B17's in RAF service.

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Per Ardua Ad Astra
I was totally unaware that the Royal Air Force entered into a deal with the USAAF where 20 B17C were supplied and given the service name Fortress 1. Operational use showed the RAF and the USAAF that the B17C was not ready for operations, the remaining aircraft not lost were transferred from Bomber Command to Coastal Command for use as a long-range maritime patrol aircraft instead.

These were later augmented in August 1942 by 19 Fortress Mk II (B-17F) and 45 Fortress Mk IIA (B-17E). A Fortress from No. 206 Squadron RAF sank U-627 on 27 October 1942, the first of 11 U-boat kills credited to RAF Fortress bombers during the war.

The RAF's No. 223 Squadron, as part of 100 Group, operated a number of Fortresses equipped with an electronic warfare system known as "Airborne Cigar" (ABC). This was operated by German–speaking radio operators who would identify and jam German ground controllers' broadcasts to their nightfighters. They could also pose as ground controllers themselves with the intention of steering nightfighters away from the bomber streams.
 
I was totally unaware that the Royal Air Force entered into a deal with the USAAF where 20 B17C were supplied and given the service name Fortress 1. Operational use showed the RAF and the USAAF that the B17C was not ready for operations, the remaining aircraft not lost were transferred from Bomber Command to Coastal Command for use as a long-range maritime patrol aircraft instead.

These were later augmented in August 1942 by 19 Fortress Mk II (B-17F) and 45 Fortress Mk IIA (B-17E). A Fortress from No. 206 Squadron RAF sank U-627 on 27 October 1942, the first of 11 U-boat kills credited to RAF Fortress bombers during the war.

The RAF's No. 223 Squadron, as part of 100 Group, operated a number of Fortresses equipped with an electronic warfare system known as "Airborne Cigar" (ABC). This was operated by German–speaking radio operators who would identify and jam German ground controllers' broadcasts to their nightfighters. They could also pose as ground controllers themselves with the intention of steering nightfighters away from the bomber streams.

There is a good website detailing Number 59 Squadrons use of B-17s...

http://www.number59.com/new_59/fortress.html
 
There is a good website detailing Number 59 Squadrons use of B-17s...

http://www.number59.com/new_59/fortress.html

Thanks Monty.

I did know however, that the RAF used B29's during the 1950's, but were unpopular because of the high number of crew required to operate the aircraft as thousands of experienced aircrew had joined civi street leaving the RAF short of experienced crews.

A formal agreement with the USA was signed on January 27, 1950 and the USAF loaned the RAF seventy B-29 bombers which received the serials WF434-WF448, WF490-WF-514 and WF545-WF574. Later another 18 were delivered under serials WW342-WW356 and WZ966-WZ968. The aircraft received the service name Boeing Washington B.1 (B.1 from "Bomber Mark 1") with RAF Bomber Command from 1950 as a longer-range nuclear-capable bomber, pending the introduction of the English Electric Canberra in quantity.

Most of the airframes were taken out of USAF storage and many were virtually new, having been delivered at the end of the Pacific War, although a small number came from operational units. The first 4 aircraft were delivered to the Washington Conversion Unit at RAF Marham on March 22, 1950. All B-29s for the RAF were ferried by the crews of the 307th Bombardment Wing USAF. The first unit converted to Washingtons was No. 115 Squadron RAF which flown from USA in June 1950. Two RAF Washingtons took part in the Laurence Minot SAC bombing competition in 1951 alongside USAF B-29s.

Squadrons based at RAF Coningsby were converted to English Electric Canberra bombers in 1953. Squadrons from RAF Marham were converted a year later. Most Washingtons were returned to the United States, being flown by RAF crews to Dover AFB; then subsequently to the aircraft storage facility at Davis-Monthan AFB. A small number of Washingtons remained in the United Kingdom, being used by 192 Sq. for Electronic Intelligence operations until 1958; later being used as ground target airframes for RAF combat aircraft.
 
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