This amazing aeroplane took to the skies in 1949, and as at 2006, the Canberra is still in front-line service with the Royal Air force.

The Canberra has served a wide variety of roles, including those of medium conventional bomber, tactical nuclear bomber, photo-reconnaissance, night intruder, navigational trainer, maritime strike, electronic countermeasures, atomic cloud sampling and target-towing.

The Canberra was manufactured in the USA under license as the Martin B-57, and in Australia under licence as the Canberra B-20.

The Canberra has been exported to Argentina, Chile, France, Germany, India, Peru, Sweden, Venezuela, South Africa and other Commonwealth countries.

This book looks at the development of the Canberra during the early days of jet power and especially at its Rolls-Royce Avon power plant.

Each of the many marks and variants of the Canberra are described and illustrated by many remarkable and rare photographs.

The Canberra’s record of service with RAF squadrons throughout its service life is given together with descriptions of the many experimental models that were used in the development of a variety of weapons and avionic systems.

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny.

• 1 … Find out how the ‘Day One’ problems nearly put paid to the Canberra.
  
  

• 2 … The man who saved the Canberra was Second World War bomber pilot, Wing Commander Kenneth Wallis – better known to millions as the man who built and flew Little Nellie in the James Bond film You Only Live Twice – Find out how he saved the Canberra.
  
  

• 3 … See unique Canberra pictures – published for the first time.
  
  

• 4 … Read how the Canberra fared during the Falkland’s War (Guerra di Malvinas) with the Fuerza Aerea Argentina (Argentina air force); and, you can see unique and stunning pictures of the men who flew the Canberra into battle.
  
  

• 5 … Exclusive to Bruce Barrymore Halpenny for his Canberra book, the ‘Showdown – High noon at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire’ Senior Armament Officer Kenneth Wallis versus the might of the Air Ministry and English Electric.
  
  

• 6 … Read the birth of the ‘Magnificent 5’, the Canberras destined to fly into the Twenty-first century, into the history books … and into Bruce Barrymore Halpenny’s Canberra book.
  
  

• 7 … Read the astounding truth, told for the first time in Bruce Barrymore Halpenny’s English Electric Canberra book; and, see the unique pictures to support this fact.
  
  

• 8 … Many people owe their lives to Wing Commander Wallis, for it was he … and he alone, who corrected the deadly failures with the 25lb (11kg) smoke/flash Practice bomb. Find out how he did it.
  
  

• 9 … See what happened to the 100 Squadron Canberra that had too much Cyprus sun.
  
  

• 10 … Britain’s first jet bomber …yet it was sent out and unable to be bombed up.
  
  Find out how it was solved, and by whom. Told for the first time, and supported by unique pictures in the chapter: ‘Bombing-up of Canberra Aircraft.
  
  

• 11 … and, much, much more. Find out what is Spada of the Skies etc; etc; etc; etc; etc.

  All © Copyright of Bruce Barrymore Halpenny

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny