Sub Hunter – Douglas B-18 Bolo in Photos

The Douglas B-18 Bolo served with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The Douglas Aircraft Company-made Medium Bomber was developed based on the Douglas DC-2 and was built to replace the Martin B-10.

It was among the bombers used to sink a German U-boat, U-654 in the Caribbean in August 1942.

The Bolo was considered to be underpowered. Its bomb load was considered too small alongside its inadequate defensive armament.

Douglas B-18A airplane of the 3rd Bombardment Group in flight.
Douglas B-18A airplane of the 3rd Bombardment Group in flight.

The development of The Douglas B-18 Bolo started in 1934 when the USAAC requested for a medium bomber with twice the bomb load and range of the Martin B-10, which just entered the service as the Standard Bomber for the Army. This prompted actions from different designers and manufacturers, and the following year at Wright Field, Douglas showed its DB-1 design.

The lower price of the Douglas DB-1, in contrast to the competing Boeing Model 299 counted in its favor and thus, in January 1936, The Douglas design was ordered into immediate construction as the B-18.

Martin-B-10B
Martin-B-10B

The B-18 was based on the DC-2, although it had several modifications. Its wingspan was 4.5ft bigger. In order to contain bombs and the six-member crew, the fuselage was made deeper. Due to the deeper fuselage, the wings were attached in the middle of the cross-section instead of the deeper fuselage. The ventral gun turrets, nose, dorsal were also added to the armament.

It had a speed of 215 mph, cruising speed of 167 mph, and a range of 850 miles. It was propelled by 2 Wright R-1820-53 Radial Piston engines which dissipated 1,000 Horsepower each.

Douglas DC-2
Douglas DC-2

It’s armament comprised of a .30 caliber machine gun in the nose position, another .30 caliber machine gun in the central position, and another .30 caliber machine gun in the dorsal position. There were two .50 caliber heavy machine guns serving as anti submarine defense.

However, the deficiencies of the B-18 would be made evident during the Pacific war as most B-18s in the Philippines and Hawaii were destroyed by the Japanese. The surviving ones played no significant roles later on.

Douglas B-18 formation during exercises over Hawaii, 1940–1941.
Douglas B-18 formation during exercises over Hawaii, 1940–1941.

The B-18 was regarded as an obsolete commodity because of the technology and progression of the war itself. It was considered underpowered for the growing USAAC requirements. Its bomb load was surpassed by newer developments and these reduced its tactical usefulness in the short term.

Some of the Bolos after being modified with anti-submarine weaponry were used in the Caribbean on anti-submarine patrol.

A Douglas B-18 deployed at Aguadulce Army Airfield, Panama
A Douglas B-18 deployed at Aguadulce Army Airfield, Panama

The Bolos were still used within the United States to train bomber crews in large aircraft flight and level bombing while getting used to high altitude travel. Some B-18s were used as make-shift transports after being stripped of their warfighting capacities.

In all, the Douglas B-18 Bolo had a few well-known variants namely: DB-1 which was the prototype, DB-18 which became the first production version, B-18M which served as a trainer, DB-2 which was the last of the B-18 run, B-18A which was essentially a B-18 with more effective Wright R-1820-53 engines, B-18AM which became a trainer aircraft, B-18B and B-18C which were anti-submarine conversions, C-58 which was a transport conversion and Digby mark I which was the Royal Canadian Air Force modification of B-18A.

B-18B at Castle Air Museum. By Alexander Migl CC BY-SA 4.0
B-18B at Castle Air Museum. By Alexander Migl CC BY-SA 4.0

 

B-18A at Wings Museum
B-18A at Wings Museum

 

Douglas B-18A Bolo By Articseahorse CC BY-SA 4.0
Douglas B-18A Bolo By Articseahorse CC BY-SA 4.0

 

B-18A Bolo 37-0469 from the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. By Arjun Sarup CC BY-SA 4.0
B-18A Bolo 37-0469 from the 38th Reconnaissance Squadron on display at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. By Arjun Sarup CC BY-SA 4.0

 

21st Reconnaissance Squadron – B-18 Bolo at Miami Municipal Airport, Florida, 1940
21st Reconnaissance Squadron – B-18 Bolo at Miami Municipal Airport, Florida, 1940

 

1st Bombardment Squadron B-18 Bolo – Trinidad 1942
1st Bombardment Squadron B-18 Bolo – Trinidad 1942

 

Douglas B-18 of the 3rd Bomb Group (BC 20) after over-running the runway
Douglas B-18 of the 3rd Bomb Group (BC 20) after over-running the runway

 

4th Reconnaissance Squadron – Douglas B-18 Bolo
4th Reconnaissance Squadron – Douglas B-18 Bolo

 

Douglas B-18 Bolo of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron
Douglas B-18 Bolo of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron

 

B-18 Bolos of the 12th Bombardment Squadron flying over British Guiana, 1943
B-18 Bolos of the 12th Bombardment Squadron flying over British Guiana, 1943

 

DougB18skyspray
DougB18skyspray

 

Surplus B18 with no N Number. At Vail Field, Montebello, California in May 1946. By Bill Larkins CCBY-SA 2.0
Surplus B18 with no N Number. At Vail Field, Montebello, California in May 1946. By Bill Larkins CCBY-SA 2.0

 

Douglas B-18
Douglas B-18

 

Douglas B-18 of the 19th Bombardment Group
Douglas B-18 of the 19th Bombardment Group

 

Douglas B-18 of General Headquarters Air Force
Douglas B-18 of General Headquarters Air Force

 

Douglas B-18 flying field, 19th Bombardment Group
Douglas B-18 flying field, 19th Bombardment Group

 

Douglas B-18 No. 34
Douglas B-18 No. 34

 

Douglas B-18 No. 34
Douglas B-18 No. 34

 

Douglas B-18 of the 3rd Bomb Group (BC 20) after over-running the runway onto the beach
Douglas B-18 of the 3rd Bomb Group (BC 20) after over-running the runway onto the beach

 

Douglas B-18 parked on the flying field
Douglas B-18 parked on the flying field

 

A U.S. Army Air Corps Douglas B-18 test aircraft that came from the 3rd Attack Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana,
A U.S. Army Air Corps Douglas B-18 test aircraft that came from the 3rd Attack Group, Barksdale Field, Louisiana,

 

Douglas B-18 of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron
Douglas B-18 of the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron

 

Douglas B-18A at Santa Monica airfield
Douglas B-18A at Santa Monica airfield

 

A Douglas B-18A Bolo assigned to the 99th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on patrol from Zandery Field, Dutch Guiana, 1942
A Douglas B-18A Bolo assigned to the 99th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on patrol from Zandery Field, Dutch Guiana, 1942

 

NC-66267 at Sacramento, California on February 14, 1948.
NC-66267 at Sacramento, California on February 14, 1948.

 

Reno, Nevada, August 1952. (was Army Air Corps 38-593).  By Bill Larkins CC BY-SA 2.0
Reno, Nevada, August 1952. (was Army Air Corps 38-593).  By Bill Larkins CC BY-SA 2.0

 

Douglas B-18B (SN 37-530, originally a B-18A) with the MAD tail boom
Douglas B-18B (SN 37-530, originally a B-18A) with the MAD tail boom

 

Douglas B-18B Bolo with power nose turret
Douglas B-18B Bolo with power nose turret

Read another story from us: Colourised War Planes

Boeing P-26s and Douglas B-18s were parked on the ramp at Hickam Field, Hawaii, in January, 1940.
Boeing P-26s and Douglas B-18s were parked on the ramp at Hickam Field, Hawaii, in January, 1940.