Drawing by Tapani Tuomanen

DF -23 was captured by Germans at Orel in 1942. Here we see it on 28/9/1942, before the rough yellow repaintings.

Here is DF-23 after some repainting; the light color on the back is believed to be a rough layer of yellow to avoid friendly fire. The extension of the yellow repainting over the light bue of the undersurfaces isn't fully clear; from the photo, it seems possible that the wings preserved a part of their original color.

Aside with other three DB-3Fs (DF-22, 24, 25), DF-23 was purchased by Finns and delivered to them on 13 Oct 42 at Brjansk. The DF-23 was equipped with M 88B with cylindrical cowlings; DF-24 and 25, instead, were equipped with the earlier bulged cowlings. Strangely, from Finnish photos 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.

On the following day, the four planes were flown to Finland, but one (DF-22) was lost in an accident due to one engine.

See also: DF-23 in Finnish Air Force service