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Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 8:51 am
by dromia
Another classic, iconic British aircraft being given another lease of life.

In the article it says it was the first aircraft to do a transatlantic flight without refuelling, what about Alcock and Brown in 1919?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-36352330

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 9:56 am
by GeeRam
It's typical journo fact stripping, as they really can't be arsed in general.

What they should have written was....

First jet powered aircraft to make a non-stop trans Atlantic flight.


Also, they seem to be implying by the wording that it was this particular aircraft (WK163) was the first to do so, which isn't the case.

As ever, why let the facts get in the way of a story.

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:21 am
by 1066
I guess this was because Alcock and Brown did it in several hops - the longest leg was from Newfoundland to Ireland.

I believe the Cambera was still in service until relatively recently, maybe somewhere in South America. I think the Irish Airforce still had Spitfires in service into the 1960's. (I might just have been dreaming that)

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:25 am
by Dahonis
A classic that will grace our sky's once more.

I think the RAF stopped flying these in '04 or '05, its amazing how these aircraft managed to survive so long. Goes to show old engineering is sometimes better......

RAF Wyton used to have one as a gate guardian.

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:27 am
by 1066
GeeRam wrote:It's typical journo fact stripping, as they really can't be arsed in general.

What they should have written was....

First jet powered aircraft to make a non-stop trans Atlantic flight.


Also, they seem to be implying by the wording that it was this particular aircraft (WK163) was the first to do so, which isn't the case.

As ever, why let the facts get in the way of a story.
It was WK163 that set the altitude record in 1957 (70,000ft)

We were so far ahead in those early days of jet development - Where did it all go wrong? :(

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 10:38 am
by GeeRam
1066 wrote:
GeeRam wrote:It's typical journo fact stripping, as they really can't be arsed in general.

What they should have written was....

First jet powered aircraft to make a non-stop trans Atlantic flight.


Also, they seem to be implying by the wording that it was this particular aircraft (WK163) was the first to do so, which isn't the case.

As ever, why let the facts get in the way of a story.
It was WK163 that set the altitude record in 1957 (70,000ft)
Indeed.

However, not much of the current WK163 flew that altitude record though, it's a real Triggers Broom now, as the wings and engine nacelles etc were replaced with those from another aircraft back in the late 1960's, and then later the nose/cockpit section was also replaced with one from another Canberra razz

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:51 am
by RDC
1066 wrote:
GeeRam wrote:It's typical journo fact stripping, as they really can't be arsed in general.

What they should have written was....

First jet powered aircraft to make a non-stop trans Atlantic flight.


Also, they seem to be implying by the wording that it was this particular aircraft (WK163) was the first to do so, which isn't the case.

As ever, why let the facts get in the way of a story.
It was WK163 that set the altitude record in 1957 (70,000ft)

We were so far ahead in those early days of jet development - Where did it all go wrong? :(
Try and find a book called 'Project Cancelled'. It's a fantastic book that details how we failed at so much presented opportunity as a Nation.

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 12:03 pm
by 1066
RDC wrote:
1066 wrote:
GeeRam wrote:

Try and find a book called 'Project Cancelled'. It's a fantastic book that details how we failed at so much presented opportunity as a Nation.
I'll look that out. Another book I enjoyed was "Empire of the clouds"
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0045I7FYM/ ... TF8&btkr=1

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 12:30 pm
by snayperskaya
Dahonis wrote:A classic that will grace our sky's once more.

I think the RAF stopped flying these in '04 or '05, its amazing how these aircraft managed to survive so long. Goes to show old engineering is sometimes better......

RAF Wyton used to have one as a gate guardian.
I used to live in Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Shrewsbury born and bred) and I'm sure a Canberra used to fly out of nearby RAF Shawbury around '03-'04 (somewhere around that time, give or take) .A few times a month it would do a few circuits around the town and surrounding area, sometimes quite low-level.

Re: Canberra to be restored to flight.

Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 1:11 pm
by qws
Below is a picture of the Canberra my Father in Law flew - Squadron Leader 60'-80's