Did RAF fighters provide cover and protection for US bombers during their day time raids?

I saw a picture of RAF hurricanes along side US B-17s and I think Hurricanes didnt have that ability to cover US long range bombers such as B-17s or B-25s so did they provide any cover for the US bombers or not?

thnx

As far as I know the fighter cover stopped over Holland. Their legs were too short for the entire flight.But I'll have to check this just to make sure...

The RAF did provide fighter cover for US bombers. I am not sure, how far they protected them. Until the advent of long range fighters the american escorts couldnt provide protection, never mind the RAF.

Dont know of mosquitos provided fighter escort for US bombers. Something to look up, but the mosquito would be one the the early/mid war fighters that could go long range.

Originally Posted by Reiben

Dont know of mosquitos provided fighter escort for US bombers. Something to look up, but the mosquito would be one the the early/mid war fighters that could go long range.

Mosquito fighters didn't provide escort to the 8th USAAF, because while the Mosquito fighter is considered by many to be the best night-fighter of WW2, it was unsuitable for combat against German single-seat fighters during daylight hours.

With the 8th Air force of the USAAF. The RAF did provide some escort service during the early build up of American forces in europe, but when sufficient US fighters were available, the USAAF did the vast bulk of escort duties for their own formations.

In the tactical role the airforces were far more flexable, and the RAF/USAAF fighters shared the escort duties for the medium bombers of both sides.

In the early stages of 8th USAAF day bombing missions, RAV fighters where able to provide cover for the first 280 km (till Paris). Then the bombers where on their own.

Thanks for the answers

Spitfires and Hurricanes would escort them to the limits of their range, when the bombers came back another group of fighters would pick them up and escort them. In later days of the war the Gloucester Meteor escorted the American bombers at the request of the American Government and several squadrons of the Meteors were station in Belgian for this purpose. The reason for this the Meteors were the only Allied jet fighter in service during WW2 and that had a chance against the Me 262

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

Spitfires and Hurricanes would escort them to the limits of their range, when the bombers came back another group of fighters would pick them up and escort them. In later days of the war the Gloucester Meteor escorted the American bombers at the request of the American Government and several squadrons of the Meteors were station in Belgian for this purpose. The reason for this the Meteors were the only Allied jet fighter in service during WW2 and that had a chance against the Me 262

Meteor entered the service in August 1944, right?

616 Squadron Royal Auxilary Air Force was the first operational Meteor Squadron. It took delivery of its first Meteors in May/ June 1944 and became operational in July. Initially deployed against V1 flying bombs ("Divers") they scored their first victory on 4th August when Flg Officer "Dixie" Dean intercepted a V1 near Tunbridge Wells. He initially tried to shoot down the flying bomb with cannons but when they failed to fire, he flew up alongside and tipped it over and out of control with his wingtip. Before the allies overran the launch sites in France a further 12 victories would be scored.

Originally Posted by LeEnfield

In later days of the war the Gloucester Meteor escorted the American bombers at the request of the American Government and several squadrons of the Meteors were station in Belgian for this purpose. The reason for this the Meteors were the only Allied jet fighter in service during WW2 and that had a chance against the Me 262

According to the info I've read, the two Meteor Squadrons ( 616 and 504) sent to Belgium in the last months of the war were used on ground attack missions, not escort duties.
The Mk I's used by these squadrons only had a top speed of 415 mph, slower than the later marks of Spitfire and P-51. It was only with the Mk 3 which first flew in May 45 that the Meteors top speed reached 540 mph .