Canberra up for sale and another at risk

[Adam Poultney]

Just heard that XH135 at Kemble is up for sale, airport owner wants it gone. It'll need a new home. Hasn't been looked after since Midair went bust until TBAG apparently did a bit on them starting last year but it's in a fairly good condition so if any museums want a Canberra it's probably a good one to go for! 

 

 

Other Canberra I have heard may be up for disposal is XH169 at RAF Marham. It's one of the gate guardians there and after the disposal of their Victor K2 XH673 in October 2020 this sadly does have some credibility. The airframe has apparently suffered from being on display for the past 15 years, it's leaning to the left as an oleo in its landing gear has collapsed. I fear this one will go the same way as XH673, but I at least hope that due to its somewhat more manageable size someone will come forward to take it on. 

 

Both are Canberra PR.9s, 8 of which survive; a fairly respectable number considering how many variants of the Canberra there have been (only the T.4 and B.2 variants have more surviving examples, excluding American B57s I don't know about those). Two are in Chile and two (including XH169) are gate guardians, there are two at Kemble including the aforementioned XH135, one in Northern Ireland in superb condition and kept inside, and one hung from the ceiling at Cosford (meaning you can never get a good look at it). It would be nice to see one or both in a museum also given the small number of museum PR.9s despite the respectable number of survivors. Perhaps Newark would like to add a sixth and seventh Canberra to their collection (they have three complete examples and two cockpits)? 

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see the other Kemble Canberra XH134 put up for sale at some point in a few years, there doesn't seem to be any prospect of flying again, so in my opinion it's best to get it somewhere safe in the long term as soon as possible really. 

[junglierating]

Suppose you cant blame the airport? Owner....if its not wanted it just sits there fizzing away then it gets in such a state it has to be ditched then you find the aircraft owner hasnt got the funds to move it .....then what.

Must admit on my way back down south from the grim north....popped in to Newark ..quite good but some of those outside hmmm 

Edited January 14, 2022 by junglierating

[Smudge]

It's a shame to see so many aircraft that have been taken on by enthusiastic museums, just sitting out in all weathers slowly rotting away. Quite sad. I know it's all about the money, but they should really be inside, if they are serious about the long term preservation of these lovely old aircraft.

 

If I win the Lottery, I'll put in a bid and get a Canberra on the airshow circuit  

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, Adam Poultney said:

Both are Canberra PR.9s, 8 of which survive; a fairly respectable number considering how many variants of the Canberra there have been (only the T.4 and B.2 variants have more surviving examples, excluding American B57s I don't know about those).

According to the B-57 Wiki page there are 30 surviving airframe's. Most of which aren't accessible as they're on internal display at Air Force bases. The rest are in museums or gate guards.