Kemble today at approx 12:15, the last to land
PR.9 (XH131) shut down in RAF service. The last three
PR.9s from 39 Sqn - XH131, XH134 and XH135 - were flown in to a blustery Kemble and recieved by Falcon Air and Delta Jets.
Later in the sun, the three last Canberras sat lined up on Kemble's lazy with 39 Sqn ground crews removing various bits of kit.
So, after 55 years in service the Queen of the Skies retires. A relatively simple aircraft, exceedingly fit for purpose in all respects, sadly, we'll not see the like in service again - nor the sort of blokes and characters that worked it and flew it in strange and exotic locations around the world.
39 Sqn's stand down doesn't just mark the end of another squadron and another aircraft type, it marks the end of a era in the history of the RAF that began on a bright morning at RAF Binbrook on 25 May 1951 - 55 years ago.
Sad? Not really. All things come to an end I guess. But damn proud to have been part of it.
Mods . . . if you consider this would now be be more apt in the Hist&Nost forum, so be it.
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