The other E.E. classic, the Canberra. (Merged 23rd July '04)
Yes, Him
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YWIW.
Take a look at the top sticky in the History & Nostalgia forum mate, there's a good explanation of how to post pics on it. I tried it t'other day & if a computer illiterate like me can manage...
PS I used the photobucket site.
Take a look at the top sticky in the History & Nostalgia forum mate, there's a good explanation of how to post pics on it. I tried it t'other day & if a computer illiterate like me can manage...
PS I used the photobucket site.
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More Canberra action here:
http://www.greenleader.net
(Link is down at the moment, pertains to Operation Gatling, conducted against Joshua Nkomo's terrorist base-camp by the Rhodesian AF back in '78. (Edited for minor typo — CC)
http://www.greenleader.net
(Link is down at the moment, pertains to Operation Gatling, conducted against Joshua Nkomo's terrorist base-camp by the Rhodesian AF back in '78. (Edited for minor typo — CC)
Last edited by Constable Clipcock; 1st May 2004 at 20:55.
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For all Canberra blokes, I hear that a 1/72 scale die-cast model will be on the market this August (or so). This is to be a representation of a 10Sqn B.2 in "Suez" scheme - the serial will be WH640.
This is a good thing - yes?
To remind you of how colourful these Suez Canberras could look, the pic shows 10Sqn's WD935 when "preserved" at St Athan several years back. (Unfortunately I don't know who took the pic so I can't credit them).
This is a good thing - yes?
To remind you of how colourful these Suez Canberras could look, the pic shows 10Sqn's WD935 when "preserved" at St Athan several years back. (Unfortunately I don't know who took the pic so I can't credit them).
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WD935
I may be completely and utterly wrong, but this piccie may have been taken at St Athan - I remember seeing this a/c at a show there back in '75, when she was still in the original Black/MSG scheme.
As an early B2, she was probably deemed to be insufficiently historic by the RAFM and so was scrapped subsequently.
ditto Cosford's B(I)8, to their everlasting shame.
Apologies to all if this is an authentic 1956 piccie!
As an early B2, she was probably deemed to be insufficiently historic by the RAFM and so was scrapped subsequently.
ditto Cosford's B(I)8, to their everlasting shame.
Apologies to all if this is an authentic 1956 piccie!
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Chair
I said the pic showed this Can at St Athan in recent years, it's not a 1956 pic. I would, however, be interested if you have any different gen regarding WD935 in "Bomber Command 1" scheme in 1975.
As for Cosford's B(I)8, you're right, it was a shamful thing to do. The only B(I)8 left in the UK was sold on to the Christchurch Museum (Wigrams, NZ). It was broken down for shipping at transferred in 1993. WT346 is still lying in bits at Wigram, see here. It's about time we had it back, even just as a static display. It would serve an example of part of the UK's unsung nuclear forces in the days when we had a "proper" Air Force.
I said the pic showed this Can at St Athan in recent years, it's not a 1956 pic. I would, however, be interested if you have any different gen regarding WD935 in "Bomber Command 1" scheme in 1975.
As for Cosford's B(I)8, you're right, it was a shamful thing to do. The only B(I)8 left in the UK was sold on to the Christchurch Museum (Wigrams, NZ). It was broken down for shipping at transferred in 1993. WT346 is still lying in bits at Wigram, see here. It's about time we had it back, even just as a static display. It would serve an example of part of the UK's unsung nuclear forces in the days when we had a "proper" Air Force.
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Beeayeate, I really must learn to read proper one of these days.....
Good to learn that WT346 is still in one piece, however - I thought it had been butchered for the nose section. She was in excellent nick at Cosford, having survived the road journey from Colerne with minimal damage, considering the circumstances. I believe she flew into Colerne for preservation straight off the line at Laarbruch, so was in almost operational condition.
Cosford has an appalling record of losing excellent aeroplanes - remember the Mk 1 Vulcan and Victor that were allowed to rot?
And I understand that they have also disposed of the 1st production Hunter, WT555.
Good to learn that WT346 is still in one piece, however - I thought it had been butchered for the nose section. She was in excellent nick at Cosford, having survived the road journey from Colerne with minimal damage, considering the circumstances. I believe she flew into Colerne for preservation straight off the line at Laarbruch, so was in almost operational condition.
Cosford has an appalling record of losing excellent aeroplanes - remember the Mk 1 Vulcan and Victor that were allowed to rot?
And I understand that they have also disposed of the 1st production Hunter, WT555.
ILLEGITIMUS NON CARBORUNDUM
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Roghead
I just e-mailed your 2nd picture (one with the Nord AS.30 underwing) to my father (bottom row 3rd from right - Mike Carver) and he confirms that it was 45 Sqn. Picture looks as though it was taken in Labuan, Borneo.
If I'd read the thread properly I would have realized that you had already indentified what where who! Any chance of getting a copy of the photo?
I just e-mailed your 2nd picture (one with the Nord AS.30 underwing) to my father (bottom row 3rd from right - Mike Carver) and he confirms that it was 45 Sqn. Picture looks as though it was taken in Labuan, Borneo.
If I'd read the thread properly I would have realized that you had already indentified what where who! Any chance of getting a copy of the photo?
Last edited by spook; 7th May 2004 at 10:07.
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Yes, 55 years, some record eh?
As usual the Canberra Assoc met today for the annual drinks, natter and lunch in the O/Mess at Wyton. A really good mess there, very well run, and there is always good food and cheery welcome (and mess prices at the bar .
). I reckon there's more paintings of Canberras in that mess than anywhere else.
We meet every year on 13 May and also have the Canberra Assoc enclosure at the Waddo air show. There's always new blokes (CanMen), new tales, re-surfacing memories, old friends . . . an exceeding pleasant day out in fact.
If you're going Waddo this year come and say hello, we are usually in the "other" half of the Families Enclosure, you'll get Cranberrie talk all day!
As usual the Canberra Assoc met today for the annual drinks, natter and lunch in the O/Mess at Wyton. A really good mess there, very well run, and there is always good food and cheery welcome (and mess prices at the bar .
). I reckon there's more paintings of Canberras in that mess than anywhere else.We meet every year on 13 May and also have the Canberra Assoc enclosure at the Waddo air show. There's always new blokes (CanMen), new tales, re-surfacing memories, old friends . . . an exceeding pleasant day out in fact.
If you're going Waddo this year come and say hello, we are usually in the "other" half of the Families Enclosure, you'll get Cranberrie talk all day!
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I'd hate to see this topic fade away, so here goes:
The previously mentioned Bruce M and I arrived at B'bourn together in'66 after a long wait after Strad - something to do with a surplus of Valiant navs. We shared a room, and had just started to unpack when there was a knock on the door and in came our batman. He introduced himself, and then asked us to identify whose clothing was where - just in case. When we queried the 'just in case', it transpired that after a recent fatal accident he had sent the wrong clothes home to the grieving parents and he didn't want to repeat the process. Having identified our wardrobes and clothes, Bruce enquired as to whether these 'accidents' happened frequently! His reply was that the Canberra is a simple and easy aircraft to fly, but it's a killer when flown assymetric, and young navigators should watch the speed and their pilot's actions like hawks! Sound advice which we never forgot!
A few months later, we had started the low flying phase of the course, and had eventually been let loose as a crew on the low flying system that used to run clockwise round the UK starting near Manston. One of the crews on another course had came back from their lolev sortie, and after their film had been processed were ordered instantly to the CI's office for debriefing - which was, to say the least, a bit unusual. We were later shown parts of the film, and were warned that if we ever did the same, it would be an instant 'chop'. Part of the old Lolev route went south of the IOW and then coasted in at a scenic part of the Dorset coast. On the photos taken by the other crew you saw the sea, the base of the cliffs and then a pair of upended deckchairs with two sets of legs pointing vertically upwards. Above them were a series of white dots which turned out to be the triangular sandwiches they had been eating!
The previously mentioned Bruce M and I arrived at B'bourn together in'66 after a long wait after Strad - something to do with a surplus of Valiant navs. We shared a room, and had just started to unpack when there was a knock on the door and in came our batman. He introduced himself, and then asked us to identify whose clothing was where - just in case. When we queried the 'just in case', it transpired that after a recent fatal accident he had sent the wrong clothes home to the grieving parents and he didn't want to repeat the process. Having identified our wardrobes and clothes, Bruce enquired as to whether these 'accidents' happened frequently! His reply was that the Canberra is a simple and easy aircraft to fly, but it's a killer when flown assymetric, and young navigators should watch the speed and their pilot's actions like hawks! Sound advice which we never forgot!
