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Douglas B-18 Bolo Medium bomber of the US Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force in the late 30s and early 40s. Design was based on civilian passenger aircraft Douglas DC-2
In 1940 the B-18 were the main bombers in the USAAC. In 1942 they have been withdrawn from the front line where they were replaced by B-17 Flying Fortress. B-18 were transferred to patrol duties. The front turret and bombardier position was removed and in their place they were installed radar. In tail of the aircraft was mounted Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD). Such modified aircraft, known as B-18B, served in the Caribbean, where he conducted patrols in search of submarines. Two of them passed the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira), and twenty were purchased by RCAF in which they were known as the Douglas Digby Mk I. During World War II bombers Bolo and Digby sank four submarines.
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- B-18A of 27th Reconnaissance Squadron buzzing the USAT American Legion at sea in the Atlantic 26 December 1940
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- B-18 Bolos at March Field 5 May 1941
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- Mechanics checking the engine of a B-18 at a base in the Caribbean 1942
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- B-18A of the 7th Bomb Group at March Field 1939
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- B-18 and North American BT-9 over Randolph Field
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- B-18 of 7th BG over downtown San Francisco 17 January 1938
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- B-18 of the 7th BG over the San Francisco Bay Area 18 September 1938 2
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- B-18 37-009 and C-47 Albrook Filed, Canal Zone 25 January 1943
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- Formation of B-18A’s of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron, April 5, 1940
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- B-18A of 27th Reconnaissance Squadron over San Juan, Puerto Rico 5 November 1940
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- 459th Ordnance Company men load B-18 with 100-pound practice bombs at Midland Bombardier School
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- B-18A Bolos of the 38th RS at March Field, 8 April 1939
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- Allied Officers with B-18 Iceland March 1943
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- B-18A of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron over Floyd Bennett Field, NY 4 September 1940
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- Douglas B-18A of the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron in flight
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- B-18s over San Quentin California October 1939
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- B-18A of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron over Langley Virginia 5 April 1940
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- Crashed B-18A 37-494 16 April 1943
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- B-18 of the 7th BG over the San Francisco Bay Area 18 September 1938
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- B-18 237 and 235 on the flight line at March Field 5 May 1941
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- Cadet Bombardier with B-18 at Albuquerque Flying School
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- B-18A and P-40E at Iceland March 1943
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- Early B-18 at Wright Field
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- Douglas Digby RCAF 738
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- B-18 37-01 M1898 75mm gun test
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- Douglas B-18A #6 37-537 1944
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- B-18A of the 17th Bomb Group at Felts Field 1940
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- B-18A bow turret interior details
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- Douglas DB-2 37-34 in flight 4
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- Douglas B-18 Bolo frontal view
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- Douglas B-18 81 in flight 1938
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- B-18 BS31 of the 19th Bomb Group
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- B-18 BS2 of the 19th Bomb Group 2
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- B-18 Bolo nose turret
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- B-18A Bolo 38-586 Santa Monica
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- Canadian Douglas Digby RCAF 751 in flight
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- B-18 bombers of the 5th Bomb Group during exercises near Hawaii
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- B-18A upper turret exterior details
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- Douglas B-18 36-262 MAD tests
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- Douglas B-18 36-343 of the 21st Troop Carrier Squadron in Australia 1943
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- B-18 Bolo coded RE9
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- Douglas DB-2 serial 37-34
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- Douglas B-18A code 75
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- Douglas B-18 37-01 75mm M1898 gun test 4
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- B-18A retrobomb tests 1942
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- Douglas B-18 at Wright Field 3
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- B-18A bombers of the 19th Bomb Group over the Grand Canyon 1939
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- B-18A upper turret exterior
