Douglas B-18 Bolo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_B-18_Bolo

The Douglas B-18 Bolo was an American medium bomber which served with the United
States Army Air Corps and the Royal Canadian Air Force (as the Digby) during the
late 1930s and early 1940s. The Bolo was built by the Douglas Aircraft Company,
based on its DC-2, and was developed to replace the Martin B-10.

By 1940, it was considered to be underpowered, to have inadequate defensive
armament and to carry too small a bomb load. Many were destroyed during the
attacks on Pearl Harbor and the Philippines in December 1941.

In 1942, the B-18 survivors were relegated to antisubmarine or transport duty. A
B-18 was one of the first American aircraft to sink a German U-Boat, U-654 on 22
August 1942 in the Caribbean.

The initial contract called for 133 B-18s (including DB-1), using Wright R-1820
radial engines. The last B-18 of the run, designated DB-2 by the company, had a
power-operated nose turret. This design did not become standard. Additional
contracts in 1937 (177 aircraft) and 1938 (40 aircraft) were for the B-18A,
which had the bombardier's position further forward over the nose-gunner's
station. The B-18A also used more powerful engines.

However, the deficiencies in the B-18/B-18A bomber were becoming readily
apparent to almost everyone. In range, in speed, in bomb load, and particularly
in defensive armor and armament, the design came up short, and the Air Corps
conceded that the aircraft was obsolete and totally unsuited in the long-range
bombing role for which it had originally been acquired. To send crews out in
such a plane against a well-armed, determined foe would have been nothing short
of suicidal.

Specifications (B-18A)

General characteristics
Crew: 6
Length: 57 ft 10 in (17.63 m)
Wingspan: 89 ft 6 in (27.28 m)
Height: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Wing area: 959 ft² (89.1 m²)
Empty weight: 16,320 lb (7,403 kg)
Loaded weight: 24,000 lb (10,866 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 27,673 lb (12,552 kg)
Powerplant: 2 × Wright R-1820-53 radial engines, 1,000 hp (746 kW) each

Performance
Maximum speed: 216 mph (188 knots, 348 km/h) at 10,000 ft (3,050 m)
Cruise speed: 167 mph (145 knots, 269 km/h)
Range: 900 mi (787 nmi, 1,450 km)
Ferry range: 2,100 mi (1,826 nmi, 3,380 km)
Service ceiling: 23,900 ft (7,285 m)
Climb to 10,000 ft (3,050 m): 9.9 min

Armament
Guns: 3 × .30 in (7.62 mm) machine guns
Bombs: 4,400 lb (2,000 kg)




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