A few months later, we had started the low flying phase of the course, and had eventually been let loose as a crew on the low flying system that used to run clockwise round the UK starting near Manston. One of the crews on another course had came back from their lolev sortie, and after their film had been processed were ordered instantly to the CI's office for debriefing - which was, to say the least, a bit unusual. We were later shown parts of the film, and were warned that if we ever did the same, it would be an instant 'chop'. Part of the old Lolev route went south of the IOW and then coasted in at a scenic part of the Dorset coast. On the photos taken by the other crew you saw the sea, the base of the cliffs and then a pair of upended deckchairs with two sets of legs pointing vertically upwards. Above them were a series of white dots which turned out to be the triangular sandwiches they had been eating!
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Canberras in Germany 50s/60s
My father was a PR7 pilot with 17 Sqn Wildenrath in 1956/58 and again in 1962/64.
I was fairly young at the time and so many of the stories he told me have 'developed' each time I recounted them to my school friends at the time, so that now I am not sure what the original stories were. Unfortunately Dad died almost 15 years ago and with him went his memories.
Did such aircraft conduct PR flights into (or just close to) East Geman airspace? Did they disperse to and operate from pre-prepared sections of autobahn during exercises? Is it true that they photographed Soviet ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Does anyone know of any accounts of squadron life during this era or is it too recent for memoires to be published? For me it was a magic time of my life and I was as proud as punch of my Dad. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a period about which much was written.
I was fairly young at the time and so many of the stories he told me have 'developed' each time I recounted them to my school friends at the time, so that now I am not sure what the original stories were. Unfortunately Dad died almost 15 years ago and with him went his memories.
Did such aircraft conduct PR flights into (or just close to) East Geman airspace? Did they disperse to and operate from pre-prepared sections of autobahn during exercises? Is it true that they photographed Soviet ships during the Cuban Missile Crisis?
Does anyone know of any accounts of squadron life during this era or is it too recent for memoires to be published? For me it was a magic time of my life and I was as proud as punch of my Dad. Unfortunately it doesn't seem to be a period about which much was written.
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The book "Spy flights of the cold war" seems to cover some of your Qs. Interesting reading.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/IS...913782-9828901
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/IS...913782-9828901
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I dont think there is a country in the world that does not fly at high level in its own or international airspace and photograph the neighbours back garden.
Soviet and other interesting shipping albeit usually innocent has always been photographed. I dont know if we are still that paranoid, but I have had experience of this in the last 20 years.
Autobahn use by Canberras is an interesting one. Jaguar has done it in the UK when launched in 1969. Harriers did it in Germany and Swiss and Swedish fighters do it in their respective countries. Certain lengths of autobahn were designed "straight" as part of the cold war plans, so it is pheasable, but I do not know if it was actually done during that time.
The book "RAF Germany" may provide you with some answers, it is expensive but very concise.
Soviet and other interesting shipping albeit usually innocent has always been photographed. I dont know if we are still that paranoid, but I have had experience of this in the last 20 years.
Autobahn use by Canberras is an interesting one. Jaguar has done it in the UK when launched in 1969. Harriers did it in Germany and Swiss and Swedish fighters do it in their respective countries. Certain lengths of autobahn were designed "straight" as part of the cold war plans, so it is pheasable, but I do not know if it was actually done during that time.
The book "RAF Germany" may provide you with some answers, it is expensive but very concise.
Nemesis of the Proot Dynasty
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To add to Spot 4's info, I believe that the French Air Force have/had an under mountain base, accompanied by a straight auto route "runway" near Chamonix.
Yes, Him
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I believe the Swiss do too.
DavidG, I've just scanned in a colour air-to-air shot of a 17Sqn PR.7 but the photosite I use to host pix is down today. If you'd like me to Email it to you as a file please advise. I'll put it up here when able.
DavidG, I've just scanned in a colour air-to-air shot of a 17Sqn PR.7 but the photosite I use to host pix is down today. If you'd like me to Email it to you as a file please advise. I'll put it up here when able.
