The story
Douglas redesigned the B-18 Bolo into the B-23, and the last 38 aircraft on the B-18A order were built as Dragons between 1939 and 1940. It never saw combat overseas: B-23s flew brief patrols along the US West Coast, trained crews, and tested equipment, including General Electric turbosuperchargers. Some became UC-67 transports. After the war many were converted into executive aircraft, and Howard Hughes owned one. Two are on their way back to the air: the Liberty Foundation's B-23 ran its engines and taxied in 2026, and in October 2026 Hughes's old B-23 flew in Texas for the first time in 35 years.
The B-23 was the first operational American bomber with a glazed tail gun position: the gunner lay prone in the tail cone with a single .50-calibre gun and a telescopic sight.
Quick answers
How do you identify a B-23 Dragon?
A slim, clean twin with two big radials, a tall single fin and a glazed tail-gun cone at the very end of the fuselage on the bomber. Executive conversions carry a row of cabin windows along the fuselage.
What does a B-23 Dragon sound like?
Two 14-cylinder Twin Cyclones, the same engine family as the B-25, a deep and even rumble.
How fast is the B-23 Dragon?
Top speed is 245 kts.
How many people does the B-23 Dragon carry?
Typical configuration: Crew of 6.
How far can the B-23 Dragon fly?
Range is about 1,220 nmi.
How big is the B-23 Dragon?
It is 58 ft 5 in long and 92 ft 0 in across the wings.
When did the B-23 Dragon first fly?
Its first flight was in 1939.
How many B-23 Dragons have been built?
38 built.
How rare is a B-23 Dragon in Bogey?
RARE. A good day. Most spotters go weeks between sightings of something this rare. Your first B-23 Dragon catch is worth 250 points.
