Canberra production contracts, early 1950s ? ?

Thanks for all the pointers, which I’ll follow up.

It is possible to correlate actual production with contracts, but my interest is in the evolution of the orders, including the dates the contract changes occurred. From a bit of research at the NA I know some of the contracts had significant changes (numbers of aircraft increased; types changed; numbers reduced). Unfortunately the NA records I’ve seen are incomplete, and some of the published information does not seem entirely accurate.

Quite a comprehensive listing of Canberra production (contract numbers / serials, dates etc) in the back of the English Electric Putnam volume.
Way too much to list here, runs to about 12 pages.

It might be worthwhile contacting the Curator at Newark – the following text was copied from the website about next year’s Canberra Anniversary event and there might be some details in the Research Files mentioned. 🙂

“A previously displayed set of graphic will be supplemented by some new material gathered from the Research Files of ‘Canberra Authority’, Peter Green. An extensive collection of Peter’s Research Files have been added to the Museum Archive and this new display will allow some of that material to be displayed to the museum visitors.”

I could be wrong, but I thought that the contract numbers are the original versions complete with number of aircraft ordered, but with the large amounts of different batches of varying marks either modified to different cont.no.s or in somes cases cancelled in individuals and whole blocks.
Basically jot down all the contract numbers and then work out what was built through serials lists etc, a bit long winded and that is what I have done.

pagen,

thanks. I’ve got the Delve Canberra book. Thing is – most of the delivery contracts were revised during their lifetimes (some multiple times). So the figures quoted are normally for final revision. What I’m really after are the original contracts and subsequent amendments. Was hoping a reference source might exist.

YA

I’m trying to determine Canberra orders in period 1950-52. The various Canberra books have some information but I don’t think they give the full story.

British Military Aircraft serials was a source I used years ago.
I have these for early Canberras, not sure what the source was, but if you can find either the above book or Ken Delves’ EE Canberra, both have a full list.

B.2 6acft2000CB6 – ’48
B.2, PR.3 & T.4 6acft3520CB6 – ’49 130
B.5 6acft4689CB – ’50
B.2, PR.3, & T.4 6acft5786CB6 ’50 215
B.6 6acft5790CB6 ’50 40

You may want to post this request over at http://canberratalk.conforums.com/ where I sure you’ll get some answers!

Cheers, Timbo