IX-B/IX-C questions

[jasondef]

I'm in Apr. 1941, anxious to get patrols besides around the British Isles (particularly I want the Carribean and Gulf of Mexico). So I figured I better upgrade to a IX from my VII-B for the added range. I was hoping the IX-C (rather than get the IX-B for the greater range) would become available soon, as the in game tech tree says its available in 1941. Researched the forum though, and found a post listing sub availability at the different flotillas, and it shows that the IX-C really isn't available until later in '42! Don't want to wait that long though. So will the IX-B have sufficient range for patrols in the Carribean/Gulf of Mexico? Obviously, I imagine the game won't assign you to American patrol grids until after Dec, '41, but I'd like to get it now to start upgrading it and get different patrols in the mean time.

Below is the post I found for sub/flotilla availability. Note that nowhere is the IX-C available in 1941, despite what the in-game tech tree says!! What's up with that! And does anyone know what MONTH (from your experience) the IX-C becomes available in the 2nd flotilla?

1st Flotilla
Wilhemshaven 6/39 to 7/40
Brest 8/40 to 9/44

1939: U-Boat Type IIA
1940: U-Boat Type VIIB
1941: U-Boat Type VIIC
1942: U-Boat Type VIIC
1943: U-Boat Type VIIC
1944: U-Boat Type VIIC

2nd Flotilla
Wilhemshaven 8/39 to 8/40
Lorient 9/40 to 9/44

1940: U-Boat Type VIIB
1941: U-Boat Type IXB
1942: U-Boat Type IXC
1943: U-Boat Type IXC
1944: U-Boat Type IXC

7th Flotilla
Kiel 8/39 to 8/40
St. Nazaire 9/40 to 7/44
Bergen 8/44 to 5/45

1939: U-Boat Type VIIB
1940: U-Boat Type VIIB
1941: U-Boat Type VIIC
1942: U-Boat Type VIIC
1943: U-Boat Type VIIC/41
1944: U-Boat Type VIIC/41
1944: U-Boat Type XXI (April)
1945: U-Boat Type VIIC/41

10th Flotilla
Lorient 1/41 to 9/44

1942: U-Boat Type IXC
1943: U-Boat Type IXC
1944: U-Boat Type IXC

11th Flotilla
Bergen 1/41 to 5/45

1942: U-Boat Type VIIC
1943: U-Boat Type VIIC/41
1944: U-Boat Type VIIC/41
1944: U-Boat Type XXI (April using "Real U-boot")
1945: U-Boat Type VIIC/41

12th Flotilla
Bordeaux 10/42 to 8/44

1942: U-Boat Type IXB
1943: U-Boat Type IXC
1944: U-Boat Type IXC

29th Flotilla
La Spezia 9/41 to 8/43
Toulon 9/43 to 8/44

1941: U-Boat Type VIIB
1942: U-Boat Type VIIB
1943: U-Boat Type VIIC
1944: U-Boat Type VIIC

33rd Flotilla
Flensburg 9/44 to 6/45

1944: U-Boat Type VIIC/41
1945: U-Boat Type VIIC/41

:hmm: