The XB-28 was based on North American Aviation's highly successful B-25 Mitchell, but as it evolved it became a completely new design, much more reminiscent of the Martin B-26 Marauder.

High-altitude bombing was hampered significantly by factors such as clouds and wind, which were frequent occurrences in the Pacific.

The gains in aircraft performance that came with high-altitude flight were not considered sufficient to justify switching from low-altitude bombing.

However, this name is not used in any contemporary accounts, or by the U.S. Air Force Museum site; it was almost unheard of, in that era, for an aircraft to receive an official nickname before a production order was placed, and the Douglas B-23 Dragon was already in service with the same name.

The XB-28A crashed into the Pacific Ocean off Southern California after the crew bailed out on 4 August 1943.