Kingman_A-20

An anonymous

Sales-Storage Depot No.41

worker, cigar in mouth, having a lighter moment in one of Kingman's light bombers...

This mangled stainless steel assembly was found during a 1980s Kingman junkyard trek and once I had access to the proper Douglas Parts Manual, it was learned to be the Carburetor Air Scoop Adapter SUPPORT ASSY from the engine cowl of an

A-20 Havoc:

And despite all it's gone through since being manufactured 70+ years ago in Santa Monica, California, this remnant from one of Douglas' speedy Light Bombers still bears an anonymous factory Inspector's directions:

CLEAN FILINGS FROM DOOR

- INSP # 31

In this close-up, one can make out some of the faint, handwritten message to assembly line workers.

Quite amazing, considering the decades of scorching summers, frigid winters and countless wind-blown days it spent laying fully exposed to those extreme elements in that Arizona junkyard...

With all this in mind, I do have one question...

Who was the Douglas, Santa Monica inspector with Badge #31?!

This page from the A-20 Parts Manual shows where the above Assembly was located on the Engine Cowl:

Among other surviving Kingman parts are these Hydraulic Cylinders that once controlled the Bomb Bay Doors and Wing Flaps of Douglas Havocs:

. . . plus this unused Wing Pylon for hanging bombs . . .

. . . and/or Smoke Tanks when used with the 2 steel castings above that are marked:

HANGER - CHEM. TANK

With the Havoc's internal BOMB AND CHEMICAL

(smoke) Tanks

and up to 4 additional Smoke Tanks slung under the wings, this Light Bomber had the tactical capability of laying down smokescreens used to conceal Allied maneuvers:

photo credits this page:

James Dell,

Depot 41 Photo Archive