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Post by dcharnle on Oct 26, 2012 6:38:43 GMT 12
The pic of the Canberra's, Vulcan, and aircraft in back ground, this being Tengah, if the aircraft in the back ground are Lightnings then this would date the pic after 1970. In 1965 the pan layout was starting from the bottom, 64 squadron (javelins) visting bomner squadron (my case Vulcans IX(B)) then the RNZAF Canberras, 45 squadron Canberras and at the top would have been 60 squadron (Javelins).
As for Javelin losses 64 squadorn lost through flying accidents 4 or 5 in a 24 hour period.
I am glad you posted the pics, on V-Bombers Plod was paranoid about cameras.
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Post by suthg on Dec 13, 2012 20:46:47 GMT 12
I have been doing a bit of research on the English Electric Canberra and then I found this thread. The Canberra seems a much forgotten plane that was used by both 75 and 14 (corrected) Squadrons, it seemed very capable and generally devoid of performance faults. Capable of carrying 10,000 lb of ordinance, flying to a service ceiling of 48,000ft, and with drop tanks could gain a range of 2000 miles and flying to a max speed of 580mph at 40,000ft. The range limited it to support roles rather than strategic raids. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Electric_CanberraThe Canberra was used by the RAF from May 51 through to July 06 although Bomber Command retired the last of its Canberras on 11 September 1961. Although they were still in service outside of GB in Germany, Malta and flew in the Bosnian and Kosovo wars in Asia. They were then converted to PR and signals intelligence and used in Squadrons 192 and 51 from 1953 to 1976. (Wiki) But the Canberras were operated for a much shorter term by the RNZAF (1958 – 1966 – just 8 years) before being replaced by the Skyhawks in 1970. RNZAF 75 Squadron flew 9 English Electric Canberra B2's on loan from the RAF out of Tengah for four plus years from 1958 to 1962 in the Malaysian conflict. (Wiki) The RNZAF in the intervening time, received 9 B(I)12 aircraft into 14 Squadron plus 2 Trainer T13's as well based at Ohakea from 1959 to November 1966. Although on 1st April 1964, the Squadron went to Singapore also to the RAF base Tengah via a detour route to avoid Indonesia airspace. Squadron 14 also worked out of three other bases in the region too with the Canberras. Two years later, Squadron 14 returned to Ohakea in Nov 66. This story is reported here by davidd - RNZAF in Vietnam Reply #46 rnzaf.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=gotopost&board=Postwar&thread=15166&post=167861 "with detachments to Labuan (North Borneo) October/November 1964, RAF Gong Kedak (Malayan Peninsular) June 1965 and RAF Kai Tak (Hong Kong) October 1966. The Squadron returned to Ohakea in November 1966. The Canberras were phased out of service in July 1970 and sold to the Indian Air Force." Some dates are conflicting there between that accurate report and Wiki unless there was a second group of planes sent over...? I was interested to know what they were like to fly - vices - reliability - capability - variety of ordinance - PR sorties etc... Even the maintenance on them - difficult? Easy? I found that the undercarriage was susceptible to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and a fatigue failure was limiting the life of the lower structure with ultrasonic crack detection used to determine early failure warnings of the new alloy used - DTD683. This thread seems like an interesting one to gather this historical record into. |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 13, 2012 20:52:11 GMT 12
No. 14 Squadron used it, not No. 15 Squadron.
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Post by suthg on Dec 13, 2012 20:59:29 GMT 12
Sorry - I know it should have been 14, my bad - the Wiki links I was using were all of Squadron 14 and 75!!
Thanks Dave.
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Post by phil82 on Dec 14, 2012 12:51:58 GMT 12
During its life-time, the Canberra equipped over sixty RAF squadrons, plus a number of 'special' flights. It was licence built in both Australia and the US, in the latter case as the B57, some 400 of which were built. It was hugely popular overseas being operated by no less than fourteen air forces, and seeing active service with many of them.
