Davef68, Heathrow Harry. Gentleman, what a load if pocock (pardon my French). The Americans knew about the mission (Operation Robin) right from the very start. US & UK Mil Int. found out from the returning WWII German rocket scientists & technicians who had been on a five year contract with the Russians to develop their rocket programme at a place called Kapustin Yar.
The Us were desperate to find out what range of missiles they were developing (short, intermediate or long range), but didn't have an aircraft that could fly high enough & fast enough to carry out a photographic mission. Also, President Eisenhower would not allow US overflights of the USSR at that time.
That is when the CIA, through the "Wright Air Development Command" contacted English Electric & persuaded them to fit more powerful engines in the Canberra. English Electric fitted six Rolls Royce Avon-109 engines that had been developed for the Lightening in three Canberra's, which brought their maximum operating ceiling to 65,000ft.
The Americans arranged for one of the Canberra's (WH726) to be fitted with the forerunner of the U-2 100inch oblique camera to be on loan & was fitted at Hascom Field in the US. The Americans also arranged for Canberra WH726 to fly from the USAF Base at Giebelstadt right on the East German Border.
After WH726 had photographed the missile development & testing sites at Kapustin Yar, it flew to Iran (yes, we were still friends then) for the crew to rest & aircraft to be refuelled. It then flew back to Giebelstadt where the film was removed & flown straight to the US for developing & analysis. The following day, the aerial photographs were on the President's desk.
Yes, the Americans knew about it. They actually orchestrated it, the RAF only took the snaps! The flight took place on 27/28th August 1953. Where Chris Pocock get's confused is that the Records Office have removed three Operation Robin files & the only files remaining were after the oblique camera was returned & replaced with a LOROP camera in the bomb bay & operation Robin missions continued.
He was also unaware that WH726 had the new, more powerful engines & assumed that it flew the mission a 47,000ft. Lieutenant Mikhail Shulga, a MIG15 pilot was vectored at dawn to Kapustan Yar. His maximum ceiling was 47,000ft & could see the Canberra three miles above him.