Can - Berra

[AR1]

Had an afternoon in the Tico Warbirds museum in FLA today and this beastie turned up. Recovered from just down the road at Melbourne. The guide reckons this bird was involved in the first Russian flyovers. Any thoughts? Also has 'Hurricane Project' written on the port side. Can anyone add any background? Navy Can-Berra [sic]

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee114/AR_1_b/20130203_154610_zpsa2a4e3cd.jpg

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee114/AR_1_b/20130203_154603_zpsf1974810.jpg

And yes - I did pay to go in, but forgot to take a pic from inside..

[AR1]

Of course NOW I google it.. but if anyone can add some more..

CANBERRA - TT.18 - WJ574 (http://www.bywat.co.uk/wj574.html)

[Milo Minderbinder]

a bit more here

FRADU's English Electric Canberra aeroplanes - TT.18 WJ574 (http://www.fradu-canberras.co.uk/fraducan/844wj574.html)


"Hurricane project" may relate to damage caused during Katrina......


And read Project Robin (http://www.spyflight.co.uk/robin.htm)
"In his article on overflights R Cargill Hall has stated that the Kapustin Yar sortie was flown in late August 1953 from Giebelstadt in West Germany. Records from 540 Sqn, who most likely conducted the sortie, note that on 27th & 28th Aug 53 ‘long range operational sorties’ were flown by Wg Cdr Freddie Ball and Sqn Ldr Don Kenyon in WH726 and Flt Lt Gartside and FS Wigglesworth in WJ574. A second aircraft usually followed an aircraft engaged on an operational sortie for the initial part of the flight, both as an airborne spare and to check that the lead aircraft was not leaving a giveaway contrail. From the details that have gradually begun to emerge from a variety of sources, this record appears to coincide with what can be established on the Kapustin Yar sortie, but until the official records are released, it is impossible to confirm if this was the actual sortie"

Best to read the whole article as it seems likely the special camera was fitted to the other aircraft, and theres a degree of ambiguity over the serial number

[AR1]

Milo, I actually said to the guide, looks like a TT18.. Nice to know I haven't 'lost it'.. The Avon's are in the hanger here too.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Couldn't really be much else...its not a T22 and the U14 drones were all scrapped

[AR1]

FRADU.. Did the Navy Hunters fly with this sort of aircraft in close formation then act as simulated standoff missiles released against ships - Something in the back of my mind says this was the case.

[Milo Minderbinder]

Exactly - though I think they tended to use the T22 rather than the T18 for that. The T22 had the Blue Parrot radar from scrapped Buccaneers fitted, to make it more suitable for low level naval work. The TT18 was mainly a target tug

The Hawks still do something similar in formation with the Falcon 20s

edit - just found these with the Hawk / Falcon combination

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNaRsFYSPP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1TPXpl1dWE