Hi Beagle
I believe the same Malcolm was one of my studes at Sleaford Tech, and we served together sometime later in NEAF on the very nicest Canberra ever built. A little later we appeared to be getting close to a hot, as in warlike, situation in a thrid world region. The likely threat was posed by P51 Mustangs! We reckoned they could stay with us at low level...but not in a climb!
Hi A2 - more usually at 95% in my day, but fatigue in the the turbines and jet pipes was another reason for the more stately take offs usually employed, I think.