Aviation Art of No.418 Sqn RCAF

Boston
Manufacturer : Douglas Aircraft Company
Built : 1942

Boston
There are three marks, the I has two 1,050hp PW Wasps, the II has two 1,200hp PW Wasps and the III has two 1,600hp Wright Cyclones. The Boston I was used by the RAF as a trainer and the II was used as a night fighter and called the Havoc I. The French order called for substantial modifications, resulting in the DB-7 (for Douglas Bomber 7) variant. It had a narrower, deeper fuselage, 1,000 hp (746 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G radials, French-built guns, and metric instruments. Midway through the delivery phase, engines were switched to 1,100 hp (820 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G. The French designation was DB-7 B-3 (the B-3 signifying "three-seat bomber"). The DB-7s were shipped in sections to Casablanca for assembly and service in France and French North Africa. When the Germans attacked France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, the 64 available DB-7s were deployed against the advancing Germans. Before the armistice they were evacuated to North Africa to avoid capture by German forces. Here, they fell under control of the Vichy government and briefly engaged the Allies during Operation Torch. After French forces in North Africa had sided with the Allies, DB-7s were used as trainers and were replaced in front line units by Martin B-26 Marauders. In early 1945, a few DB-7s were moved back to France, where they saw action against the remaining isolated German pockets on the western coast. The remainder of the order which was to have been delivered to France was instead taken up by the UK via the British Purchasing Commission. In the course of the war, 24 squadrons operated the Boston. The type saw its first active operations with the RAF in early 1941, when 181 Boston IIs began to be deployed in night fighter and intruder roles. On 4 July 1942 United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) bomber crews, flying RAF Boston aircraft, took part in operations in Europe for the first time attacking enemy airfields in the Netherlands. They replaced the Bristol Blenheims of No. 2 Group RAF for daylight operations against occupied Europe until replaced in turn by de Havilland Mosquitos. Some Havocs were converted to Turbinlite aircraft which replaced the nose position with a powerful searchlight. The Turbinlite aircraft would be brought onto an enemy fighter by ground radar control. The onboard radar operator would then direct the pilot until he could illuminate the enemy. At that point a Hawker Hurricane fighter accompanying the Turbinlite aircraft would make the attack. The Turbinlite squadrons were disbanded in early 1943. The III is now used in large numbers on fighter escorted raids on France and the Low Countries and is also used extensively in the Middle East. They have done very good work, and with the Ventura have replaced the Blenheim in this country. The Mk.III is also used as a night fighter and is known as the Havoc II. The A-20G became the largest production run of the Havoc series, numbering some 2,850 total aircraft. The A-20G followed on the heels of the A-20C production model and was a dedicated ground attack platform as opposed to the light bomber designation carried by preceding models. The initial production A-20G block (259 total A-20G-1's) featured the distinctive solid nose assembly mounting 4 x 20mm cannons (deleting the bombardier's nose position and bringing the crew total down to three personnel). The follow-up production block (Block 5) reverted back to a more conventional array of 6 x 12.7mm machine guns as the cannons were prone to jamming and offered up a slow rate of fire. The cannon-armed versions were mostly operated under the Soviet banner via Lend-Lease and understandably proved quite devastating in the ground attack role. Additional armament for either form of this aircraft included 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in a flexible dorsal position and a single 7.62mm machine gun in the ventral position (flexible mount). Bomb load totalled 2,000lbs of internally-held ordnance and/or 374-gallon drop tank. Engines for the aircraft were Wright R-2600-23 Cyclone supercharged radials of 1,600 horsepower each. Top speed was 317 miles per hour with a combat range of 950 miles and a modest ceiling of 23,700 feet.

Mosquito
Manufacturer : De Havilland
Built : 7781

Mosquito
Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built.

No.418 Sqn RCAF
Pilot and aircrew signature details

Wing Commander Russ Bannock
Our estimated value of this signature : £20

Wing Commander Russ Bannock

Russ Bannock joined the RCAF in 1939 and was posted to 112 Squadron. He transferred to 418 (City of Edmonton) Squadron RCAF in May 1944, equipped with the excellent Mosquito MkVI fighter-bomber and carried out many Intruder missions, mostly against enemy airfields, especially in the period prior to D-Day. With the squadron he helped to defend London against the V1 blitz, all night. With 19 flying bombs to his credit, he was given command of 406 (City of Saskatoon) Squadron based at Manston with the Mk30 Mosquito. From late 1944 until the war's end he carried out operations mainly against enemy airfields.

Flight Lieutenant Robert Bruce
Our estimated value of this signature : £15

Flight Lieutenant Robert Bruce

Accepted for aircrew training in February 1942, but only entered Navigation School at Mount Hope, Ontario in March 1943. From there he went to Greenwood, Nova Scotia and was again delayed so that it was already almost Christmas 1943 when he met Sq/Ldr Russ Bannock RCAF, DSO, DFC and Bar, and was accepted by him as navigator. They reached No 418 Squadron RCAF who were Intruders in No 11 Group at D-Day and they destroyed a ME 110 landing at Bourges/Avord on 13/14 June. The Squadron was heavily engaged with VI Flying Bombs through July and August and they destroyed 19. Their other work was on Night Rangers over France and Germany and occasionally on Day Rangers mostly in the Baltic, usually paired with another Mosquito VI.Robert Bruce and Sq/Ldr D A MacFadyin DSO, DFC went to 406 Squadron to train them in Intruder techniques until the war ended and after that he went as Navigation Officer to No 29 Squadron.

Flight Lieutenant Charles A Krause
Our estimated value of this signature : £45

Flight Lieutenant Charles A Krause

Charlie Krause flew Mosquitos with No.418 Sqn RCAF.

Squadron Leader Don MacFadyen DSO DFC*
Our estimated value of this signature : £15

Squadron Leader Don MacFadyen DSO DFC*

Born in Montreal on 18th December 1920, Don MacFadyen flew Mosquito night intruder missions with 418 & 406 (RCAF) Squadrons deep into the heart of the Third Reich. He finished the war with 7 air-to-air kills, 1 probable & 5 V-1 rocket bombs destroyed in the air. He flew with No.418 Sqn RCAF from 7th December 1943 to 25th July 1944, then with No.406 Sqn RCAF from 20th November 1944 to 10th September 1945.

Tech Sgt James Mack
Our estimated value of this signature : £40

Tech Sgt James Mack

Pilot James Mack flew the first of his 26 combat missions with the 100th Bomb Group in September 1943. He flew to Berlin three times in March 1944, and also to Schweinfurt, Dresden and a heavy-water plant in Norway. After completing his first tour he signed up to train as a waist-gunner for a further 30 missions, but the war ended before he was needed.

Aces for : No.418 Sqn RCAF
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
Name	Victories	Info
Russ Bannock	11.00	The signature of Russ Bannock features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Don MacFadyen	7.00	The signature of Don MacFadyen features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.