Douglas DB-2 n°37-34

Je suis à la recherche d'informations sur la carrière du DB-2 de l'USAAF 37-34, qui est en fait un DC-3 de série (c/n 1950) transformé pour l'USAF en 1937....

Toutes infos sur sa carrière ou autre sera la bienvenue!

Coucou,

Un début via Aerofiles :

http://www.aerofiles.com/_doug.html a écrit:

B-18 "Bolo", XB-18, DB-1 (Model DB-1) 1936 = USAAC bomber development of DC-2. 6pClwM rg; two 850hp Wright 930hp R-1820-45; span: 89'6" length: 56'8" load: 5411# v: 220/173/64 range: 1200 ceiling: 24,200'. 4400# bomb load, manual dorsal and nose turrets—the novel fuselage turret had a flattened top that would be flush with the fuselage when retracted. POP: 132 [36-262/343, -431/446, 37-1/33, -51], of which 2 were converted into C-58 transports. "Bolo" was a popular name, never officially used by USAAC. 1935 prototype, first designated DB-1 [37-51], specs with two 850hp Wright R-1820-G2: span: 89'7" length: 57'3" v: 215/167/62 load: 5353# range: 1030 ceiling (est): 25,000'; ff: 4/x/35. SEE ALSO DB-2,

In Aug 1939 the DB-1 prototype was modified to test the feasibility of firing a large-caliber cannon from aircraft. A forward-firing 75mm was mounted in a fixed position in the bomb bay and the nose was cut down to accommodate the muzzle for initial tests over Lake Erie and at Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Vibration during firing proved excessive, and the experiments were discontinued. However, data gathered were of value in developing the cannon-firing versions of North American B-25G/H. (— Joe Baugher)

http://www.aerofiles.com/_doug2.html a écrit:

DB-2 1937 = B-18 airframe—the last aircraft in the B-18 contract—fitted with power nose turret and a large bombardier enclosure designed for XB-19. POP: 1 [37-34].

En fait, si j'ai bien compris, ce sont 2 cellules qui furent transformées en transport ;
Le dernier, le 37-34 a servi pour des essais de tourelle et de soute à bombe pour le XB-19 ; en voici une photo :

http://www.airwar.ru

Puisqu'on parle de Joe Baugher :

Dans http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b18.html Joe Baugher a écrit:

The DB-2 was a B-18 airframe fitted in March 1937 with a power-driven nose turret with an extensively-glazed large bombardier's enclosure. It bore the serial number 37-34, which identified it as the last aircraft ordered on the original B-18 contract. However, it was delivered out of sequence, and it was actually the 36th B-18 to be delivered when it was received at Wright Field on November 8, 1937. This modified nose did not prove satisfactory, and the aircraft was eventually converted back to standard B-18 configuration before being delivered to the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron at Mitchel Field, New York.

P.S. : De plus, le B-18 est construit sur une voilure de DC-2 ... Or tu parles de DC-3

C'est déjà une bonne base de départ, mais ce DB-2 est pas bien connut quand même... normal il fut unique me semble t'il...