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| USAAF 5th AF 3rd BG 89th BS Former Assignments 8th BG   Beck December 2, 1942 |
Pilot 1st Lt. Edward R. Richardson (survived) Force Landed December 2, 1942 MACR none Aircraft History Built by Douglas Aircraft Company. Delivered to the U.S. Army Air Force (USAAF) as A-20A Havoc serial number 40-3151. Disassembled and shipped overseas to Australia and reassembled. Wartime History Assigned to the 5th Air Force (5th AF), 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG), 8th Bombardment Squadron (8th BS). Nicknamed "Lawn Mower" in yellow block letters with the nose art of a walk behind push lawn mower with white wings operated by an American aviator holding the controls and mowing down three Japanese figures with two decapitated heads in the air atop green grass with a white cloud behind with an American holding the controls. Assigned to pilot 1st Lt. Edward R. Richardson. Wartime History On December 2, 1942 took off from 3 Mile Drome (Kila Kila) near Port Moresby piloted by 1st Lt. Edward R. Richardson on a combat mission over Cape Killerton. Over the target, the hydraulics were shot out and returning landed wheels up and ran off the end of the runway and sustained nose damage. Afterwards, written off and possibly transfered to 89th Bombardment Squadron (89th BS). Ultimate fate unknown, likely scrapped. References USAF Serial Number Search Results - A-20A Havoc 40-3151 Michael McFaden - Douglas A-20 Havoc (photos) Wrecks & Reefs (1994) page 235 (photo) Harvest of the Grim Reapers Vol. I (2021) pages 236 (profile 17), 240 (profile 17 detail), 418 (December 2, 1942, photo of force landing), 460 (8th BS, 40-3151 nickname listed as "Lawn Mower"), 462-464 (89th BS does not list 40-3151), 479 (Profile 17 description, photo of noseart), 515 (index Lawn Mower) Contribute Information Are you a relative or associated with any person mentioned? Do you have photos or additional information to add? Last Updated August 15, 2025
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