Slideshow: American air arsenal of 1941

Douglas B-23 Dragon

Douglas redesigned the B-18, giving the new airframe fully retractable landing gear, more powerful Wright R-2600 radial engines, a wing similar to their DC-3/C-47, and a spot for a tail gunner in the back. While it was much faster than its predecessor, the Dragon was outclassed by the B-25 and B-26 when they appeared in 1941. The B-23 briefly flew patrol missions out west but was sent to secondary duties like training and transport.