Douglas B-23 Dragon

Douglas · United States · first flew 1939 · bomber

The Douglas B-23 Dragon was an American twin-engine medium bomber developed in the late 1930s as an improvement over the B-18 Bolo. Although quickly superseded by more capable designs, it was notable as the first US bomber equipped with a powered tail gun position.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	Large oval cross-section fuselage derived from DC-3
T — Tail	Conventional

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine mid-wing bomber with twin-tail
Large oval cross-section fuselage derived from DC-3
First US bomber with a tail gun position

A large twin-engine mid-wing monoplane with a circular-section fuselage, twin fins and rudders, and an elongated greenhouse-style bombardier nose — clearly derived from the DC-3 airframe.

Specifications

The Douglas B-23 Dragon has a length of 17.8 m (58 ft).
It has a wingspan of 28.04 m (92 ft).
Its maximum speed is 457 km/h (284 mph).
Typical crew: 6.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The B-23 was derived from the DC-3 airliner and first flew in July 1939, entering USAAC service that year. Only 38 were built before the B-25 Mitchell and B-26 Marauder rendered it obsolete. After the US entry into the Second World War, B-23s were used for coastal patrol and later converted for transport, executive, and training duties.

Variants

The B-23 had no significant production variants; surviving airframes were converted to UC-67 utility transport configuration.

Where you'll see it

Briefly used for coastal patrol duties on the US Pacific and Gulf coasts early in the Second World War; subsequently relegated to training and transport roles.

Related aircraft

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