Douglas B-23 Dragon
The Douglas B-23 Dragon was developed as a faster, better-armed successor to the DC-3-derived B-18 bomber, but only 38 were built before the B-25 and B-26 made it obsolete. It was one of the first American bombers to use a glazed tail position, giving the gunner a wide field of fire. After the war many were converted into executive transports, extending their lives in civilian hands. Its small production run makes it one of the least-seen Douglas bombers.
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Did you know?
A rare WWII-era Douglas bomber with an early glazed tail-gunner position, quickly eclipsed by the B-25 and B-26.
Specifications
| Length | 17.8 m (58 ft) |
|---|---|
| Wingspan | 28 m (92 ft) |
| Height | 5.8 m (19 ft) |
| Persons on board | 6 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Maximum take-off weight | 14.7 t |
| Range | 1,400 NM (2,593 km) |
| Maximum speed | 280 kt (519 km/h) |
| Service ceiling | 30,000 ft (9,144 m) |
| Optimum ceiling | 22,000 ft (6,706 m) |
| Engines | 2x Wright R-2600-3 |
| Units built | 38 |
Curated by CatchFlights from manufacturer documents, ICAO Doc 8643 and reference works; values are left out where no source could confirm them. Sources are listed on our credits page.
In CatchFlights
In CatchFlights the Douglas B-23 Dragon starts as a Legendary catch. The tier is an editorial judgement of how special a sighting of this type is. The more often you catch it, the closer it moves to Common for you. The first catch of a legendary type pays a bonus of its own.
A catch counts for the manufacturer Douglas, the B-23 Dragon family and the model in your collection, and the daily Type Rating quiz asks about the types of each family.
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