No. 220 Squadron B-17Cs in the Desert 1941
 

Here's some background on these oddballs in the R.A.F. Middle East arsenal, including some interesting views on the value of the early B-17:

http://rommelsriposte.com/2014/09/27...-north-africa/

All the best

Andreas

Re: No. 220 Squadron B-17Cs in the Desert 1941
 

About
http://rommelsriposte.com/2011/06/15...o-90-squadron/

From an old book :
Royal Air Force Bombers of World War II Vol. 2
by Philip J.R. Moyes
Hylton Lacy Publishers, 1968.

Four Fortresses where sent to the Middle East.

8 NOV 1941, Target near Tobrouk :
AN529 (P/O Swanson) ran out of fuel, F/L in ennemy territory, lost;
AN518 ran out of fuel, landed at Mersa Matruh.

AN521 crashed after an engine fire during a fuel consumption test (no date given)

The pic captioned
Boeing B-17 of No. 90 Squadron Detachment in RAF Colours, Egypt 1941
is identified as AN532 WP°J

see
http://forum.armyairforces.com/B17C-...166628-p2.aspx
AN521 - 6 miles N Shalufa 10th January 1942.
AN529 - Crashed in forced landing 80 miles W of Ft.Maddallena, Libia 8th November 1941.
AN518 & AN532 were transfered back to the USAAF, when 220 squadron was in India.

Re: No. 220 Squadron B-17Cs in the Desert 1941
 

An interesting article. Thanks for the link.

Re: No. 220 Squadron B-17Cs in the Desert 1941
 

Thanks both!

All the best

Andreas

Re: No. 220 Squadron B-17Cs in the Desert 1941
 

Robert Stitt is your man for this. In his book "B-17 Flying Fortress in Coastal Command" records that there is some confusion about the dates when these a/c were transferred from 90 Sqn to 220 Sqn ranging from 1Dec41 to 3Feb42. He records that AN518 and AN532 were transferred to FEAF India on 1Jul42 and then back to USAAF in India (10AF) on 25Sep42.

Steve