Pliadies
Were you on the Binbrook Wing?
The tailplane runaway problem was never cured inasmuch as the
electrical source of the problem was never isolated. However, an ingenious solution was eventually devised which was an aerodynamic one. By filing down the top or bottom of the plate on the back of the elevator tab, and this involved a series of flights taking readings with a spring balance fixed to the stick, eventually a situation was arrived at where full nose down trim was required to balance the aircraft at 450 knots IAS. It was reasoned that in the event of an upward runaway, the airspeed would in any case decay to a value where the aircraft could be flown without too much difficulty. This was Mod 2107. With either full up or full down tail trim the aircraft could be flown and recovered below 200 kts IAS.
In spite of all that has been said here, the Canberra was a delightful and benign aeroplane to fly, although almost always too hot or too cold, and in comparison with its contemporaries it
was neither hard work nor threatening when asymmetric. But
any aeroplane may bite if taken outside the prescribed handling
parameters. I flew it for nearly 1500 hours and enjoyed all of it.