Aircraft Profile – Canberra

The Canberra is a mid-wing twin-jet bomber with an excellent photographic reconnaissance capability. It is powered by two Rolls-Royce Avon engines each rated at 32. 9 KN thrust and capable of giving the Canberra a speed of 450 knots or Mach 0. 83.

Many specialised versions of this adaptable aircraft have been built as the need arose. Designed to Specification PR 31/46, the Canberra PR 3 first flew on March 19, 1950 and incorporated such features as a longer fuselage to accommodate additional internal fuel and a battery of cameras. Thirty-six of this version were built including the prototype VX181 .

A specially built trainer variant was also put into use designated T4 and prototype WN 467 first flew on June 6, 1952. As the years went by newer models steadily replaced or supplanted the older ones. In this case, the more powerful B6 version replaced the B2 while the PR? took over from the PR3.

The unusual night intruder version, the 8(1) 8, first flew on July 23, 1954, in the form of prototype VX 185 and entered service with RAF Germany in May 1956. This Canberra featured a peculiar arrangement in the form of an offset bubble canopy for the pilot, a fuselage gun pack and store points under the wings.

Other specialised versions along the way have included the T11 radar trainer and its modified progenitor, the T19; the B15 and B16 modified versions of the B6; the E15 high level electronig calibration Canberra; the long radar-nosed T17 counter measures version; the TT18 target-towing conversion of the B2; and the last mentioned type, the U 10, a pilotless version used by the RN for Seacat missile firing trials.

Basically, the Canberra was produced as a replacement for inter-World War II bombers such as the Mosquito, Lancaster, Liberator, Lincoln, etc. Such was the case for Australia. The Lincoln had served as Australia’s only real heavy bomber after the Second World War. Operated by No. 1, 2 and 6 Squadrons forming No. 82 Wing, the Lincolns had seen distinguished service especially in the Malaysian Emergency of 1948 to 1960 where they operated against the communist terrorists, delivering large amounts of bombs upon their strongholds and bases in the jungle.

Therefore when a replacement was needed for these aircraft, Australia followed Britain’s lead in adopting the Canberra was her next strike aircraft. Negotiations were held between the Australian and British governments and the prospective aircraft companies. A licence was obtained to assemble the Canberra in Australia and, designated B20, to be built by GAF. A total of 48 aircraft were built with the first Canberra being delivered to the RAAF in 1954.

In 1958 Australia deployed No. 2 Squadron, with their Canberras to Butterworth, Malaysia, arriving there on July 1 of that year They then became an integral part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve Forces in Malaya. Not long after their arrival in that country, they were involved in their first action when they were called upon to drop bombs on a terrorist target in the north. This was the RAAF Canberra’s first taste of warfare, but it was not to be its last, more was to follow.

On December 22, 1966, the then Australian Prime Minister, Mr Holt, announced that, in addition to the RAAF Contingent of Caribou transports and Iroquois helicopters forming Australia’s aerial commitment to Vietnam, a squadron of eight bombers would also be deployed. “They may be,” as stated by Mr Holt, “employed as part of the allied combat air contribution in support of other allied ground forces and against enemy movements and concentrations. ”

The Canberras were to be from the No. 2 Squadron at that time were due to be replaced by a squadron of Mirage 11-0 fighters at Butterworth airbase. On April 19, 1967, eight Canberras of No. 2 Squadron flew to Vietnam and, after a formation fly-past, landed at Phan Rang air base on the Vietnamese east coast and some 165 miles northeast of the capital, Saigon.

Identified by small Australian flags painted on their fuselages, the Canberras taxied to a halt. From here the Squadron was officially handed over to General Momyer, Commanding General, 7th Air Force, by Air Commodore Dowling. The Air Commodore then proceeded to say, “I know the squadron will combine to give a very good account of itself and maintain the high standard of present operations in South Vietnam. ”

Under an agreement No. 2 Squadron with its eight Canberra was to launch eight aircraft every 24 hours, seven days a week and these eight aircraft were to carry out attacks usually on 1 6 targets which could be located anywhere within the four Corps areas into which Vietnam was divided for military operations. The squadron’s call sign, after some discussion, was to be “Magpie” from the squadron’s insignia.

The Canberras accredited themselves very well with very high success rates. Under the “Combat Skyspot” operations, the accuracy of the ground radar stations and the precision flying of the Canberra crews helped these achievements.

Proved very competent in radar controlled night bombing, the Canberras were, however, originally intended as high level bombers and not tactical aircraft, and were thus probably more capable at daylight visual bombing.

