Every once in a while, an aircraft turns out to be perfect right from the start. For those of you following modern aircraft, you know that the F-35 does not come even close to fitting that description. But in the late 1940s, the English Electric Canberra certainly did. Once the design plans were finalized, a prototype was built that was probably one of the most trouble-free new planes ever built. After the initial flight, the only thing the test pilot could say about it was that it had too much rudder. E.E. trimmed down the top of it and the Canberra looked pretty much the same from that day until the last one was built.

The British initially wanted a high altitude bomber and path-finder in the mold of the Mosquito. Something that would be fast and not need any defensive armament. Well, that is what they got, however, bombsight technology couldn't keep up with the speeds and it was realized that something the size of the Canberra wasn't what they needed. However, the plane was quite effective at medium and low altitudes. Not only that, but did I mention it was fast? The test pilot was able to throw the plane through the sky like a fighter and few, if any fighter aircraft of the early 1950s could keep with it.

Eventually, the Canberra came to equip 34 RAF squadrons when usage peaked in 1955. This included not only bomber units, but also recce units and ground attack squadrons. Once the V-bombers finally got into squadron service, the number of Canberra units decreased as several of them converted to the larger aircraft. However, there were units flying the Canberra in various guises up until 2006 when the last one, a PR.9 of 39 Squadron made its final flight. The type was not retired due to its lack of capability, but because it was getting too expensive to maintain.

In this book by Andrew Brookes, we look at the design and development of the Canberra, including its introduction into the RAF and its rapid build up into squadron service. The different versions are covered as they came along. In the final decades, the Canberra was not used as a bomber so much as its abilities as a photo recon plane, ECM aircraft and target towing plane were the most important, having been surpassed in its original role by newer and more capable aircraft.

Included in the book are the usual great pilot stories, excellent period photos, some in color, and a goodly number of full color profiles, covering the types nearly 55 years of operational use by the RAF. It is a great read and an equally good reference book. One that is a must for the Canberra fan. 

July 2014

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