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Drawing by Tapani Tuomanen

DF -23 was captured by Germans at Orel in 1943.

Aside with other three DB-3Fs (DF-22, 24, 25), it was purchased by Finns and delivered to them on 13 Oct 42 at Brjansk. On the following day, the four planes were flown to Finland, but one (DF-22) was lost in an accident due to one engine.

The survived planes were delivered to 2/LeLv 48 on June 5. 1943.

The DF-23 was equipped with M 88B with cylindrical cowlings; DF-24 and 25, instead, were equipped with the earlier bulged cowlings.

DF-23 flew for 169 hours in Finnish service, fighting against Soviets and then against Germans, and was the only one that survived the war. It was brought to a depot on February 1945, and then sold to scrap on 2 January 1950.

Below: three photos of DF-23 in 1943. Note the yellow bands on the fuselage and wings undersurfaces. The Soviet colors have been replaced by the Finnish camouflage and markings.

Oliivinvihreä (Olive Green FS-24096), Musta (Black FS-37038), Vaaleansininen (Light Blue FS-35414)

(from http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/colorcharts/stuff_eng_colorcharts_finland.htm )

Strangely, the plane looks to have the early-type short exhaust pipes on both engines on the right side only, while the pipe on the left side of the left engine was of the later long type; this is probably due to repairs with pieces from other planes.

DF-23 aside a LaGG-3 of the Finnish Air Force

A photo of the same plane in late 1944, after that Finns made an armistce with Soviets and turned to fight against Germans in the so called 'Lapland war'.

The yellow band on the fuselage (as probably those under the wings) has been deleted to mark the rupture of the alliance with Germans, and the background of the swastikas has become light grey instead of white to reduce its visibility.

DF-24 at the scrapyard, aside a DB-3M and a pair of Fiat G-50. It was remarked with the postwar roundels, but never flown with those marks.