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Canberras in Worcestershire in the 70's


Rick Brown

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Chaps.

Having lived most of my life near RSRE Defford (insert other names here for ex RAF defford...) I was always fascinated with what aircraft were buzzing/zooming at very low level around my house.

The Canberra was always interesting. They used to creep up on you, seemingly just to give you a fright!

Now the question, what marks and which squadrons would they have been in the 70's/early 80's?

They were obviously used to help/hinder whatever was going on in that highly secretive place (along with the Malvern sites).

I'd love to build one (Airfix 1/48th comes to mind).

 

Rick.

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Can't help but I do remember working on the roof in Malvern, when an A-10 dropped over the hill and flew Very low over us, let's say we didn't stand up for long 

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2 hours ago, canberra kid said:

If you give me enough time I can work it out, but of the top of my head you would have had the B.6/8 hybrids and B.2's and 6's.

 

John  

That'd be brilliant if you could John, much appreciated.

 

8 hours ago, goose said:

Can't help but I do remember working on the roof in Malvern, when an A-10 dropped over the hill and flew Very low over us, let's say we didn't stand up for long 

Ah, I remember those days well!

I went to Fairford as a kid and met one of the Pilots of the A10's that regularly flew over my house. Really nice bloke, gave me stickers and stuff.

The best we get now is the odd Herc, Voyager and Chinook.

Sigh, the good old days of the Cold War......

Rick.

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8 hours ago, goose said:

Can't help but I do remember working on the roof in Malvern, when an A-10 dropped over the hill and flew Very low over us, let's say we didn't stand up for long 

 

Was out walking on Bredon Hill once when a Harrier flew by so low that I clearly saw the pilot give us a wave.  He was flying around the hill, natch.

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I have so many stories of being on the Malverns and looking down at various aircraft.

I did miss the Jaguar that came down at Blackmore, I was in a Biology class at the time, my mate saw it though. He watched as the pilot punched out and drifted to earth.

(This was 17th July, 1981. GR1 XX113).

Trouble is, we don't have anything that flies that low anymore round here.

Rick.

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Hi Rick

This is a list of the Canberra's flown from Defford and Pershore between 1970 and 1977

B.2    WJ646  1954-1970

B.6    WH953 1955-1976

B.2    WK128 1957- 1977

B.2    WH660  1957-1970

B.2    WG789  1958-1976

B.2    WK163  1959-1976

PR.7  WH774 1960-1976

B.6    XH567  1961-1976

T.4    WJ992   1962-1977

B(I)8 WT327  1966-1976

B.6    XH568   1967-1976

SC.9 XH132   1972-1976

B(I)8 WT333  1972-1977

The Mk numbers are the ones at the time of manufacture, many such as WT333 and WK163 were modified to RAE B.6 Hybrid standard. The colours would have been a mix of Camouflage, High Speed Silver, and laterly Raspberry Ripple.

SG106457_zpscprppbhx.jpg 

 

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Fantastic John!

Just what I needed.

I only really remember the High Speed Silver ones, must have missed the rest!

Now, better start saving for an Airfix B2....

Rick.

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  • 1 month later...
1 hour ago, Rick Brown said:

The million dollar question, does anybody produce any decals for any of these?

I've had a hunt on Hannants, but failed....

Rick.

 

EDIT

This looks promising!

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/ML489025

 

I could do WK163!

This would tick quite a few boxes.

That would do the Job, WK163 would be a good one to go with and you have the choice of building her as a B.2 or the B.6 hybrid.

John 

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When Defford & Pershore closed, most of the Canberras were transferred to the RAE at Bedford. There are color photos of these Canberras in my book "Testing Colours" published by Airlife Publishing. Although published several years ago, you can still find copies going cheap on Amazon, E. Bay and at collectors' fairs. 

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4 minutes ago, AMB said:

When Defford & Pershore closed, most of the Canberras were transferred to the RAE at Bedford. There are color photos of these Canberras in my book "Testing Colours" published by Airlife Publishing. Although published several years ago, you can still find copies going cheap on Amazon, E. Bay and at collectors' fairs. 

Found a copy!

Does it only basically show different version of aircraft in "Raspberry Ripple"?

I really couldn't face doing that scheme!

Rick.

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7 minutes ago, Rick Brown said:

Found a copy!

Does it only basically show different version of aircraft in "Raspberry Ripple"?

I really couldn't face doing that scheme!

Rick.

There is one in silver/natural metal with dayglo panels. The 'raspberry ripple' scheme wasn't implemented until 1976, so depending on when you saw the Canberras, I'm pretty sure most were natural metal overall, some with dayglo panels and the RRE crest on the fin. I have slides of several of these in this rather bland scheme.

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22 minutes ago, plasticplanes said:

@canberra kid is there a WIP thread somewhere on that very nice model of WT333? I have been trying the search engine without any luck.

@plasticplanes There is a build thread on my site, WT333 build on IPMS UK Canberra SIG and here on BM Britmodeller WT333 build and in RFI Sea Skimming Canberra 

John

Edited by canberra kid
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9 hours ago, AMB said:

There are color photos of these Canberras in my book "Testing Colours" published by Airlife Publishing. Although published several years ago, you can still find copies going cheap on Amazon, E. Bay and at collectors' fairs. 

That is a book that desperately needs reprinting, or even better a new addition with more info and pictures.

A firm favourite of mine!

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I'd buy a reprint Adrian B! I bought the original at full price when it first appeared. Though I usually wait for a remaindered or second hand copy, I couldn't risk this book disappearing from the shelves. This book is still one I keep easily accessible just for the joy of flicking through it occasionally. Cheering me up since 1993 (I ran downstairs to check!) 

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On 2017-4-21 at 9:52 PM, Rick Brown said:

I have so many stories of being on the Malverns and looking down at various aircraft.

I did miss the Jaguar that came down at Blackmore, I was in a Biology class at the time, my mate saw it though. He watched as the pilot punched out and drifted to earth.

(This was 17th July, 1981. GR1 XX113).

Trouble is, we don't have anything that flies that low anymore round here.

Rick.

You want to try living near the ex RAF Cottesmore ( now Kendrew Barracks ).Since the Harriers went and the army moved in there is NOTHING flying around these parts.

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Have you seen the book 'Black Box Canberras - British Test and Trials Canberras 1951 - 1994'? This is an absolute mine of information and has lots of photos that I had never seen before. Many of the test Canberras appear to be unmarked virgin high speed silver with roundels & serials, but some include dayglo in various patterns and various other one-off markings. I got mine via Amazon UK - publisher is Hikoki - author Dave Forster.

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