07/15/2020. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "During 1938, a delegation of the British Air Ministry visited Douglas to investigate the purchase of 200 aircraft of a version of the B-l8 for use by the RAF as a maritime reconnaissance-bomber. The aircraft, however, was found to be underpowered and to have poor airfield performance and unsatisfactory defensive armament. Furthermore, price and delivery rate (58 weeks) were not attractive and the British order went to Lockheed which supplied its Model B14L Hudson.

In spite of failing to obtain the RAF order, Douglas succeeded at about the same time in securing an order for 20 aircraft from the RCAF. Designated Digby Mk.Is and assigned the Canadian military serials 738 to 757, these general reconnaissance bombers were externally similar to the B-18As of the USAAC. However, they were armed with 0.303 in (7.7 mm) flexible machine guns and other British and Canadian equipment. The 20 Digby Mk.Is were taken on strength by the RCAF between December 29, 1939, and May 22, 1940.

The pictured aircraft was the third Digby for the RCAF and it was taken on charge at No. 1 (E) Depot at Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on December 30, 1939. From June 17, 1940 it served with No. 10 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, Eastern Air Command (EAC), at RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. It carried out RCAF and EAC first attack on a U-boat on October 25, 1941, unfortunately both depth charges failed to explode. On November 18, 1943, the aircraft was delivered to No. 4 Repair Depot at Scoudouc, New Brunswick, and subsequently scapped. It was struck off charge on May 16, 1944."