Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review, Aug. 6, 2021

DRAGON, from 4
The Air Corps received the last of its 38 B-23s in September 1940.
Early evaluations revealed disap- pointing performance, even though the B-23 was 66 mph faster than its B-18A predecessor and had a much better range, it was still clearly infe- rior to other bombers of its era. The B-23 was slower than the Boeing B-17 Fortress, the North American B-25 Mitchell and Martin B-26 Ma- rauder and was less heavily armed. Consequently, the B-23 was never used in its intended bombardment role and never saw any combat overseas. Ultimately relegated to training, and as a utility transport (as UC-67) and many other tests and experiments.
After the end of the war, surviv- ing B-23s and UC-67s were sold off as surplus. Many were refitted as
corporate aircraft and were provided with a new and longer metal nose, full washroom facilities, plus accom- modations for 12 passengers in two compartments.
California Oil Co. owned this Dragon from 1946-1960 and then Standard Oil Co. of Texas acquired it in July 1960.
Only 38 B-23s were built. Though it was mechanically sound and de- pendable, it was almost obsolete as soon as it rolled off the assembly line.
It had a wingspan of 92-feet, a fu- selage length of 58-feet, 6-inches and had a max weight of 32,400 pounds, carrying 4,000 pounds of bombs inter- nally. Boeing developed and built the larger B-17 Flying Fortress at about the same period of time, which had two more engines and much more
The B-23 Dragon at the Mojave Air and Space Port.
Photograph by Cathy Hansen
Weather around the northwestern states is often unfavorable for VFR flying and it was getting thick as pea soup when they were coming into Mc- Chord. The C-130 flew alongside and helped line them up for the runway. Al said, “As soon as we touched down on the runway, we just rolled into a huge fog and brought it to a stop on the runway.” Tugs had to come out and tow them off, because there was no way to see which way to taxi.
Mojave’s Dragon is now on display at McChord Air Museum.
Photograph by Derek Haley
firepower.
When World War II began, it was
the B-17 that went into mass produc- tion. The few B-23s flying were used mainly as troop transports.
This B-23 didn’t accumulate war- time glory, but it did have its own glamour. We were told that its first post-war owner was billionaire How- ard Hughes, who favored the plane for transporting VIP’s on business and pleasure excursions. I wonder how true that story is, but it is fun to imagine Jane Russell or Jean Harlow flying in this airplane.
Retired airline captain Bob V an Ausdell ferried the Dragon from Arizona to Mojave, then on Dec. 11, 1985, he was in the left seat again, with Al as co-pilot, as they lifted from the Mojave Airport on the way to Mc- Chord Air Force Base near Tacoma, Wash. A clean dusting of snow had covered the Tehachapi Mountains and the floor of the desert, as they floated off the runway.
First stop was McNary Field in Sa- lem, Ore., Van Ausdell’s hometown, where a C-130 from McChord joined the vintage bomber and crew.
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