Douglas B 23 Dragon

Design and development

Douglas proposed a number of modifications designed to improve the performance of the B-18. Initially considered a redesign, the XB-22 featured 1,600 hp Wright R-2600-1 Twin Cyclone radial engines. The complete B-18 redesign was considered promising enough by the USAAC to alter the original contract to produce the last 38 B-18As ordered under Contract AC9977 as the B-23. The design incorporated a larger wingspan with a wing design very similar to that of the Douglas DC-3, a fully retractable undercarriage, and improved defensive armament. Notably, the B-23 was the first operational US bomber equipped with a glazed tail gun position. The tail gun mounted a .50 caliber machine gun, which was fired from the prone position by a gunner using a telescopic sight.

The first B-23 flew on July 27, 1939 with the production series of 38 B-23s manufactured between July 1939 and September 1940.

Operational history

While significantly faster and better armed than the B-18, the B-23 was not comparable to newer medium bombers like the North American B-25 Mitchell and Martin B-26 Marauder. For this reason, the 38 B-23s built were never used in combat overseas, although for a brief period, they were employed as patrol aircraft stationed on the west coast of the United States. The B-23s were primarily relegated to training duties although 18 of the type were converted as transports and redesignated as the UC-67.

The B-23 also served as a testbed for new engines and systems. One was used for turbosupercharger development by General Electric at Schenectady, NY.

After World War II, many examples were used as executive transports with appropriate internal modifications and as a result a large number have survived. With its wartime experience with the type, GE bought and used five of them. Howard Hughes (among others) used converted B-23s as personal aircraft.

Operators

 United States

United States Army Air Corps

Variants

B-23

Twin-engined bomber version of the B-18 with modified fuselage, 38 built.

C-67

Conversion to utility transport with provision for glider towing, 12 conversions from B-23, redesignated UC-67 in 1943.

UC-67

C-67 redesignated in 1943.

Ecuador

On display

39-031 (HC-APV) - Ecuadorian Air Museum, Quito.

United States

On display

39-0036 - McChord Air Museum in McChord AFB, Washington.

39-0051 - Pima Air & Space Museum adjacent to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona.

39-0047 - Castle Air Museum at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater, California.

Under restoration or in storage

39-0033 - to airworthiness by Pissed Away N747M LLC in Bellevue, Washington.

39-0037 - in storage at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio.

39-0038 - for display at the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum in Geneseo, New York.

39-0057 - in storage at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City, Florida.

39-0063 - to airworthiness by Carmacks Commercial Corp. in Anchorage, Alaska.

Wrecks

39-0052 - largely complete wreck at Loon Lake, Idaho.

Specifications (B-23 Dragon)

Data from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920

General characteristics

Crew: Six

Length: 58 ft 4 ³⁄₄ in (17.799 m)

Wingspan: 92 ft 0 in (28.04 m)

Height: 18 ft 5 ¹⁄₂ in (5.626 m)

Wing area: 993 sq ft (92.3 m²)

Empty weight: 19,089 lb (8,659 kg)

Gross weight: 26,500 lb (12,020 kg)

Max takeoff weight: 32,400 lb (14,696 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-2600-3 radial engine, 1,600 hp (1,200 kW) each

Performance

Maximum speed: 282 mph (454 km/h; 245 kn) at 12,000 ft (3,660 m)

Cruise speed: 210 mph (338 km/h; 182 kn)

Range: 1,400 mi (1,217 nmi; 2,253 km)

Service ceiling: 31,600 ft (9,600 m)

Time to altitude: 6.7 minutes to 10,000 ft (3,050 m)

Armament

Guns: 3 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns, 1 × .50 in (12.7 mm) machine gun in tail

Bombs: 2,000 lb (910 kg) in bomb bay