Ferranti Canberras

[Tim McLelland]

I'm trying to find photos of a Canberra B(I)8 which was operated by Ferranti during the 1960's. I believe it is WT327 which was fitted with LRMTS nose. It wore standard camouflage but appears to have had strips of dayglow orange applied on the forward fuselage. There's one photo in the Midland Publications Canberra book but that's the only shot I've managed to find of the aircraft in this configuration.

Anybody have any leads on this?

[Warmtoast]

Anybody have any leads on this?

Tim,

Try here

http://www.spyflight.co.uk/images/%5CJPGS%5Castor%5Ccanberra%20wt327.jpg

[Tim McLelland]

Thanks for the link. I guess that's the aircraft, but it looks like there's only the one photo (in various books) which shows the aircraft with the camouflage and dayglow stripes scheme. Frustrating, as you can only see the starboard forward fuselage, so it's impossible to tell if the port side or the tail, wings, etc., also had dayglow strips applied. Aaargh!

[Kieron Kirk]

The following info. from English Electric Canberra and Martin B-57/Barry Jones/Crowood Press 1999/ISBN 1 86126 255 8.

The LRMTS Canberra was WJ643, a Handley Page built B.2 fitted with a B(I).8 nose.

Photo on page 161.

[happybiker]

Tim,

I worked on WT327 at RRE pershore in the 1960s. Check your Email.

[Tim McLelland]

Thanks for the email happybiker - tried mailing you but your email gets returned to me as being incorrect!

Keiron, that's the very aircraft and photo I'm referring to. As far as I can determine, that's the only picture of the aircraft in these markings... unless anyone has seen another anywhere?

[pubsman]

I have a copy of the "FERRANTI 50 YEARS IN SCOTLAND" book which has a picture of WT327 in flight. The legend says: ".....WT327 fitted with Forward Looking Radar for the TSR-2 flying....". There is also a picture of a Canberra with a prototype LRMTS fitted. This was taken in front of the FERRANTI hangar at Turnhouse. The nose appears to have stripes but the registration is not visible anywhere.

[Tim McLelland]

Hmm, that sounds like the same shot. I'm starting to think that it was the only one ever taken of the aircraft with dayglow stripes applied. Shame!