What was Canberra bomber named after?
The RAAF ordered 48 in 1950 and these saw service with No1, 2 and 6 Squadrons. In honour of Australia being the first export customer the aircraft was officially named the “Canberra” (after the Capital of Australia) by Australian Prime Minister Bob Menzies in January 1951.
Do the UK have any bombers?
For the first time, UK F-35 Lightning jets have been conducting integration flying training with the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers of the United States Air Force as part of their deployment to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, UK. The USAF deployment of the B-2’s from the Bomber Task Force Europe is long-planned.
Does the UK have any bomber aircraft?
Since 2004, of the 80 or so people qualified to fly the B-2 at any one time, one has always been British, thanks to a special extension to the Royal Air Force/ USAF Personnel Exchange Program.
Which plane is hardest to land?
Amazing footage shows why the U-2 is one of the most difficult planes to land.
Are U-2 spy planes still in use?
The United States has been using the U-2 for more than a half-century, flying intelligence-gathering missions over the Soviet Union, Vietnam, China, and Cuba during the Cold War. In recent years, it has conducted missions over Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s designed to fly at all hours and in all weather.
What is the history of the Canberra bomber?
The Canberra had its formal origins in a 1944 requirement issued by the Air Ministry for a successor to the de Havilland Mosquito. This requirement, the initial revision being E.3/45, sought a high altitude, high-speed bomber which was to be equipped with no defensive armament.
What is the best book about the Canberra bomber?
English Electric Canberra: The History and Development of a Classic Jet. London: Leo Cooper Ltd., 2005. ISBN 1-84415-242-1. Halvorson, Lance. Sixty Years of the Canberra Bomber.
How did the Canberra avoid air-to-air combat?
Also in line with the Mosquito philosophy, the Canberra by design dispensed with defensive armament, which had historically proven unequal to fighter aircraft, and the resulting performance gain permitted the Canberra to avoid air-to-air combat entirely.
Where are the ex-RAF Canberra planes now?
WK165, an ex-RAF Canberra B2, is on display at the South Australian Aviation Museum in Port Adelaide. A84-125 is stored at RAAF Base Amberley. A84-201 (the first Australian-built GAF Canberra) is at RAAF Base Amberley in the base memorial garden. A84-203 is on display at Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome.