Exceptional May 28, 1945 aerial photograph showing field-modified Soviet Navy Douglas A-20G Boston torpedo bombers flying over defeated Berlin, featuring the Reichstag and Tiergarten below.
Soviet Naval Aviation A-20G Boston Torpedo Bombers Over Berlin (May 28, 1945)
This remarkable aerial photograph taken on May 28, 1945—just weeks after the fall of Nazi Germany—captures field-modified Douglas A-20G Boston twin-engine bombers of the Red Army Naval Aviation flying over the ruined capital of Berlin.
Originating from the private wartime photo collection of Colonel Ivan Orlenko, commander of the famous 51st Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment (Baltic Fleet), the photograph shows A-20G-30-DO (Tactical No. 5, USAAF Serial # 43-9561) piloted by Senior Lieutenant Grigory Chekanov cruising over central Berlin following the cessation of hostilities.
Field Modifications and Lend-Lease Aircraft Adaptation
The Soviet Naval Air Force (AV-MF) extensively modified imported American Lend-Lease A-20G gunships to serve as effective long-range torpedo bombers and maritime reconnaissance platforms:
- Glazed Navigator Nose: The solid nose configuration of the standard A-20G (which housed four 20mm cannons or heavy machine guns) was removed and replaced with a custom glazed nose cabin to accommodate a navigator-bombardier for precision anti-shipping strikes.
- External Torpedo Racks: Heavy-duty torpedo crutches were installed beneath the lower fuselage, allowing the aircraft to carry standard Soviet 45-36AV aerial torpedoes.
- Extended Operational Range: An auxiliary fuel tank was fitted directly inside the bomb bay, extending the fuel capacity and flight endurance of the Boston to match the operational radius of native Soviet Il-4 torpedo bombers.
- Engine View Point: Visible on the far right frame is the rear engine nacelle lip of the camera aircraft, flying in tight formation alongside Chekanov's A-20G.
Aerial Landmarks of Defeated Berlin
The high-altitude perspective offers a vivid geographical breakdown of post-battle Berlin in May 1945:
- Central Landmarks: In the distance lies the dark woodland of the Tiergarten Park, fronted by the damaged shell of the Reichstag building and the slender silhouette of the Victory Column (Siegessäule).
- Urban Districts: Directly beneath the formation are the heavily damaged residential sectors of Prenzlauer Berg, north of Friedrichshain and east of Wedding.
- Green Spaces: The edge of Volkspark Friedrichshain is visible in the lower left foreground.
📍 Location: Airspace over Berlin, Germany (en route from Kolberg airfield)
📅 Date: May 28, 1945
📷 Photographer: Unknown (51st Mine-Torpedo Aviation Regiment Photo Archive)
📰 Primary Source: Personal Archive of Col. I.E. Orlenko / Central Naval Archive of the Russian Federation (TSVMA)
Recommended reading:
- Lend-Lease aviation: The Douglas A-20 Boston in Soviet Naval Air Force service
- Naval tactics: Low-level torpedo bombing doctrine of the Baltic Fleet Aviation
- Field engineering: Soviet modifications to American Lend-Lease airframes
- Post-war flights: Victory flyovers and aerial documentation of Berlin (May 1945)