Recommendations were made, accepted, and by September 1967, daylight bombing under Forward Air Control guidance proved immediately successful. Thus No. 2 Squadron became the only squadron employing a level bombing technique using a precision bombsight of Second World War vintage in South Vietnam.

Another advantage of the older Canberra over the newer, faster, more agile fighter aircraft that while the fighters would have to be diverted from targets because of low cloud or poor visibility, the Canberras were able to either bomb below the cloud or hold until the weather clears and the target hit.

During the 1968 Communist Tel Offensive. No. 2 Squadron and their Canberras again accredited themselves in action. For instance, although the squadron was only fighting nine sorties daily which accounted for from four to six per cent of the sorties undertaken by the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing. it was being credited with some 16 per cent of the Wing’s assessed bomb damage.

The squadron suffered its first operational loss during the Vietnam conflict in early November 1970, three and a half years after it began operations in that country.

Canberra, A84-231 was assigned to a “Combat Sky Spot” mission in the Da Nang area of northern South Vietnam. The crew, Flying Officer Michael Herbert, 24, pilot of North Glenelg, South Australia, and Pilot Officer Robert Carver, 24, navigator of Toowoomba, Queensland, was posted missing in action.

An area of 10,000 square miles was combed by search aircraft, but no clue as to the whereabouts of the Canberra or the the fate of the crew was ever found.

On March 14, 1971, the squadron lost its second Canberra in action. This particular loss was of a rather unique nature in that the aircraft and crew, Wing Commander John Dowling and Flight Lieutenant Allen Pinches were the first and only members of the RAAF to have been shot down by SAM missiles.

Fortunately however the two crew members ejected safely from the Canberra which crashed into the jungles of North Vietnam. Finding themselves down within country held by the feared Viet Cong, they sought cover overnight in the surrounding terrain rather than take the risk of being detected by the enemy.

By half way through the next day, their distress calls had been answered. The two were winched out of the jungle and to safety by helicopter. Because of the loss of the Canberra to a SAM missile, the 35th Tactical Fighter Wing were instructed that aircraft not fitted with SAM detection gear were not to be allowed to operate within known SAM missile sites. Thus this danger would not expose itself to the RAAF Canberras or any other aircraft not equipped with detection gear.

With the loss of this Canberra in March and the return of another to Australia where it was to undergo major servicing at Amberley, the squadron was left with six aircraft. However, the maintenance crews through their Trojan efforts, were able to keep all six aircraft operational for the large number of missions assigned to them. In fact, the squadron was able to attain an average serviceability rate of 96 per cent for the four years they were in Vietnam.

In March 1971, as part of the gradual withdrawal of Australian forces from Vietnam, No. 2 Squadron received word that they would be withdrawn as part of this program. June 4 was decided as the day the squadron would fly home to Amberley from Phan Rang, while May 31 would be the day that Canberra operations in Vietnam would be concluded.

The final mission of the squadron took place as agreed on May 31. Canberra A 84-244 would be the aircraft to carry out the squadron’s last mission. The two crew who would hold this privilege were to be Flying Officer David Smith, pilot of Sydney and Flying Officer Peter Murphy, navigator, of Richmond, Queensland.

At 1410 hours the Canberra took off from Phan Rang and headed north. This last mission for No. 2 Squadron was to support the 2nd Brigade of the US 101st Division in the A Shau Valley. After being briefed by the FAC, Flying Officer Smith flew on towards the valley from the south weaving in and out of the mountains.

When they reached the target, the FAC marked the target for the Canberra. The aircraft made several runs on the target dropping bombs with good results. On the last run at 1518 hours the final two bombs were dropped. One of these bombs was painted white and bore a special message on its side which read: “76, 389 AND LAST BOMB COMPLIMENTS TO ‘CHARLIE’ FROM NO. 2 SQUADRON RAAF UC DAI LOI”.

After all the bombs had been dropped the crew waited for a bomb damage assessment from the FAC who reported 100 per cent of the bombs within the target area.

With that, Smith turned the Canberra southwards towards base. Shortly afterwards Smith broadcast a message on the general transmission which would be heard by many aircraft in Vietnam, ground controllers and anyone else listening into this frequency including the Viet Cong. In his message, Smith said these words, “Attention all aircraft in the Vietnam area. This is Magpie 61 with a message from the last Magpie mission in Vietnam.

“On behalf of No. 2 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, I would like to thank everybody for their assistance, cooperation and friendship over the past four years and we wish you all have a safe tour and all the best for the future.

“Good luck and goodbye, Vietnam.”