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- Douglas B-18A Bolo 2
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- Douglas B-18 Bolo at Wright Field 2
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- B-18A 37-503 #14 28 July 1939
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- B-18A of the 7th Bomb Group 11th Bomb Squadron at March Field
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- Douglas B-18 of the 21st RS, 1st RG 30 August 1938
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- B-18A bow turret interior
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- B-18A of the 1st RG R33 March Field 4 January 1939
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- B-18 Bolo 88th RS, 1st RG code R65
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- Douglas B-18 37-01 75mm gun test 2
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- Douglas Digby PR-N of the 10.(BR) Squadron RCAF
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- B-18 1942 Pacific
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- Douglas DB-2 serial 37-34 3
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- Bomber Douglas DB-1
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- Douglas DB-2 37-34 2
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- Douglas Digby 740 of RCAF
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- B-18A 37-450 at Santa Monica
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- Douglas B-18 37-01 75mm M1898 gun test 3
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- Douglas DB-1 at Wright Field
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- B-18 code BE22 of the 5th Bomb Group
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- Douglas B-18A Bolo serial 37-465 and B-24 Hawaii 1944
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- B-18A Bolo bomber during Louisiana maneuvers 1941
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- Crashed B-18 Bolo 37-002 at Hickam Field May 1943
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- Two B-18 Bolo and B-17 wreck Pearl Harbor
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- B-18 of the 5th Bomber Group Hickam Field – 7 December 1941 Pearl Harbor
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- B-18A Bolo formation on anti submarine patrol
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- B-18A Bolo on the ground Panama 1942
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- Major Gerald E Williams and B-18 Bolo, Paramaribo Dutch Guiana 1941
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- Olympic distance runner Louis Zamperini atop B-18A Bolo at Midland Flying School 1943
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- Douglas B-18B 37-530 with Magnetic Anomaly Detection tail antenna on patrol July 1942
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- B-18A of the 99th Bombardment Squadron – Caribbean 1942
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- USAAF Cadet Bombardiers with B-18 Bolo #26 at Albuquerque Flying School 1942
Douglas B-18 Bolo Medium bomber of the US Army Air Corps and Royal Canadian Air Force in the late 30s and early 40s. Design was based on civilian passenger aircraft Douglas DC-2
In 1940 the B-18 were the main bombers in the USAAC. In 1942 they have been withdrawn from the front line where they were replaced by B-17 Flying Fortress. B-18 were transferred to patrol duties. The front turret and bombardier position was removed and in their place they were installed radar. In tail of the aircraft was mounted Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD). Such modified aircraft, known as B-18B, served in the Caribbean, where he conducted patrols in search of submarines. Two of them passed the Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira), and twenty were purchased by RCAF in which they were known as the Douglas Digby Mk I. During World War II bombers Bolo and Digby sank four submarines.
Specifications
variant |
B-18 |
B-18A |
crew |
6 |
6 |
wingspan (m) |
27,28 |
27,28 |
horizontal stabilizer overall span (m) |
8,128 |
8,128 |
lenght (m) |
17,27 |
17,63 |
height (m) |
4,62 |
4,62 |
vertical stabilizer height (m) |
4,064 |
4,064 |
wing area (m2) |
89,09 |
89,09 |
wing flap area (m2) |
5,96 |
5,96 |
aileron area (m2) |
4,46 (each) |
4,46 (each) |
horizontal stabilizer total area (m2) |
8,90 |
8,90 |
vertical stabilizer area (m2) |
3,52 |
3,52 |
rudder area (m2) |
4,33 |
4,33 |
empty weight (kg) |
7130 |
7403 |
normal take-off weight (kg) |
9584 |
10035 |
max take-off weight (kg) |
12286 |
12552 |
engine |
Wright R-1820-45 930 hp at 2100 rpm for take-off, 810 hp at 2100 rpm at 3140 m, air-cooled, radial |
Wright R-1820-53 1000 hp at 0m, 850 hp at 2925 m, air-cooled, radial |
propeller |
Hamilton Standard Hydromatic, constant speed, 3-bladed, 2,59 m |
Hamilton Standard Hydromatic, constant speed, 3-bladed, 2,59 m |
fuel (l) |
4429 |
4429 |
engine oil (l) |
329 |
329 |
max speed (km/h) |
349 at 3050 m |
347 at 3050 m |
cruising speed (km/h) |
269 |
269 |
landing speed (km/h) |
103 |
111 |
ceiling (m) |
7375 – 7878 |
7285 – 7800 |
range (km) |
max 3580 |
1850 with 1132 kg bombs |
rate of climb |
6,9 m/s |
5,2 m/s |
climbing time |
9’6” at 3050 m |
9’54” at 3050 m |
bombs (kg) |
1996 |
1996 |
armament |
3×7,62 mm |
3×7,62 mm |
References
- “Douglas B-18 Bolo – The Ultimate Look: from Drawing Board to U-boat Hunter” – William Wolf, Schiffer Publishing
- Dan Hagedorn Sr., Dan Hagedorn Jr – The Douglas B-18 and B-23: America’s Forsaken Warriors, 2015
- Michael O’Leary – DC-3 and C-47 Gooney Birds: Includes the DC-2, DC-3, C-47, B-18 Bolo, B-23 Dragon, the Basler turboprop Goonies, and many more, 1992
- Rene J. Francillon – McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume 1
Plastic model kits
1/72 Special Hobby SH72095 B-18 Bolo “Pre-War Service”
1/72 Special Hobby SH72228 B-18A Bolo “At War”
1/72 Special Hobby SH72251 Digby Mk.I Bolo in Canadian service
1/72 Special Hobby SH72265 B-18 Bolo “WWII Service”