Douglas B-18 Bolo in the WWII Gallery (Sept 2021)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 พ.ย. 2024
- The Douglas Aircraft Co. developed the B-18 to replace the Martin B-10 as the U.S. Army Air Corps' standard bomber. Based on the Douglas DC-2 commercial transport, the prototype B-18 competed with the Martin 146 (an improved B-10) and the four-engine Boeing 299, forerunner of the B-17, at the Air Corps bombing trials at Wright Field in 1935. Although many Air Corps officers judged the Boeing design superior, the Army General Staff preferred the less costly Bolo (along with 13 operational test YB-17s). The Air Corps later ordered 217 more as B-18As with the bombardier's position extended forward over the nose gunner's station.
Though equipped with inadequate defensive armament and underpowered, the Bolo remained the Air Corps' primary bomber into 1941, and the Japanese destroyed some B-18s during the surprise attacks on Dec. 7. By early 1942, improved bombers like the B-17 replaced the Bolo as first-line bombardment aircraft. Many B-18s were then used as transports, or modified as B-18Bs for anti-submarine duty.
Stationed at Wright Field from 1939 to 1942, the B-18A on display was acquired and restored by the museum in 1971. It is painted as a B-18A serving with the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron in 1939.
![The Budget Bomber That Was Chosen Over The B-17 | Douglas B-18 Bolo [Aircraft Overview #44]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Whw-H3_ER1s/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Budget Bomber That Was Chosen Over The B-17 | Douglas B-18 Bolo [Aircraft Overview #44]](/img/tr.png)
![The U.S Bomber That Became A Luxury Cruiser | Douglas B-23 Dragon [Aircraft Overview #71]](/img/n.gif)
I wish my truck was this clean.
One of my late dad's first jobs in the USAAC in WWII was crew chief on the west coast (maybe March AFB) in one of these. Then they were later replaced with B-23 Dragons.
Toured the museum several times over the years, so it`s great to finally get to see inside the displays. Someone did an excellent job restoring the Bolo.
It looked like the pilot's seat could use a little TLC.
I'm still amazed at how accurately (overall) this aircraft was portrayed in the 1943 Bugs Bunny Cartoon, "Falling Hare".
Nice to see the inside for real. I love this series of videos, please keep them coming!
Thanks so much!!!
Great video, Thank you.
I've always wondered what it looked like in a B-18.
Funny thing, I just finished watching the movie "Bombardier" made in 1943 and was wondering what type aircraft that was with the funny nose.. Great video on type aircraft.
Excellent!
Was this the same AC that was at McChord field museum?
Well-made video! Kudos!
Very cool
Thanks for viewing!!!
the usaac chose unwisely. never seen inside one before. that was cool!
The aircraft looks amazing! Are most of the aircrafts interiors at the museum in such great condition?
The Belle is the most recent resto and it's amazing!!!
Looks like a brand new aircraft.
The new ones of today certainly won't look like this in 85 yrs.
To think this aircraft competed against what would become the B-17 is almost laughable.
The crazy part is the Army Air Corps picked the B-18 over the model 299/Y1B-17 for the contract! If my memory serves me correctly, the Air Corps brass was worried the Fortress would be too complex to mass produce (wrong!), And they were slightly near sighted lol.