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.[1] The design incorporated a larger wingspan with a wing design very similar to that of the DC-3, a fully retractable undercarriage, and improved defensive armament. The B-23 was the first operational American bomber equipped with a glazed tail gun position.[1] The tail gun was a .50 calibre (12.7 mm) machine gun, which was fired from the prone position by a gunner using a telescopic sight.[2]
The first B-23 flew on July 27, 1939 with the production series of 38 B-23s manufactured between July 1939 and September 1940.[3]
While significantly faster and better armed than the B-18,[4] 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.[1] The B-23s were primarily relegated to training duties, although 18 of them were later converted as transports and redesignated UC-67[4]
After World War II, many examples were used as executive transports, with appropriate internal modifications, and as a result a large number have survived, both in public and private collections.[4]Howard Hughes (among others) used converted B-23s as personal aircraft.
Francillon, René J. McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920. London, Putnam, 1979. ISBN0-370-00050-1.
Jesse, William (May–June 1999). "Short-lived Dragon: The Douglas B-23". Air Enthusiast (81): 70–72. ISSN 0143-5450.
Mondey, David. The Hamlyn Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II. London: Hamlyn Publishing Group, 2002, (republished 1996 by the Chancellor Press), First edition 1982. ISBN1-85152-706-0.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas B-23 Dragon.
douglas, dragon, american, twin, engined, bomber, developed, douglas, aircraft, company, successor, refinement, bolo, dragon, dragon, usaac, markings, during, early, 1940srole, medium, bombernational, origin, united, statesmanufacturer, douglas, aircraft, comp. 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 B 18 Bolo B 23 Dragon UC 67A B 23 Dragon in USAAC markings during the early 1940sRole Medium bomberNational origin United StatesManufacturer Douglas Aircraft CompanyFirst flight 27 July 1939Primary user United States Army Air CorpsNumber built 38Developed from Douglas B 18 Bolo Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Operators 4 Variants 5 Surviving aircraft 5 1 Ecuador 5 2 United States 5 2 1 On display 5 2 2 Under restoration or in storage 5 2 3 Wrecks 6 Specifications B 23 Dragon 7 See also 8 References 8 1 Notes 8 2 Bibliography 9 External linksDesign and development editDouglas 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 1 The design incorporated a larger wingspan with a wing design very similar to that of the DC 3 a fully retractable undercarriage and improved defensive armament The B 23 was the first operational American bomber equipped with a glazed tail gun position 1 The tail gun was a 50 calibre 12 7 mm machine gun which was fired from the prone position by a gunner using a telescopic sight 2 The first B 23 flew on July 27 1939 with the production series of 38 B 23s manufactured between July 1939 and September 1940 3 nbsp B 23 Dragon front nbsp B 23 Dragon sideOperational history editThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed November 2017 Learn how and when to remove this template message While significantly faster and better armed than the B 18 4 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 1 The B 23s were primarily relegated to training duties although 18 of them were later converted as transports and redesignated UC 67 4 The B 23 also served as a testbed for new engines and systems For example one was used for turbosupercharger development by General Electric at Schenectady New York Another was used for testing cabin pressurization 5 After World War II many examples were used as executive transports with appropriate internal modifications and as a result a large number have survived both in public and private collections 4 Howard Hughes among others used converted B 23s as personal aircraft Operators edit nbsp United StatesUnited States Army Air CorpsVariants editB 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 Surviving aircraft edit nbsp Douglas B 23 Dragon at JBLM nbsp Douglas B 23 Dragon at Castle Air Museum nbsp Douglas B 23 Dragon at Pima Air amp Space MuseumEcuador edit UC 6739 031 HC APV Ecuadorian Air Museum Quito 6 United States edit On display edit B 2339 0036 McChord Air Museum in McChord AFB Washington 7 39 0051 Pima Air amp Space Museum adjacent to Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson Arizona 8 UC 6739 0047 Castle Air Museum at the former Castle Air Force Base in Atwater California 9 Under restoration or in storage edit B 2339 0033 to airworthiness by ATW Aviation in Marana Arizona 10 39 0037 in storage at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton Ohio 11 39 0038 for display at the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Museum in Geneseo New York 12 UC 6739 0057 in storage at Fantasy of Flight in Polk City Florida 13 39 0063 to airworthiness by private owner in Anchorage Alaska Currently stored at Grant County International Airport Moses Lake Washington 14 Flew in 2017 15 Wrecks edit B 2339 0052 wreck at Loon Lake Idaho 16 Specifications B 23 Dragon edit nbsp 3 view silhouette of the Douglas B 23 DragonData from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 17 General characteristicsCrew 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 eachPerformance Maximum speed 282 mph 454 km h 245 kn at 12 000 ft 3 660 m Cruise speed 210 mph 340 km h 180 kn Range 1 400 mi 2 300 km 1 200 nmi 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 baySee also edit nbsp Aviation portalRelated development Douglas DC 3 Douglas B 18 Bolo Douglas XB 22Aircraft of comparable role configuration and era Martin B 26 Marauder North American B 25 MitchellRelated lists List of aircraft of World War II List of bomber aircraft List of military aircraft of the United StatesReferences editNotes edit a b c Mondey 1982 p 111 Stinger Gun in Plane s Tail Guards Vulnerable Spot Popular Science Vol 75 no 1 January 1941 p 6 Retrieved 24 August 2021 Francillion R J 1988 McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 Volume I Naval Institute Press p 304 ISBN 0 87021 428 4 a b c McChord Air Museum Homepage Douglas B 23 Dragon s n 39 36 89th Reconnaissance Squadron McChord AAF www mcchordairmuseum org Retrieved 2023 03 31 Have You Seen Flying Vol 37 no 1 July 1945 p 73 Retrieved 24 August 2021 UC 67 Dragon 39 031 aviationmuseum eu Retrieved 15 July 2013 B 23 Dragon 39 0036 McChord Air Museum Retrieved 31 May 2011 B 23 Dragon 39 0051 Archived 2014 07 14 at the Wayback Machine Pima Air amp Space Museum Retrieved 31 May 2011 UC 67 Dragon 39 0047 Castle Air Museum Retrieved 15 December 2017 FAA Registry N747M FAA gov Retrieved 15 July 2021 B 23 Dragon 39 0037 USAF Museum Retrieved 18 November 2015 B 23 Dragon 39 0038 1941 Historical Aircraft Group Retrieved 25 December 2010 FAA Registry N4000B FAA gov Retrieved 15 July 2021 FAA Registry N777LW FAA gov Retrieved 15 July 2021 n777lw registration on Twitter Idaho History May 21 2017 The Yellow Pine Times 20 November 2018 Retrieved 24 August 2021 Francillon 1979 pp 314 317 Bibliography edit Francillon Rene J McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920 London Putnam 1979 ISBN 0 370 00050 1 Jesse William May June 1999 Short lived Dragon The Douglas B 23 Air Enthusiast 81 70 72 ISSN 0143 5450 Mondey David The Hamlyn Concise Guide to American Aircraft of World War II London Hamlyn Publishing Group 2002 republished 1996 by the Chancellor Press First edition 1982 ISBN 1 85152 706 0 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Douglas B 23 Dragon Douglas B 23 Dragon National Museum of the United States Air Force Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Douglas B 23 Dragon amp oldid 1147551810 Variants, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
