Canberras: Unbroken Records: Never before seen photographs come to light

Canberra bombers in the 1950s: 

Unbroken Records and Never before seen Photos

I grew up with the Canberra bomber being a low-level subsonic bomber and photo reconnaisance aircraft in South Africa. My cousin's late husband, Nick Barkhuizen, was a navigator/photographer in these interesting aircraft during the Border War in South Africa. Some of his photographs form the first posts on my blog. I just wish I had access to more of his photos from this era.

I have long realised that many of my patients have fascinating military (and civilian) aircraft careers behind them, and often have priceless photographs of these magnificent flying machines they served in and on.

I often regret not having asked permission to share or copy many of these amazing photos I have seen or stories I have heard. In the past I have seen pictures from the Desert War in North Africa during WW2, Coastal Command's Short Sunderland's, RAF Lancasters and Mosquito's, many of which I fear are now lost. One pilot was even awarded the freedom of Paris for his squadron's work escorting B17 bombers in P51s during WW2 !

Recently I was given a gift of a calendar with A3 shots of  WW1 planes. I put this up on my surgery wall.

All of a sudden all the fellow aircraft nuts came out of the woodwork! I have now made a point of asking if I may share their stories and photos (with permission, of course)...

I will endeavour to share some of their stories and photos. So here goes with the first one:

From Warwick Avery: I have known him for 14 years, but I never new his history of being in the ground crew with RNZAF Territorial forces. Some great pics of Canberra bombers from the last great air race:
London to Christchurch 1953, and then some. (Watch my blog for more from him)


So I undertook to a bit of research about this fascinating event. This is what I dredged up:

From Wikipedia:
1953 London to Christchurch Air Race:

"The winner of the race was WE139 a Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra 

piloted by Flight Lieutenant Burton, now on display at the Royal Air Force Museum London:"

Wikipaedia picture of the winning aircraft

The 1953 London to Christchurch air race, the "Last Great Air Race", was 12,300 miles (19,800 km) long, from London Heathrow to Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand and took place in October 1953 after Christchurch took the decision to declare their airport as International in 1950.

The race was divided into an outright speed section and a section for commercial transport aircraft types.

The speed section was won by a Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra PR.3 flown by Flight Lieutenant Roland (Monty) Burton and navigated by Flight Lieutenant Don Gannon. The plane touched down at Christchurch Airport 41 minutes ahead of its closest rival — after 23hr 51min in the air including 83 minutes on the ground; to this day the record has never been broken.

Here is Warwick's photographs of the winning aircraft, never published before:
You can pick out the numbers. The winning aircraft, that of F.Lt Burton, no 3, is the furthest away from the camera:

The aircraft serial numbers and race numbers can clearly be seen in this photograph

Photo Copyright Warwick Avery (Click on photos for larger image)

BEA's  Vickers Viscount Aircraft, with the winning KLM DC6 in the background

Copyright Warwick Avery

There have been many films made about the commercial section of this race: a Vickers Viscount which finished first, followed by a Douglas DC-6A of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines which was declared the winner on handicap. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Handley Page Hastings also took part.

 The victory of the Canberra has been less publicised, flying at an average speed of 495 miles per hour (797 km/h). The distance, by the route followed, was 12,270 miles (19,750 km) so that the actual speed was 515 miles per hour (829 km/h) (or 546 miles per hour (879 km/h) including immediate stops).

Second in the speed section was Squadron Leader Peter Raw of No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF in an Australian-built Canberra.

Competitors:
Race Number Pilot Operator Aircraft Identity no
1 Wing Commander Hodges, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR7, WH773
2 Flight Lt Furze, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR3, WE142, Third in race
3 Flight Lt Burton, 540 Squadron Royal Air Force, Canberra PR3, WE139, Winner: 22 h 25 minutes
4 Wing Co Cumming, No.1 Long Range Flight Royal Australian Air Force, Canberra B20, A84-202
5 Squadron Leader Raw, No.1 Long Range Flight Royal Australian Air Forc, Canberra B20, A84-201         Second in race section in 22 hours 29 minutes

Handicap Section (Commercial airliners)
Number Pilot Operator Aircraft Identity Note
21 Captain Kooper, KLM, Douglas DC-6B, PH-TGA Winner of £10,000 prize in the Handicap section with a handicap time of 44 hours 29 minutes and 31 seconds
22 Wing Commander Watson, 41 Squadron Royal New Zealand Air Forc, Handley Page Hastings NZ5804 Did not finish, withdrew in Ceylon with engine problems
23 Captain Baillie, British European Airways, Vickers Viscount, G-AMAV Second in the Handicap section

Wikipaedia: Douglas DC-6A PH-TGA of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines at London Heathrow wearing racing number 21 when competing in the 1953 London-Christchurch Air Race. It carried a group of Dutch emigrants. It is here displayed at London Heathrow before departure for New Zealand.

In popular culture: The film Bride Flight dramatising this last prize flight was released in 2008.

 

Bride Flight was a 2008 film about three women and one man from Holland, who all start new lives in New Zealand. It starts with the victory of the KLM flight in the 1953 London to Christchurch air race. It was directed by Ben Sombogaart and stars Rutger Hauer, Elise Schaap, Anna Drijver, Karina Smulders, Waldemar Torenstra and Rawiri Paratene.

The film premièred in 2008, with the first release in Belgium. The Dutch singer Ilse DeLange wrote and sang the title song for the movie: "Miracle".

B2 Stealth Bomber clocks 7000 hours

First B-2 Bomber Surpasses 7,000 Flight Hours: No April Fools joke:

Bombers Entered Service In July, 1996

Since the first B-2 Spirit arrived at Whiteman AFB in Missouri in July 1996, its stealthiness and massive firepower have been used in missions around the world. During its latest mission April 1, the "Spirit of Florida" and its crew became the first B-2 to surpass 7,000 flight hours. "This achievement is a testament to the men and women of both the 131st and 509th Bomb Wings who take a vested interest in the B-2 mission every day," said Lt. Col. Michael Pyburn, the 131st Operations Group commander. "Milestones like this cannot be accomplished without the dedication they consistently provide around the clock."

Cutaway of design

With a fuel capacity of 167,000 pounds and the ability to carry 40,000-pound payload, the multirole heavy bomber has a virtually limitless reach. It is the only aircraft to combine range, precision, stealth and a large payload. As one of only 20 B-2 stealth bombers in the world, the conventional- and nuclear-capable Spirit of Florida maintains constant readiness to defend America's interests anytime, anywhere.

From the crew chiefs and maintainers who ready the aircraft for takeoff, to the pilots who control the Spirit of Florida -- reaching the 7,000-hour mark has been an immense effort. "We take a lot of pride in keeping our B-2s air-worthy," said Staff Sgt. Kent Sedgwick, the 13th Aircraft Maintenance Unit's dedicated crew chief assigned to the Spirit of Florida. "It feels great to work on something that has such a powerful presence. The 'health' of our aircraft shows just how much time and effort our crew chiefs and maintainers put into making sure everything is taken care of so our jets can take off at any moment."

Now where would the design inspiration have come from?

The Spirit of Florida was also the first to reach the 5,000-hour mark, which it did in May 2007, and the first to reach the 6,000-hour mark, which it did in January 2010, Sedgwick said.

During this flight, the B-2 was flown by Maj. Benjamin Kaminsky and was landed by crew chief Airman 1st Class Elijah Noel.