Canberra overflights of the USSR

[Fonsini]

I understand the need for OpSec but the flights of 540 Sqn Canberras over Kapustin Yar are now a piece of history yet still officially denied by HM Gov. Seems such a pity that we can’t discuss it even 60 years later, the flight that was hit by 23mm cannon shells yet still photographed the objective and then continued on to Iran would be stirring stuff to read about.

For what it’s worth if any of the crews are reading this you have my absolute respect, especially the navs who found that launch site with nothing more than a pencil, a compass, and a stopwatch. Incredible feat really.

[bspatz]

Back in the early 60s as a schoolboy I went into the ASF hangar at Laarbruch, with my father who was OCASF, and saw a Canberra with the canopy painted white on top. This was presumably to reduce solar glare when flying at height. My father suggested that I ought not to have seen this aircraft and not to mention it. I have always wondered what it was and which sqn operated it, presumably not 540 which had disbanded by then. Can anybody enlighten me?

[air pig]

Back in the early 60s as a schoolboy I went into the ASF hangar at Laarbruch, with my father who was OCASF, and saw a Canberra with the canopy painted white on top. This was presumably to reduce solar glare when flying at height. My father suggested that I ought not to have seen this aircraft and not to mention it. I have always wondered what it was and which sqn operated it, presumably not 540 which had disbanded by then. Can anybody enlighten me?

Try this site:

https://spyflight.co.uk/operations/

[Asturias56]

I'm sure there are people in the MoD who are still upset that the victory at Waterloo and Trafalgar were announced to the press..................

[Jackonicko]

Back in the early 60s as a schoolboy I went into the ASF hangar at Laarbruch, with my father who was OCASF, and saw a Canberra with the canopy painted white on top. This was presumably to reduce solar glare when flying at height. My father suggested that I ought not to have seen this aircraft and not to mention it. I have always wondered what it was and which sqn operated it, presumably not 540 which had disbanded by then. Can anybody enlighten me?

I would say that what you saw was almost certainly one of the four B.Mk 6 (Mod) aircraft (also known as B.Mk 6RC) used by No.51 Squadron, which had exactly that canopy mod, and that frequently operated from Laarbruch for their SIGINT flights into the Baltic. You might have noticed an extended nose - initially 'pointy' like a pencil, and like the T11/19, and later blunt and round-tipped.

http://www.simplyplanes.co.uk/images/pages_images/raf_squadrons/51_squadron/photos/51_squadron_42.jpg[IMG]
[img]https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune.org-vbulletin/700x491/51_squadron_42_c52fea71c3453ff5c2d61f6bd482a558ba977a4c.jpg

[dragartist]

There is quite a lengthy thread on here about this not long ago. Try a search. It included contributions from those involved.
long before my time but I do remember people on 51 recalling the tensions of the crews prior to some missions from Watton.

[dragartist]

https://www.pprune.org/military-aviation/376693-russian-overflights-raf-crews-during-cold-war.html?highlight=Russia+overflights

here you go. I think this was the original thread

[chevvron]

I'm sure there are people in the MoD who are still upset that the victory at Waterloo and Trafalgar were announced to the press..................
Not to mention the British Army snatching defeat from the jaws of victory against the Americans at Chalmette on January 8 1815, neither side knowing a peace treaty had already been signed in Ghent on Dec 24 1814.

[Asturias56]

these things happen in the best run shops........ that's why email was invented...........

But I presume in Roman time sit was worse - it took weeks to get a message from Rome to Carlisle.......

[bspatz]

I am sure this is what I saw, so thanks for solving a query that has been at the back of my mind for some time

[LoeyDaFrog]

I've read a couple pieces that touch on this...
Operation 'Robin' and the British overflight of Kapustin Yar: a historiographical note (https://doi.org/10.1080/02684520412331306690)
or
Lashmar, Paul. Spy Flights of the Cold War. Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 1996.

hope they are of use...

[tartare]

Was reading through the original thread posted above - and surprised to see speculation that the PR Mk9 have flown as high as FL58!
What would the crew on those flights have worn - given aircraft was pressurised - just the Taylor helmet and the pressure jerkin - or would you have needed a full pressure suit given that time at altitude?

[Buster Hyman]

I was only just watching this short video on the subject...

https://youtu.be/RM3AEkM-4JY