Surprise? 'RAF reconnaissance aircraft' photographed by VVS

[Jackonicko]

Looking at a Russian enthusiast site, (ÔÎÒÀÁ: Àâèàöèîííûé ôîòîàëüáîì (http://bellabs.ru/Fotab/HostileW.html)) chock full of pictures of Badgers, Bears, and the odd Norwegian F-104G, I was surprised to come across pictures of an RAF recce aircraft.

Not a Nimrod MR, nor even a Nimrod R, but a Canberra.

And not a 51 Canberra, nor a prowling PR9, but this beastie - 'bort XH132' as our Russkie chums would have her.

http://bellabs.ru/Fotab/HostileW/Canbera_001.jpg

http://bellabs.ru/Fotab/HostileW/Canbera_001a.jpg

"Самолёт-разведчик English Electric "Canbera" борт "XH132" из состава RAF, перехвачен самолётом ВВС СССР.

фрагмент: бортовой номер.

Фото: предоставил ЗАЙФМАН Р.Я.

британский cамолёт-разведчик "Canbera" борт "XH132
перехвачен самолётом ВВС СССР"

[Jackonicko]

There are some funky 'taken by the enemy' shots out there:

b737 ? ?????? «??????» ?? ??????.?????? (http://fotki.yandex.ru/users/b737/album/44438/?p=3)

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3512/b737.9/0_1a665_8bba0447_-2-L

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3903/b737.36/0_2a462_cbd8760_L

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/4005/b737.36/0_2a465_ed121694_L

http://img-fotki.yandex.ru/get/3901/b737.36/0_2ab92_5aac6d91_-1-L

[Jackonicko]

http://bellabs.ru/Fotab/HostileW/MiG-23vsP-3_01.jpg

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7524&d=1183614673

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7501&d=1183574171

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7500&d=1183574119

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7508&d=1183574690

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7517&d=1183575153

http://forums.airforce.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=7515&d=1183575089

[Jackonicko]

Cue colourful stories?

[TEEEJ]

A few stories from earlier this year.

http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/357551-does-anyone-recognise-themselves.html

TJ

[Dan Winterland]

A quick google shows that XH132 was an RAE aircraft all it's life and used as a test bed for missile seeker heads. Looks like it was flown north to test the seeker heads on real Russian aircraft!

[BEagle]

I was launched on a practice Q-scramble to intercept, identify and report that thing once. Needless to say, a relatively light PR9 was quite a difficult target for a heavy Q-fit F4......:hmm:

"WTF is that?" we both said when we finally caught it out over the North Sea, "It looks like a PR9 with a Piston Provost nose!"

Last saw it looking rather sorry for itself at RAF St Mawgan during a UAS Summer Camp back in the days when the RAF could still afford such things...:{

[Jackonicko]

RAE and RRE, Desparate Dan!

I must say that was my first thought, too!:*

[barnstormer1968]

Jackonicko.
Thanks for those wonderful pics.

The Canberra is an SC.MK9 as far as I know.
Although it was a high flyer, I notice the observing aircraft is higher!

Spotter mode on:
Canberra SC.MK9 conversion of canberra PR MK9 with an AI.23 radar, plus IR installations in its nose for DH propellers (red top AAM) trials.

Although it was always old (for someone my age), I have always had a fond
affection for the Canberra, as my first ATC summer camp was at RAF Wyton,
and even the target tugs looked impressive to me (and after all these years, I
have to confess to taking one of the 'remove before flight' tags from the Canberra
gate guard).