canberra flying
 

Are there any still flying? In a civil way? The old man is coming up to a certain milestone in his age, and has expressed a desire to have "one last go" in the chariot of his youth. He flew with 45 sqn out of tengah 65-68, and we would like to give him his desire, but the stories he tells, i would be surprised if any are still flying on a civil reg, but you never know. So i appeal to the wise chaps of PPrune, gogo had a few things, but better to get it from the horses mouth, so to speak.
Cheers
CB

Former camel driver
 

Sorry, but unable to help you in your search but as a contemporary of your father's in the Flying Camel business, may I wish you success - maybe a Target tug at Tarrant Rushton could still be plying the skylanes?
Whatever ... I wish him a continued spirited retirement (as I am too, incidentally), and a very happy celebration on reaching his "magic number". :ok::ok:
Regards,
JP

I may be mistaken, but I thought 3 or 4 were purchased and operated out of Kemble.

Currently there are no airworthy Canberra's in the UK, although the ex-RAF PR.9's at Kemble have the potential to be returned to the air. The only civvie Canberra on the UK reg for some time was the ex-Scorpion rocket record holder WK163 based at Coventry, but they had an engine problem a few years back and were trying to source a replacement. I believe, they had found one in the USA earlier this year, but I'm not aware of it having taken to the air again as yet.

There are a couple of ex-RAF a/c on the US civil register that are used for photo-mapping work, and there is the ex-WJ680 B.2/TT18 that is owned and flown on a regular basis at the Temora Aviation Museum in Australia, who also now own and fly the famous Meteor F.8 VZ467 'Winston'.

ex-WJ680 B.2/TT18 that is owned and flown on a regular basis at the Temora Aviation Museum in Australia

Painted to resemble B.20 A84-234. It is currently having some down-time to undergo non-destructive testing, which may take 2 years.

And NASA who still operate a couple of somewhat modified Canberras in the guise of the WB57F.

Saw 2 of the NASA aircraft in the hangar at Ellington airfield, Texas, just south east of Houston last month. You can see the Canberra pedigree although there are distinct visual differences.

CB,
Talk to Air Atlantique Classic Flight re the Canberra that GeeRam highlights at Coventry. The PR9's are at Kemble with Delta Jets in the countrified Cotswolds..

[url=http://www.classicflight.com]

Hope that helps, PFR.

There's an ex-RAAF one flying at the museum in Temora, Victoria, Oz.
Have a look at Aviation Museum Temora NSW Australia

Temora
 

There's an ex-RAAF one flying at the museum in Temora, Victoria, Oz.

Capt SD - plz see my 14 NOV post above, it is not ex-RAAF, but ex-RAF. Also Temora is NSW, not Vic. :ugh:
Boris

The Temora Canberra is, as far as I'm aware, the only one flying, though not at the moment. I haven't heard of them offering spare seats.

I saw the Meteor flying at the Avalon [Melbourne] Air Show a few years ago while with my son [the real Samuel] who is very much the total aviation person. Our reactions were quite different, I'd seen many Meteors in the air,and he hadn't, and to him it sounded "a bit odd", whereas to me it was sheer music!

I was with 14 Sqn RNZAF[Canberra B12] on the other side of the pan to 45 at Tengah 1966. The after match functions were always good!:ok:

A84-229
 

One ex-RAAF B.20 A84-229 did go to the USA in the 1980s. It was operated by a Yank called Steve someone, registered N229CA. I believe that he subsequently sold it, doubt that it is still airworthy.

Steve Picatti....... and yes it appears to have been sold to Jack Stringer at Palo Alto, Ca around 1997, but it's current status is unknown, so, as you say very likely it's not flown for maybe 10 years or more....?

It would also appear that the two ex-RAE Canberra's (XH567 & WT327) that were being operated in the USA by Air Platforms Inc on high altitude research work may also now no longer be airworthy, as Air Platforms Inc is now a dissolved corporation, so status unknown should be applied to these two airframes now as well.
That's maybe then the source of where Air Altlantique Classic flight have acquired a spare engine from for WK163...?

So, with the Coventry and Temora examples currently un-airworthy and unknown status for the other known civvie examples, it would seem only the two much modified NASA RB-57's are the only active examples of the breed.

I saw it at Redding municipal airport Ca. three years ago. It had been the subject of a legal/financial tangle but was eventually bought by a couple of guys, who hoped to restore it. It was in a sorry condition and they had very little money for the project.

Recently someone suggested to me that a B57 variant was quoted as reaching altitude and mach number values which seemed to me to be quite ridiculous. Has anyone come across any authentic information as to maxima achieved by any Canberra/B57, confirmed or rumoured?:confused::confused::confused:

Out of the three Pr.9's at Kemble (Cotswold Airport for the corporate ones of you out there) Only on has the otential to fly. XH131 is in the process of being dismantled before moving to the Ulster Aviation Museum. 135 was last i heard being used as a spares source for 134 (the special tailed one).
I'm sorry but I don't know the situation regarding how far from or whether 134 will fly or not. She certainly does get the occasional engine runs.

Whilst I cannot offer any advice on the likelyhood of the Air Atlantique Canberra flying again, I can advise you that 'Classic Flight' (that part of AA that operates the Canberra etc) is closed for the winter. I will advise any change as soon as I hear, unless the Classic Flight Ops manager posts something otherwise on here.

Thanks for that info, but have a question. Dad is convinced that it cant get CAA authority to fly, due to the VMCA problem, rotate at 125kts, vmca is 165kts! He may be a bit out of touch, maybe it was his model that did that. PN, dad remembers the chaps you mentioned, he has lots of other dits as well, something to do with piano's and thunderflash's and rickshaws! Samuel, dad quit rugby after playing against you lot, something to do with a nav who had bottle end glasses, due to a kick in the head during a game on the Tarmac like playing field.

Vmca
 

On the B.15 - and your Dad will remember this - the Wing Clear switch just forward of the throttles (and nicely within middle finger rapid-jabbing distance) did just what was wanted -everything fell off the wing (not the engines, for you purists) and Vmca came straight back to IIRC 125 kts, just like the B.2/B.4. Made life a lot more comfortable, but of course the H&S Authorities might still get a touch of the trembles these cautious days.
Anyway - Many Happies to your paternal relative.

JP

Interesting, 'cos when I flew the mighty E15 on 98 Sqn at Cottesmore, Vr was 125 and Safety speed was still 165, even though we had no stores other than tip tanks.