The last missions completed, the Canberras were fitted with long-range wing tanks and before dawn on Friday, June 14, 1971 the Canberras flew out of Phan Rang for the last time. A few hours later the squadron was once more on Australian soil (after having left Australia on June 29, 1958 until their arrival on May 31, 1971) after an absence of nearly 13 years, at RAAF Base Darwin.

Today the Canberras still perform a useful role in the RAAF as high altitude photographic reconnaissance aircraft. For instance, the Canberras have played an important part in the joint Australian-Indonesian survey and mapping operation – Operation Cenderawasih.

This is a very complex and difficult task covering the surveying and mapping of Irian Jaya. The Canberras perform mapping photography using their RC 10 cameras. Of course, this is only one of many of the tasks Canberra can perform or will be able to perform in future.

With the adaption of four of the RAAF’S F111 Cs with the tactical and strategic, day and night, long range reconnaissance capability, some of the present roles of the Canberra may be taken over. However they are still very useful when fitted with mapping cameras especially for the Survey Corps. This usefulness is proven in the fact that the RAAF will retain the Canberra until 1984 or 1985 and that studies for a replacement are being made.

The Canberra’s age has shown through, however. In late 1979, two aircraft were found to have had cracks in lugs which attached the wings to the fuselage. Within a fortnight all 21 Canberras still operational with the RAAF were inspected, and all defective parts were replaced.

Despite her age, the Canberra is still used by several nations as a front line combat type recognising its splendid loiter capability and ruggedness. The countries that still operate the Canberra apart from Australia are: Argentina (B62), Ecuador (B6), Ethiopia (B52), West Germany (for communications and special duties), India (B58, B66), Peru [B2, B(1)8, B56, B68), Rhodesia (B2), South Africa (B12), United Kingdom (B2, B6, PR?, PR9, T17, T19, E15) and Venezuela [B2, B82, B(I), 82 B(I) 88, PR3, PR83).

When the Canberra first flew in 1949, it immediately attracted the interest of the USAF. A licence for production of a specialised version for that service was obtained and built by Glenn L. Martin. Designated B-57 A the aircraft first flew in 1953.

Subsequent marks were B-57 B, C, E bombers and RM-57D high altitude reconnaissance aircraft with a span of 106 feet. The RB-57 F was produced by General Dynamics with a strategic reconnaissance role in mind.

The B-57B was powered by the 72201b (3275kg) Wright J65-W-5 engines giving it a speed well over 500mph and could carry 60001b (2722kg) of bombs as well as a gun armament of four 20mm cannon or eight 0. 5in (12. 7mm) machine guns. This also applies to the C&E. Pakistan also operates a squadron of B57Bs in answer to India’s Canberra.

Of lesser importance but within the same category and thus of some mention is the Russian counterpart to the Canberra – the Ilyushin IL28 “Beagle”. The IL28 prototype actually flew a year before the Canberra, its first flight taking place on August 8, 1948. while production began in the early 1950.

Initially powered by the 50051b (2270kg) thrust Klimov RD45F engine, this powerplant was substituted by the Klimov VK1 alias R-R Nene turbojet with a 59521b (2700kg) thrust which enabled the IL28 to attain a maximum speed of 559mph (900km/H).

The IL28 armament includes two 23mm NR-23 cannon fixed in the nose two in a tail turret and an internal bomb load of 22051b (1000kg). It entered all Warsaw Pact air forces from 1955/70, the USSR in 1950 and China from 1968 onwards (designated B5).

No doubt the Canberra will continue to slave on in a variety of roles from bomber, photographic reconnaissance aircraft to target tug. Regardless of how it is operated, the Canberra is a well-liked aeroplane and although some 30 odd years old, with subsequent rebuilds and modifications it will undoubtedly continue to be a popular light bomber (although only in a so-called brush-fire war).

In an age of sophisticated military hardware where fireand-forget and stand-off tactical air-surface missiles prevail, the level bomber is fast becoming obsolete as a weapon of modern warfare. But if fitted with modern guidance and delivery devices such as FUR pods, marked target seekers, laser rangers, laser spot trackers or other similar equipment either mounted internally or pod mounted, then perhaps the Canberra would be afforded the privilege of stand-off missile firing (thus enhancing its chances of survival) and also sparing an air force of the expense of adding a brand new fighter-bomber to “hitch” these systems onto.

With such sophisticated equipment attached, the Canberra could then really prove what Squadron Leader O’Shea said, commenting on the Canberra’s performance in Vietnam in early 1971: “In Vietnam the graceful old lady proved she had teeth”.