Douglas B-23 Dragon

Douglas B-23 Dragon
Country	USA
Role	Medium bomber
First flight	27 July 1939
Built	38

The Douglas B-23 Dragon is an American twin-engined bomber developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company as a successor to (and a refinement of) the Douglas B-18 Bolo.

Source: Douglas B-23 Dragon on Wikipedia

Douglas B-23 Dragon Walk Around
Photographer	Cees Hendriks
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	53

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B-23 Dragon Walk Around
Photographers	Stephen Sutton, Michael Benolkin
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	40

The Bridge Between Generations

The Douglas B-23 Dragon was a significant redesign of the Douglas B-18 Bolo, incorporating the wings of the DC-3 and a much more streamlined fuselage. While it was significantly faster and better armed than its predecessor, it was quickly eclipsed by the more capable B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder. As a result, the B-23 never saw overseas combat, instead serving as a coastal patrol aircraft and a high-speed VIP transport.

Attribute	Technical Specification (B-23)
Role	Medium Bomber / Reconnaissance / Transport
Crew	6 (Pilot, Co-pilot, Bombardier, Navigator, 2 Gunners)
First Flight	July 27, 1939
Powerplant	2 × Wright R-2600-3 Cyclone radial engines
Horsepower	1,600 hp (1,194 kW) each
Maximum Speed	282 mph (454 km/h)
Armament	3 × .30 cal machine guns; 1 × .50 cal (Tail); 2,000 lbs bombs
Service Ceiling	31,600 feet (9,630 m)

Design Innovations and Defensive Advancements

The First Tail Gunner: The B-23 was the first American bomber to incorporate a dedicated, manned tail gunner position. This was a massive improvement over the B-18, which was notoriously vulnerable to attacks from the rear.
Aerodynamic Refining: Douglas engineers discarded the “humpbacked” look of the B-18 in favor of a much sleeker fuselage. They also utilized the vertical stabilizer design from the DC-4, giving the Dragon superior directional stability.
Retractable Landing Gear: Following the trend of modern aviation, the B-23 featured fully retractable main landing gear, which helped it achieve a top speed nearly 70 mph faster than the B-18.
Nacelle Design: The Wright Cyclone engines were housed in tightly cowled nacelles that reduced drag and improved engine cooling efficiency.

A Second Life as the “UC-67”

Coastal Patrol: In the early days after Pearl Harbor, B-23s were used for anti-submarine patrols off the West Coast of the United States.
The UC-67 Conversion: Because the B-23 was fast but lacked the payload of newer bombers, 12 aircraft were converted into the UC-67 utility transport. These were used to ferry high-priority cargo and personnel during the war.
The Executive Choice: Post-war, the B-23 became a popular choice for corporate conversions. Its high speed and spacious fuselage allowed companies like Howard Hughes and General Electric to use them as executive transports.
Rare Survival: Only 38 B-23s were ever built. Today, one of the most famous survivors is a wreck located at Loon Lake, Idaho, where it performed a miraculous emergency landing in the snow in 1943.