Boston raiders

A dozen Douglas Bostons from 88 Squadron RAF forming up for a cross-Channel sortie in the spring of 1944, one of many in the build-up to the D-Day landings in June.

This early start portrays the joint operation with six Bostons of 342 Squadron in early April against gun positions at Dieppe, which were hit in fine weather from 11,000 - 12,300 ft just before 8am in the teeth of "meagre" heavy flak and intense but inaccurate light flak from the German forces there.

The American-built Boston (A20) was a fast, agile and capable twin-engined day bomber.