Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Miscellaneous/2013 October 27

Welcome to the Wikipedia Miscellaneous Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

October 27

Aircraft v submarine

Some 35 years ago I met a pilot who said that not only had he flown Winston Churchill around (somebody did for sure), but he also claimed to have forced a German submarine to surface and surrender. Does anyone know of the facts in this case please?85.211.197.82 (talk) 07:00, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

To my recollection there were several instances such as this, possibly dozens by the RAF alone. See Anti-submarine_warfare#Battle_of_the_Atlantic and depth charge, if your looking for a specific news account of a certain incident do you happen to remember the pilots name and the name of the sub? ^{Market St.⧏} _{⧐ Diamond Way} 07:15, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

I found Travels with Churchill], about one of the pilots of Churchill's Consolidated B-24 Liberator. They were indeed used in the anti-submarine role, since they were the only Allied aircraft with the range to bridge the Mid-Atlantic gap. However, the particular pilot in the article worked for RAF Ferry Command and wouldn't have been hunting U-Boats. I'll do some more digging when I have time. Alansplodge (talk) 08:14, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator by Forest Garner says; " According to one author, RAF Coastal Command Liberators sank, or assisted in sinking, 70 U-boats", always assuming that your pilot was actually flying a Liberator in the U-boat attack. Therefore, I don't think we're going to pin this one down without more details. There isn't a likely looking match in Category:Captured U-boats. Alansplodge (talk) 17:23, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Winston Churchill : Wartime Traveller by Ged Martin says that Churchill also flew in a de Havilland Flamingo during the Battle of France and a Boeing Clipper flying boat for transatlantic flights. Alansplodge (talk) 17:23, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Finally, after March 1943, Churchill used an Avro York, piloted by William Vanderkloot who had also flown Churchill's Liberator, according to Finest Hour: the Journal of Winston Churchill, Issue No 148 (p.13). Alansplodge (talk) 17:39, 27 October 2013 (UTC)

Pilots in WWII may have flown several different types of plane, according to the RAF's needs and with technological improvements, too. They may also have changed unit for all sorts of reasons. --62.232.113.179 (talk) 10:38, 31 October 2013 (UTC)