Canberra Aircraft

The Canberra was designed in English Electrics famous 'garage' design office in Corporation Street, Preston. In its first 10 years of service it broke 19 flight records and 3 altitude records. It sold to Air Forces all over the world including the USAF. A total of 1347 built, 925 in the UK.

The photograph above is taken from the book 'English Electric Aircraft and their Predecessors' by Stephen Ransom and Robert Fairclough, Putnam Press ISBN 0 85177 806 2 first published 1987. It is a Canberra T Mk4 which first flew in June 1952.

This aircraft was designed by W.E.W Petter who joined English Electric at Preston in 1944 and immediately started work on his ideas for a high altitude jet bomber. An aside; a member of the BAE SYSTEMS North West Heritage Group told me that Petter's office table was used by the Chief Test Pilot at Warton until very recently and it is now in their care.

The first flight was Friday 13th May 1949. With Roland Beamont as test pilot. The aircraft was VN799. Following a spectacular display at Farnborough in 1949 the USAF and RAAF became seriously interested in obtaining the aircraft. From being a 'shadow' aircraft manufacturing company during the war English Electric became a major design company and the Canberra was multi-sourced from several of the UK's established aircraft manufacturers.

Another major contributor to its success was the Rolls Royce Avon engine that was developed for the aircraft at RR Barnoldswick.

The aircraft entered operational RAF squadron service on 25th May 1951 and is still in service today 53 years later.

First aircraft to fly across the Atlantic in both directions in one day.
First aircraft to fly from the UK to Australia in under 24hrs, actually 22hrs.
First aircraft to exceed 60,000ft and 70,000ft altitude.

Canberra 60 years old

May 13 2009 is 60 years since the first flight. Good article in May 2009 Aircraft Illustrated.

Royal Australian Air Force - Canberra

The RAAF purchased Canberra and built them in the Government Factory in Melbourne. Today, Gerald Stewart of Melbourne is building a flying model. Here is the latest photo (Dec 06) of the airframe prior to fitting out.

An RAAF Canberra is also on display in the Queensland Air Museum at Caloundra.

Indian Air Force Canberra

May 11, 2007 - The Indian Air Force ended flying the Canberra - 106 Sqn at Agra. The aircraft was in service for 50yrs, since 1957.

Other Links

Canberra Association

More here at Flight Global.