The colony of Southern Rhodesia was founded by the British South Africa Company in the 1880/1890’s, on the basis of a Royal Charter granted by the Imperial Government to the BSAC. From 1923 until the mid 50’s, Rhodesia (then known as Southern Rhodesia) played an important, considering her size, role in Imperial and Commonwealth wars and defence. By the 1960’s the Southern Rhodesian Air Force was reputed to rival the South African Air Force in strike power. Its inventory included Hawker Hunters, Canberras, Vampires, Dakotas, Percival Provosts and Alouette Helicopters. These had deployed as far afield as Aden in support of British forces.
During the sixties, however, things started to go awry. The failure of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland had led to the creation of independent Malawi and Zambia. Southern Rhodesia, under a white minority, had expectations of independence which the British Government was not prepared to grant. The end result was the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Southern Rhodesia, made by Prime Minister Ian Smith on the 11th hour of the 11th day of November 1965. The international community brought sanctions to bear with varying degrees of honesty and enthusiasm. This hardly affected Rhodesia for many years, as the economy grew in leaps and bounds. However, military equipment and spare parts were problematic, and the Air Force in particular was only kept operational through ingenuity, sanctions busting and substitution.
As a result of the UDI, a guerrilla war began in the 60’s and escalated for the next 15 years. As the war intensified, the Rhodesian Security Forces began cross border raids against bases in neighbouring countries. These were generally heavily supported by air action. Most famous of these was the strike on Westlands Farm, outside of Lusaka, Zambia. This raid was partially in retaliation for the shooting down with SAM 7’s of unarmed civilian Viscounts belonging to Air Rhodesia. The strike force consisted of Green Section (Canberras), Red, White and Blue Sections (Hunters) and a number of K-Car helicopter gunships. As the aircraft approached the border, they began their descent from 4,500 feet to 1,600 feet to come in under the Zambian radar. The raid began with an airstrike on the camps, after which helicopter gunships and ground troops would move in. Climbing away after the first bomb run, the commander of the raid – Green Leader – contacted Lusaka control tower. The tape of their conversation was broadcast throughout the world; it provided an incredible boost to Rhodesian morale, and is still talked about by Rhodesians today.
“Lusaka Tower, this is Green Leader. This is a message for the station commander at Mumba from the Rhodesian Air Force. We are attacking the terrorist base at Westlands farm at this time. This attack is against Rhodesian dissidents and not against Zambia. Rhodesia has no quarrel, repeat, no quarrel, with Zambia or her security forces. We therefore ask you not to intervene or oppose our attack. However, we are orbiting your airfield at this time and are under orders to shoot down any Zambian Air Force aircraft which does not comply with this request and attempts to take off. Did you copy all that?”
Lusaka tower replies that they have understood, and ask whether civil aircraft are still cleared to land. Green Leader asks them to wait half an hour or so. The impression given is very much that the Rhodesians are totally in control of the situation. And when Lusaka tower was asked by the incoming Kenya airways jet who had priority, Lusaka tower simply replied "I think the Rhodesians do".
The edited transcript of the tape can be found at www.greenleader.net
This then, the background to Green Leader Canberra.
I also have drawings of Alpha bombs if you are interested - awesome weapon. The interesting thing is the hoppers used on the Canberras to drop them - they look like shopping trolleys, from the one image I have. There are some on display at Gweru Military Museum in Zimbabawe (or were). Separation from the aircraft was, as I recall, something of a problem. They are of immediate interest to this build (Which started in real terms yesterday by taking the box out and putting it on my work bench) as Green leader was loaded with Alphas as far as I can determine.
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Would you mind adding a few more cockpit photos please?
I didnt bother with weight, as I intend to nail the thing firmly to the base. I tried weight with the SAAF one I am also doing, and a solid lead canny doesnt appeal to me, so will nail that one to a base as well!!! BTW, there is a set of decals out there - foreign canberras? That not only shows a canny with Rhodie markings as being zimbabwean, but also has them wrong, and as far as I can determine no canny ever ever had upper wing markings.
