The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation jet-powered medium bomber from the fifties. It had wonderfull flying characteristics and putting it into service was no problem. It could fly at very high altitudes, the first aircraft capable of reaching over 60,000 feet, highly classified at the time. The USAF also wanted the type and the American Martin company manufactured the Canberra in license with over 400 aircraft made. Martin also did some significant changes like the tandem cockpit arrangement. Several variants were manufactured not only as a bomber but for many roles also by the later British Aircraft Corporation.
It was sold to various air forces all over the World: U.K, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Ethiopia, France, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Rhodesia, South Africa, Sweden, Venezuela and West Germany! The type served in the Suez Crisis, the Vietnam War, the Falklands War, the Indo-Pakistani wars, and numerous African conflicts. The USAF used the B-57 in Vietnam also in the night bombing role and ECM roles.
CANBERRA:
B-57
Martin EB-57B
This aircraft started as B-57B Canberra S/N 5-21516, Buzz Number BA-539. It was put into AMARC storage end 1969 but mid 1972 converted to EB-57B with a black look for night operations and used at the ANG. It was put out of service 1981 and is now on display at USAF Armament Museum, Eglin AFB, Florida (USA).
Photographed, November 2014 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!
Martin EB-57B
This EB-57B s/n 52-1519 was delivered as B-57B to the USAF in 1955. It was converted to RB-57B in 1963 and again back to bomber in 1967 as it went to Vietnam. Retired in October 1969 it was converted in 1974 to EB-57 and finally retired in 1981 with 7727 flying hours. It is now on display at March Field museum, CA.
Photographed, December 2015 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!
Martin EB-57E
This EB-57E-MA coded "55-4253" was a converted B-57 for electronic warfare. Various antennas are seen on the airframe. This aircraft is on loan from the USAF museum and was seen at the Castle air museum at Atwater, Ca. , USA.
Photographed, 2017 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!
OFFICIAL USAF COLOUR INFORMATION B-57
from USAF handbook Technical order TO 1-1-4. Collection M. de Vreeze (used with permission)
Standard System colour numbers refer to the Federal Standard system with 5 digit numbered colours. Deviations on real aircraft may occur.
English Electric Canberra
This aircraft was built as a B.2 by "English Electric" Handley Page, Radlett, in 1953. Coded WJ574 it went to the Royal Air Force no. 540 Sqd at RAF Benson. In mid-1954, WJ574 was transferred to 57 Sqd at RAF Cottesmore. The aircraft was sold to BAC in December 1969 with civil code G27-182. October 1979 it went after conversion to TT to the Royal Navy and it flew as a target tug at Yeovilton. It also flew for a while at Key West in Florida USA at the US air station. May 1989 it was put into storage at RAF St Athan and later sold to a private owner and got e.g. US registration of NN77844.
It is now on display at the Valiant Air Command Museum IN Titusville Florida (USA)
Photographed, November 2014 by Cees Hendriks (C) Copyright!
Canberra Airshow Scene
A selection of mostly RAF Canberra's seen at European air shows in the nineteen seventies.
Photographed 1970s by Fred Bachofner (C) Copyright!
Several model kits exist of the Canberra and B-57. The old Airfix and Frog kits are for Canberras in 1/72. Revell USA had a B-57. Matchbox came with nice 1/72 Canberra PR9 which was also issued by Revell. Now Airfix has a good 1/72 Canberra and Italeri a nice B-57. In 1/48 Airfix has a good kit as well and Amodel has a number of 1/144 kits. No 1/32 scale injection model is known though there was a rudimentary ID vacuform.
This webpage was first created July 2015 by M. de Vreeze