A fascinating story of the selection by the US followed a trial and a "fly-off" against other American contenders, namely the Martin Xb 51 of which only two examples were flying, and the North American Savage. The rules of the trial stated each aircraft had a ten minute slot for a routine which was to include tight turns , slow and high speed runs, and a short field landing. Beaumont completed the sequence with four minutes to spare, and the Canberra won the contract!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2013 16:16:10 GMT 12
I recently found John Lanham's pilot report on the Canberras in the NZ Wings archive, it makes for interesting reading. Hopefully a book on 75 Sqn's Canberra ops is released, and a representative machine placed on display.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 8, 2013 12:10:24 GMT 12
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Post by shorty on Mar 8, 2013 12:45:01 GMT 12
The pic of the Canberra's, Vulcan, and aircraft in back ground, this being Tengah, if the aircraft in the back ground are Lightnings then this would date the pic after 1970. In 1965 the pan layout was starting from the bottom, 64 squadron (javelins) visting bomner squadron (my case Vulcans IX(B)) then the RNZAF Canberras, 45 squadron Canberras and at the top would have been 60 squadron (Javelins). As for Javelin losses 64 squadorn lost through flying accidents 4 or 5 in a 24 hour period. I am glad you posted the pics, on V-Bombers Plod was paranoid about cameras. Although this post was a while ago I can assure that the photo was not "after 1970". I took the photo and (a) I was not on 14 Squadron after 1969 and (b) the Canberras were phased out in 1970. The pan layout was not as stated as the photo was atken at the area called "medium bomber north" and was parallel to the main runway |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 8, 2013 14:08:11 GMT 12
Super photos there Peter. Just wonderful to see new, previously unpublished shots of the Canberra as it's so seldom seen these days, I don't know why.
It shows how massive they were when you see the shot of the very close formation with the Lancaster and Victor.
Note in the parade shot where the bigwig is shaking someone's hand, you can see the definite crease in most of the hats where they must have folded them and placed them in their pockets. Haha, not a good look. In my day we stuck them unfolded under the epilette.
Whatis that under the aircraft in the last shot? Is that a rocket pod or a fuel tank?
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Post by phil82 on Mar 8, 2013 15:18:18 GMT 12
It's a rocket pod: 2inch unguided! Aiming was by Mark 1 Eyeball!
I've posted that Uniform shot before to illustrate the different shades of what was supposed to be Stone Gray! The problem was that the uniform wasn't issued, but the money to buy it was, and how much was spent and on what quality varied from airman to airman. The cloth started out in the correct shade, but after a few turns in the dhobi-wallah's hands it could range in colour from a sort of pale mauve to white! The hats were utterly ridiculous, and I got them knocked up at Jimmy the One Tailor in Tengah three at a time. The man doing the hand shaking is the Gov Gen, one Brigadier General Ferguson, an awfully, awfully British chappie who wore a monocle!
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Post by ngatimozart on Mar 8, 2013 16:29:45 GMT 12
I yes I remember him. Wasn't he our last pommie GG? I remember Tiny Freyberg was GG too.
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Post by phil82 on Mar 8, 2013 16:40:19 GMT 12
Yes, I think he was the last Pom, replaced by Kiwi Keith Holyoake. Freguson had a son Geordie, who I think may be back in NZ as the British Ambassador.
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Post by baronbeeza on Mar 8, 2013 16:56:36 GMT 12
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Post by johnnyfalcon on Mar 8, 2013 16:59:38 GMT 12
This is Gavin Trethewey, who was the Canberra display pilot at the time, performing a final display at Ohakea before delivereing the bird to Woodbourne for the Indian Air Force  This pic reminds me of a story my Dad told me from when he was based at Ohakea. It involved Ross Ewing I believe and a beat-up at Ohakea in a Canberra after he had been informed by ATC that he was a new Dad. He took out an aerial attached to the control tower with his wing evidently. Can anyone corroborate? Also, a question regarding some of the pics on this thread: Why were the serials so large on the fuselage and wings on the Canberras in certain stages of their life? |
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Post by phil82 on Mar 8, 2013 19:16:25 GMT 12
There was a Nav name of Mick Murray, whose eysight wasn't great, and led him one day to get into the wrong aircraft, and waited for his pilot who was happily smiling in the correct bird, so the linies decided to help Mick with large arrows and bigger numbers!
Really? They operated with the RAF in Singapore whose Canberras had large numbers.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 9, 2013 9:56:23 GMT 12
The crewman beingshaken hands with is Chub Roberts, a nav on 14 squadron. He later served with Airways at Whenuapai. I will dig out a few more pictures and comments are very welcome.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 13, 2013 14:40:40 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Mar 13, 2013 15:36:44 GMT 12
Awesome photos. What a shame they didn't use coloured film back then.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 14, 2013 9:46:05 GMT 12
I bet there are some colour slides around , ektachrome preferably as Ilford went muddy and the colour prints just faded away.
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Post by pjw4118 on Mar 26, 2013 21:57:15 GMT 12
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