 1942, and assigned to the No 18 Squadron, NEIAF, and were given Dutch markings and serial number 22. Two days later, they were withdrawn from the NEIAF in favor of B-25 Mitchell. and reassigned to the USAAF 5th AF. Assigned to the 89th BS, they were flown to Charters Towers, via Brisbane and given the nickname "Old Man Mose" by its American crew.

Mission History
Damaged in combat, it force landed at Pongani Airfield. The crew walked away from the plane, and the crew chief was flown in to strip the aircraft of usable parts, including the nose section, which was carried to the shore by locals, transported by native canoe, then taken along coast to airfield back to 3-Mile Drome in a C-47, due to shortages of spare parts. This nose was used as a replacement for A-20A "Carolina" 40-132 after it was damaged on April4, 1943.

References
"The Canberra Bostons" by Michael Claringbould Flightpath Magazine, Volume 15, Number 2.

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Last Updated
December 15, 2008

A-20