You wrote: "the first target was a Canberra PR9 (some trials thing with an odd-looking nose)." My suspicion is this was almost certainly XH132, the Shorts modified SC.9. This was the only Cran
PR.9 with a nose job. Went through several paint schemes over the years - do you happen to remember what it wore for this incident? Pretty cool that it gave a good account of itself. Did the TT.18 actually put up a fight despite being easier? Being from East Anglia (next door to Wyton), hearing about doing QRA intercepts on these Cans is of interest to me. Can you describe how you typically approached them and what action they typically took if they saw you?
Yes, it was the SC9, probably on the way back to RAE Bedford. It was in raspberry ripple clours, if I recall correctly. I think it ended its days at RAF St Mawgan as I saw it there during a UAS Summer Camp in about 1992 looking rather forlorn in faded hemp and grey. I can't remember whether it was still intact, but the nose section certainly was.
A practice QRA intercept was unlikely to include any evasion - the targets did not normally respond. All the practice was intended for was to exercise the system, so we were usually tasked just to 'intercept, identify and report' - even an exercise engagement with 8 live missiles on board posed a degree of risk. So usually it was just a simple intercept, before closing to loose echelon.