FlyPast 06.2018

new, twin-engined Douglas Digby
bombers hurriedly purchased for the
RCAF in the USA.
Developed from the DC-2 airliner,
and also known as the Douglas
DB-1, the bomber was adopted by
the US Army Air Corps as the B-18
Bolo in 1936. It was powered by
a pair of 930hp (694kW) Wright
R-1820-45 radials.

LONG-RANGE PATROLS
During the summer of 1940,
two separate components of 10
(BR) Squadron existed – one

at Dartmouth plus an element

forward-deployed to Gander,

Newfoundland. Training and

familiarisation sorties flew primarily

from Dartmouth, while at Gander

ten aircraft undertook two or three

daily long-range patrols and shorter

reconnaissance missions, depending

on the weather.

Used as transports between the

two bases, the Digbys carried

personnel and supplies, along with

the occasional VIP. As the British

Commonwealth Air Training

Programme had yet to be fully

established, the unit had to train its

own crews, especially bombardiers

and gunners.

During the early war years, 10 (BR)

Squadron’s Digbys were Canada’s

longest-ranged aircraft. With fuel

tanks installed in the bomb bays they

could stay aloft for more than 12

hours, giving them a maximum range

of 2,000-plus miles.

A report came through on

November 6, 1941 that the German

heavy cruiser Admiral Scheer had

been located 600 miles off the

Newfoundland coast. Three Digbys

quickly launched from Gander to

intercept the vessel but found nothing

after flying through intermittent

stormy weather. The crews returned

safely, but disappointed.

The onset of winter in

Newfoundland came with very high

winds, sleet and wet snow off the

nearby ocean. The mixing of warm

Gulfstream and cold Arctic currents

formed an almost continual fog off

the Grand Banks, which was at the

outer limits of 10’s patrols.

There was only one hangar at

Gander and aircraft being ferried to

Britain had priority, so the Digby

crews had to carry out servicing

outdoors. The situation gradually

became untenable and the

“Three Digbys quickly launched from Gander

to intercept the raider but found nothing

after fl ying through intermittent stormy

weather. The crews returned safely, but

disappointed”

Above left

Personnel of 10 (BR)

Squadron in front of a

Digby in May 1942. RCAF

Below

Digby 740 of 10 (BR)

Squadron at Gander,

October 1941. KEY COLLECTION

Left

Digby 751, one of the

long-range patrollers

used by the RCAF’s 10

(BR) Squadron. RCAF

Bottom left

A line-up of Lockheed

Hudsons, with Digby

752 in the foreground,

at Halifax, Nova Scotia,

June 1940. This Digby

ditched in the sea during

approach to Gander on

July 21, 1941. RCAF

June 2018 FLYPAST 119