A-20 rear gunner
The gunner’s compartment, situated behind the bomb bay, housed the defensive guns on the DB-7 and A-20 aircraft. Before the A-20G-20-DO model, there were two flexible gun positions: one through an open dorsal hatch and another through a ventral tunnel. Depending on the mission, the crew requirements varied, sometimes necessitating two gunners and other times just one. French DB-7s were armed with the Chatellerault M1931 7.5mm machine gun in both positions, while British DB-7Bs and DB-7As typically used the Vickers 0.303in gun. American A-20s initially featured the Browning M-2 .30-calibre gun, but from the A-20C onward, they were standardized with the Browning M-2 .50-calibre gun.
In early aircraft, the aft portion of the upper enclosure was stored under the fixed part to enable the deployment of the upper gun. This section could be unlatched with handles on either side and slid under the fixed part, where it was held open by a latch. Entry to the compartment was through a door in the floor, which was also used for the ventral gun. This door comprised fore and aft sections hinged together and at the aft end to the fuselage. When opened, the aft section raised approximately 15 degrees to allow more clearance for the lower gun in the firing position. The door could be opened from outside using a latch handle in the center of the forward section, or from inside using a crank mechanism on the right side of the compartment or the central latch handle. A spring bungee held the door open when fully raised. In emergencies, the upper hatch could be used as an exit.
According to the original C-103A specifications for the A-20, the gunner’s compartment had emergency flight controls. The Air Corps required ‘dual air and engine controls for emergency use by a crew member other than the pilot.’ This was to mitigate the issue of crew members being unable to switch positions during flight. If the pilot became incapacitated, the extra controls could allow the aircraft to be flown until the remaining crew could bail out. In the A-20, the gunner had rudder pedals and a control wheel stored on the left side of the compartment, along with engine controls. This feature was also present in the DB-7, DB-7A, DB-7B, and DB-7C models but was later removed from subsequent A-20s.