b-17b vs uboat 10/27/41

FWIW: I don't believe the R.A.F. got any of the old B-17B's. The first they were given were 20 B-17C's offset from U.S. Army contracts. I believe the "understanding" was that they would be used as trainers pending the supply of combat worthy B-17E's, but the R.A.F. put them into a combat squadron anyway. They started out with daylight missions over occupied Europe. Bad Idea! After several were shot down, the remainder were given to Coastal Command for sea search duty which was held to be less dangerous. I have not seen any published data on their accomplishments while with Coastal Command. When the later B-17e's and F's finally did arrive in numbers they were put to work with Coastal Command and they did see combat with U-Boats and aircraft.

Bill Shuey