A-20 flies at Chino

摘要

On 15 July, Douglas A-20G Havoc 43-21709/N747HS of Lewis Air Legends took to the air at Chino, California following a six-year restoration by Aero Trader. It was the first time in almost a quarter of a century that an example of this rare attack bomber had flown. By the middle of August, the Havoc had made four flights with test pilot Stewart Dawson at the helm. Once testing is complete, the A-20 will be ferried to San Antonio-based Rod Lewis's hangar. This Havoc was never operational, having stayed Stateside and served on an operational training unit at Morris Field near Charlotte, North Carolina. In February 1946 it was one of 475 aircraft purchased from War Assets at Seacy Field, Stillwater, Oklahoma by the legendary air racer and film pilot Paul Mantz. He had 43-21709 registered as NX67932 and flew it to the Paul Mantz Air Services base at the Lockheed Air Terminal at Burbank, California. Mantz sold the Havoc in 1951, and it progressed through the hands of several owners, before former World War Two US Army Air Force bomber pilot and millionaire clothing manufacturer William F. Farah 1. the man behind Farah jeans 2. purchased it in August 1970. It was restored to fly for Farah at El Paso, getting airborne in June 1977.