Les B.

I too make an effort to put something there Will but only as far as a dry brush and gloss instrument faces as I feel I can put my efforts in the seat and stuff that will and can be seen. Les.B.

Thanks for this info Mike. It is good to hear how others got over this problem. Les.B.

Thanks for that info John. I have seen this method used too but it is also a check to carry out a nose retraction test on a primary servicing check. Les.B.

Thanks for that info Graham. I shall into getting this book. Les.B.

Whilst serving with 231 OCU on "A" Squadron (B2's) at RAF Bassingbourne in the late fifties. I as a rigger frequently along with others, helped out the armourers to bomb up the B2's. This procedure consisted of jacking up the nose of the aircraft. Selecting the nose undercarriage up using a manual selector within the oxygen serving bay on the port side of the forward fuselage. Then lowering the nose of the aircraft onto a coconut mat thus allowing enough head room for the bomb trolleys complete with bombs to access the bomb bay from the rear. Years have passed and the memory is dimming but I cannot find any reference to this procedure and have found only one picture of this method being used on a PR3 whilst loading flares. Can anybody out there remember anything of these days on the early Canberra squadrons? Thanks Les.B.

You are right there Bex. Canberra cockpits are "black holes" Les.B.

You are right DR. I was on 16 Squadron and the gun packs then were fitted around twice a year for about a two week period. In which time the pilots became "steely eyed killers" and gave us riggers plenty of overtime carrying out excessive "G" checks. Whilst on the subject of bomb bays, Because the Canberra was so low to the ground, we would jack the nose of the aircraft up and then retract the nose undercarriage on its own from an outside switch located on the port side oxygen servicing panel. After retracting the nose gear and doors the aircraft was then lowered on to a mat thus enabling a bomb trolley to access the bomb bay from the rear. The nose gear selector switch when selected to the retract protruded outside of the servicing panel for safety reasons. HTH Les.B.

Hi Bex, Great pictures Thank you. Can I be a real pain and ask if you have a good drawing of the elevator locks that locked the elevators in the neutral position on the ground. I intend to model a B2 with the elevators in neutral so need to fit the locks. Thanks, Les.B.

Just run a drill through it and fill with Krystal Klear. Les.B.

You cheeky bugger. Check out the pictures on the site that Andy quoted and keep scrolling through all the Canberra pics and you will come across a T4 with one of the ident lights lit. If your eye sight is failing or you can't be bothered I shall mail it to you. Alright I'll mail it to you anyway. Les.B.

The door has two hinges on the top edge. These hinges are of a "rotory" type connected to a release handle positioned above the centre of the door frame. The door could be released from the aircraft by the action of turning this handle two and half turns anti-clockwise. The door was held in the open by a stay on the aft side.. A point of interest is that when a Canberra is mashalled in after a flight, the marshaller must ensure that the pilot opens the DV window and indicates this by putting his fist through the opening. This indicates that all the cabin pressure is dissipated. There were cases of fatal accidents when the entrance door was attempted to be opened with a pressure within. Just rear of the entrance was the "Rumbold" seat. This seat folded up to be flat against the starboard cabin wall. This seat was complete with a lap strap type seat beat ( colour blue). when deployed the seat locked into a latch situated above the CB panel to the right and behind the pilots seat. Check Bev's drawing and fit in that area just aft of entrance door HTH Les.B.

Brings back memories of carrying out preparations for air tests after major maintenance having been carried out in the ASF RAF Laarbruch. Fl.Lt. Mc........ arrived to carry out an air test after a major inspection on a B(I).8 and the first air test that I had helped prepare. On take off he passed the ASF hangar at a reasonable altitude and having retracted the landing gear, proceded to climb into fairly low cloud rolling inverted. On landing after a successful test I asked him about his unorthodox flying upon which he produced a plastic bag from a pocket in his flight suit. The bag contained numerous nuts, bolts, locking wire and general loose articles . He having scooped the FOD up with ease from the inside of the inverted canopy. Les.B

Yes, Good thinking Jon. Both with the canopy of Aeroclub and the DV window. I remember the upper equipment hatch as I found a foot pump left in there after the aircraft returned from ASF to the squadron. Sweet taste coming after ASF had been accusing the squadrons of leaving excessive amounts of loose articles and dirt in the aircraft. Keep in touch Les.B.

I see what you mean about the downward slant of the front fuselage but I think it is the angle of the door that is not helping things. Drill the port DV window round and fill with Kristal Klear and sand and polish out the starboard DV window. The strange door panels either side and above the equipment hatches seem to be a mistaken idea that the radio hatch on the starboard side is the same as a B(I).8 and it ihas then been mirrored on the port side mistakingly.. The actual radio hatch positioned directly behind the nav's hatch has been ommitted altogether but nothing that a little filler and rescribing cannot rectify. Les.B.

Hi Mish. Helmets and silver.

The Airfix canopy is at least raised detail. Half hour sanding and a polishing stick and you have a standard canopy. Les.B.

Hi Eric, Good to hear you "virtually" I couldn't make the club night as I developed "man Flu" but have improved and will make the show tomorrow. Talk again soon. Les.B.

Too right Mike ,,They did look kinder stupid. I have put some more info on other Canberra threads on here in the last couple of days which could be of hepl. Anything I can help you with just ask. I did heavy and light maintenance on B.2's PR.3's T.4's B.6's, PR.7s and B(I)8's over an eight year period and then served on a TASF unit where I came across PR.9's mostly and a few of the TT stuff but at this period it was only ramp servicing. HTH Les.B.

Hi Tony. Check out my message in post 29 of this thread. HTH Les.B.

I have not seen a detailed picture or photo of this area in recent times. I am modelling on my memory of that area. The seat pivoted on a beam mostly hidden from view but I shall put a beam in with strengthening plates as appropiate and attach my seat. I am using Aeroclub seats because: a they are extra weight and;b very little detail to be seen even with the door open in a Caberra cockpit. It is a black hole. I am placing the seat in the "rear " position ie: to allow the student to gain access to the left seat. I have made a duplicate control column and rudder bars plus the throttle and fuel controls above the door. On a different scene but very rarely seen on a model of the Canberra is the detail at the wing tip. The tip tanks are each attached to the wing by three explosive bolts. These are accessed on top of the wing tip through three individual panels plus a fourth panel for access to the electrical connections to the bolts and to the tip tank nav. light. It was found that these panels allowed moisture to ingress so after the fitting of these panels with or without tank a fabric panel was doped over each panel. Usually red dope was applied and usually none too tidy. These always show up as four square red panels on the top surface (and also on the bottom surface if the tank is not fitted). These can be replicated on a model with small squares of red decal. Note: Canberras are limited to 380 knots when tip tanks are fitted. HTH. Les.B

I am building my Airfix B.2 as a T.4 right now. Les.B

A post script to my last message Mike, 16 Sqradron aircraft were were tasked with nuclear capability and were armed accordingly. A minimum of aircraft (QRA duty aircraft)were continually armed with a shape. Probably best to do as you have modelled with bomb doors closed. A couple of periods during the year the gun packs were fitted and gave the pilots a chance to become "steely eyed killers" but it used to cost them a fair amount in beer as that is what they bought the fitters who worked overtime to carry out excessive "G" checks. Another point to note with Canberras. Aircraft are limited to 380 knots when tip tanks are fitted. Hope this is of help. Les.B.

Hi Mike, I worked on this aircraft from 1961 t0 1964. It iwas on the strength of !6 Squadron based at RAF Laarbruch ( not RAF Bruggen) It was during that time always in the colour scheme you have shown. During the whole time I was there I did not see anything bigger than two 25 lb. practice bombs fitted to each pylon. The pylons were of a duck egg blue colour and the bombs in "practice blue" Les.B.

At least it saves the problem when making the T.4 With the supplied canopy just polish out the starboard DV panel. Glad to see Mike Belcher has come up with correct tip tanks. The kit supplied ones are of wrong profile and lack the nav. light and the electrical conduit running to it. Both are present on Mike's revised ones. Mike runs Belcher Bits. Also on the B.2 kit the radio hatch is shown scribed on both sides of the fuselage. These should be filled and a new radio hatch scribed in directly behind the Nav's hatch on top of the fuselage. Hope this helps. Les.B.