RAF Fortress IIA "J" of 220 Squadron, RAF Coastal Command, 1942.

In mid-1942, 45 B-17Es were turned over to the RAF as Fortress IIA. RAF serials were FK184/213, FL449/460, and FL462/464. The were called Fortress IIA because they were existing types transferred from the USAAF, whereas the Fortress IIs were allocated from new construction.

Probably because of its unhappy experience with the Fortress I, the RAF did not attempt to use their Fortress IIAs in the daylight high-altitude bombing role. Instead, they were turned over to Coastal Command for use in antisubmarine patrol work in the war in the Atlantic. The Fortress IIA entered service with No 220 Squadron on July 24, 1942. It is often reported that No 59 Squadron based at Thorney Island was the first to operate the Fortress IIA, but No 59 Squadron did not start operating the type until January 23, 1943. The third Coastal Command squadron to operate the Fortress IIA was No 206, which flew its first operational mission on September 19, 1942. Fortress IIAs also served with 251, 519 and 521 Squadrons. 

On the outbreak of World War II No. 220 Squadron began patrols from Thornaby and by November 1939 had converted from Ansons to Hudsons. It used these for anti-shipping missions off Norway and the Dutch Coast from May 1940. In April 1941 the Squadron moved to northern Scotland for attacks on coastal shipping and harbours in Norway and in November supplied a detachment to operate the surviving Fortresses of No. 90 Squadron in the Middle East for two months. The home-based element of the squadron began conversion to Fortresses in January 1942 and became operational on 29th April from Ballykelly, Northern Ireland, where this particular aircraft was based. FL459 had arrived in the UK on 23rd July 1942 and was delivered to 220 Squadron at Ballykelly on 20th August 1942. It carried the individual code J and during its wartime career sank a total of 4 U-boats before moving to meteorological duties from March 1945.

Place this skin in the B-17F folder. I used the F instead of the E since the in-game model is closer to what actually appeared in WWII.


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