Surprise? 'RAF reconnaissance aircraft' photographed by VVS
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Surprise? 'RAF reconnaissance aircraft' photographed by VVS
Looking at a Russian enthusiast site, (ÔÎÒÀÁ: Àâèàöèîííûé ôîòîàëüáîì) 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.
"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"
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.
"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"
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!
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......
"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...
"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...
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: bristol
Age: 56
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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).
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).
