Douglas B-18 Bolo Bomber 1937 Photo
8x10 Army Air Corps USAAC Pre WWII Aviation
Army Chose It Over the B-17 DESCRIPTIONThis 8x10 black and white photograph shows a Douglas B-18 Bolo, the twin-engine bomber the U.S. Army Air Corps bought in quantity in 1936. A white-inked notation in the lower right corner reads 10728, B-18 and 1-23-37, dating the photograph to January 23, 1937, as the first production B-18s were reaching the Army. The close view shows the glazed nose, the raised cockpit canopy, two three-blade propellers on radial engines, and ARMY lettering across the underside of the wing.The B-18 grew out of the Douglas DC-2 airliner. Boeing\'s four-engine Model 299, the future B-17, was the stronger airplane, but it cost far more, and in January 1936 the Army ordered 133 B-18s against just 13 service-test YB-17s. The B-18 was powered by two Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines of 930 horsepower each, carried a crew of six, and went to bombardment groups in California, Hawaii and the Philippines.When Japan attacked on December 7, 1941, the B-18 series was the most numerous American bomber type deployed outside the continental United States. Thirty-three were at Hickam Field in Hawaii and twelve more at Clark Field in the Philippines, and many were destroyed on the ground in the opening attacks. Surviving airframes and later B-18 variants moved on to antisubmarine patrol in 1942, and the type is credited with sinking German U-boats.Photos are 600dpi scans of the actual print, including close-ups of the nose, the wing lettering and the white-inked caption.Every effort is made toward fact checking and provenance, including background research through news and historical archives. If any listing is incorrect in any way and you\'re unsatisfied with the item, please connect with me and I\'ll make it right.Orders placed before Noon CDT will ship same day Ground Advantage with tracking so you know exactly when it will arrive. Returns accepted on all items exceeding $25 in cost. Rigid, professional packaging on all shipments sealed and protected in acid free protectors. Shipping is free and already built into the price, so the BIN price is exactly what you pay, no surprise shipping costs at checkout.CONDITIONBlack and white 8x10 print with warm, slightly sepia tones and a cream-colored border. Period Print. The tonal range is good, with bright highlights on the aluminum skin and deep shadows under the wing. No creases, tears, stains or fold lines are visible in the scans. A scattering of small light and dark dust specks and fine surface flecks shows in the ground area and sky, along with a few faint hairline surface marks. The white-inked caption in the lower right corner is clear and legible. Slight softness in places comes from the original photograph and not from wear.
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