English Electric Canberra
Discussion
Seen overhead today in South Oxfordshire. Low level, landing gear down. It may have been heading for R.A.F. Benson, but from its height and direction Chalgrove Airfield, where Martin Baker ejector seats are based, looked like the most likely destination.
I didn't realise that there were any flying in the UK at the moment. Does anyone have any information?
I didn't realise that there were any flying in the UK at the moment. Does anyone have any information?
Mort7 said:
Seen overhead today in South Oxfordshire. Low level, landing gear down. It may have been heading for R.A.F. Benson, but from its height and direction Chalgrove Airfield, where Martin Baker ejector seats are based, looked like the most likely destination.
I didn't realise that there were any flying in the UK at the moment. Does anyone have any information?
There aren't any flying in UK, (hasn't been for 4 or 5 years now) and as it was heading in direction of Chalgrove, most likely one of MB's Meatboxes, as said above.I didn't realise that there were any flying in the UK at the moment. Does anyone have any information?
Thanks for the replies.
When I originally saw it I thought it was a Canberra, but it seemed too small, and I wasn’t aware of any flying in the UK, so I thought it must be a Meteor. The person that I was with was adamant that it was a Canberra, and as I wasn't aware of the MB connection I took his word for it.
Having looked at photos there is no doubt that that is what it was.
When I originally saw it I thought it was a Canberra, but it seemed too small, and I wasn’t aware of any flying in the UK, so I thought it must be a Meteor. The person that I was with was adamant that it was a Canberra, and as I wasn't aware of the MB connection I took his word for it.
Having looked at photos there is no doubt that that is what it was.
When Mike Collett sold off the Classic Air Force collection, the Meteor T7 went over to the US. The NF.11 was flown to Bruntingthorpe last year to be kept as a taxing exhibit. 
A great loss both of these aircraft from our skies.
The Canberra B2 that was flown by Classic Air Force in the 90’s and 2000’s was quite a way through restoration, but that was abandoned and eventually sold on to VTTS. I doubt anything will ever come of that under the current ownership. The other airworthy Canberra a PR9 owned by MidAir, I heard had been sold to India.
Post Shoreham, no one wants to buy old jets.
A great loss both of these aircraft from our skies. The Canberra B2 that was flown by Classic Air Force in the 90’s and 2000’s was quite a way through restoration, but that was abandoned and eventually sold on to VTTS. I doubt anything will ever come of that under the current ownership. The other airworthy Canberra a PR9 owned by MidAir, I heard had been sold to India.
Post Shoreham, no one wants to buy old jets.
Yes, also saw it yesterday - around 2pm, flying around Duxford (where it's on static display) as I drove down the M11. From a distance, I also thought "weird looking Canberra" from the wing shape when it banked. But the dimensions were all wrong.
Although it's showing as a static display at the show, it was definitely doing a display of some kind, with another aircraft. That was a small passenger jet (or similar) in close formation for a few circuits before they separated. Maybe for photography?
The Meteor did look gorgeous as it did a low-pass across the M11.
Although it's showing as a static display at the show, it was definitely doing a display of some kind, with another aircraft. That was a small passenger jet (or similar) in close formation for a few circuits before they separated. Maybe for photography?
The Meteor did look gorgeous as it did a low-pass across the M11.
dr_gn said:
Why does it have RAF markings? I’d have thought a private company would have had its own scheme.
A Meteor doesn't qualify for a certificate of airworthiness never being intended to be a civilian aircraft, and if they were flown on a permit to fly they wouldn't be allowed to do aerial work. So they are on the military register despite being privately owned, like a number of Hunters.Edited by Dr Jekyll on Saturday 25th May 16:20
Is there a loophole to also be military registered when carrying out modifications to the aircraft. Making changes for different ejection trials that then don't need CAA approval before flying, like being a prototype/test aircraft? And then be civilian registered for normal flights.
I read (found it again) - http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/the-chalgrove-meteor... - that WA638 is the oldest flying military registered jet.
I read (found it again) - http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/the-chalgrove-meteor... - that WA638 is the oldest flying military registered jet.
FourWheelDrift said:
Is there a loophole to also be military registered when carrying out modifications to the aircraft. Making changes for different ejection trials that then don't need CAA approval before flying, like being a prototype/test aircraft? And then be civilian registered for normal flights.
I read (found it again) - http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/the-chalgrove-meteor... - that WA638 is the oldest flying military registered jet.
The article might be out of date, I think the registrations were changed a few years ago.I read (found it again) - http://www.ejectorseats.co.uk/the-chalgrove-meteor... - that WA638 is the oldest flying military registered jet.
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