I would be interested in purchasing this cockpit (WE173) if it ever came up for sale.

Funny Canberras
 

We had many modified Canberras at Bedford some extremely so and of course the SC9 built funny in the first place

The canberras were much used by changing the front section at the transport joint so some had various configurations during their lives
The 9 did not have a transport joint which limited the scope for change

MR ...

You could give the guys a Robertsbridge a call and signal your interest ... See details on my previous post (#26).

Coff.

Thanks Coff, I have e-mailed them. I have now purchased the gust probe from WE173.

MR ...

Are you planning, if possible, to restore WE173 (cockpit/nose) to the MET config ?

I would like to. I need to go and see the people at Robertsbridge. I'm not sure if they want WE173 in particular or any Canberra cockpit. I was at MRF in the late 70s and early 80s and when 173 was retired many of us felt it should have gone to a museum but the RAF were having none of it and said it had to go to Coltishall. Had they not camouflaged it I think there would have been a chance to save it but by the mid-1980s it appeared to be just another Canberra.

MR ...

I wish you luck and please keep us updated :ok:

Thank you - will do.

from TrimStab;

"I discovered recently on looking at the Canberra at the Solway Museum at Carlisle airport that the leading edge of the fin is wooden. This was apparently so that it could be more easily trimmed during initial testing. It would thus be relatively easy to add a bit to the leading edge of the fin if necessary."

My first job after Uni was with the Radar Research Squadron based at Thurleigh, it had just moved from Pershore. I was told that the person responsible for the wooden leading edge of the fin was the head of RRS at that time, Bob Rumsey, and that it was used to cover an antenna (possibly Decca?).

Years later I found myself joining MRF and working on Hercules XV208, finishing retiring from FAAM and the 146. Best job in the world for many enjoyable years.

Jim

Hi Jim ...

Many thanks for joining the Thread :ok:

I wonder if you might be persuaded to share a little more insight and perhaps tell a few stories from your time with FAAM. It's certainly a fascinating topic and potentially of interest to quite a few members here ...

Best ...

Coff.

PS. Just for a bit of background ...

Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements

http://i1004.photobucket.com/albums/...psoqz882cb.jpg

Image Credit : FAAM

Victor Beamish
 

While researching I learned that Victor Beamish, Station Commander at North Weald 75 years ago, had been awarded the AFC in 1938 for establishing the Met. Flight at RAF Aldergrove.

Beamish had been invalided out of the RAF in 1933 after contracting TB. In 1936 he became Aldergrove's civilian adjutant until reinstated to flying duties in 1937 and appointed OC No. 2 Armament Training Camp (ATC) at Aldergrove. My subject, OC the Station Flight at the time, spent some of his time flying Met. flights to 19,000 ft in a Bulldog.

I remember begging a trip in a Shack, circa 1980 when I was repairing a bent Hunter at Lossiemouth. The 12 hour flight involved a lot of droning over the North Sea, a fly past at Linton on Ouse (I think) and a two hour lecture by a chap called Graham South, a met office observer doing a study on cumulus clouds (do you know him Langley ?). I think the post flight debrief we contrived in the Sgts Mess was a more successful outcome to our experience.

Smudge :ok: