Canberra Serials Help

Hi Les,

Many many thanks for clearing up the serials, i can now use them in my work. And my work is what i needed the information for, well online work i should say. I am a painter for Microsoft Flight Simulator aircraft and i recently have been re-texturing Canberra B2s and i have had a request from someone at the website i repaint for to do a 51 Sqn B.2 version. This is when i went searching around for serials and i couldn’t find many details at first glance. So wheres the best please to ask? here at these forums and with your information, it proves it was worth coming here 🙂

Hi Les,Thanks for your info aswell, i am interested in 51 Sqn B2s and after getting the 1st serials from Scorpion63 and a little digging around the internet and books i am getting conflicting information.

Well, it is 51 Sqn you’re talking about. :diablo:

Some say the B2s was only in service for 2 years based at Warton and Watton, then moved to Wyton with B6 Versions and then i have details of 540Sqn disbanding and later became 51 Sqn, the Canberra working alongside 540 Sqn Comets on ELINT sorties.

Not Warton, Watton only. Adjustment to my earlier about the B.2s. WH670 didn’t transfer to 51 from 192. 192’s third B.2 did – WJ640.

540 Sqn was, in the timeframe, a PR sqn. 51 Sqn came out of 192 Sqn at Watton. 51 Sqn did not come out 540 Sqn. 540 Sqn did not fly Comets, they flew Canberras – PR.3’s, PR.7’s and finally B.2’s before disbanding in September 1954. 51 Sqn was formed in August 1958. On formation, the sqn split into two ‘elements’ (for want of a better word) with one element going to Wyton and being allocated 192’s B.6’s which were moded to ‘specials’. The ex-192 Sqn B.2’s seem to have stayed at Watton until March 1960 whereas the ‘element’ at Wyton went on with B.6’s (refitted to B.6(R)’s or B.6 (Mod) whichever name you believe), anyway they stayed at Wyton with up to four B.6(R)’s (see scorpion’s list), two Comets and a Hastings. That was their line up when I joined the sqn in early 1965.

Station/Allocation overlaps for 192/51 sqns

192Sqn – Jan 53 to Aug 58 – B.2’s – Watton
192Sqn – Jul 54 to Aug 58 – B.6’s – Watton
51Sqn – Aug 58 to March 60 – B.2’s – Watton
51Sqn – Aug 58 to Mar 74 – B.6(R)’s – Wyton
51Sqn – Jan 76 to Oct 76 – B.6(R) – Wyton

B2 WH670 in service to 21 Aug 1958 – To 527 Sqn from 192, didn’t transfer to 51 Sqn on renumbering.
B2 WH698 18 Feb 1952 to 20 Jan 1964 – Wasn’t ready for collection from mnftr until Jan 1953. Went straight on to 192 Sqn.
B2 WJ640 to Jul 1966 – Probably correct although I would have said 1960. 640 ended up on 85 Sqn and finally 100 Sqn.
B2 WJ775 to May 1974 – WJ775 was a B.6!
B2 WT301 to Jul 1974 – WT301 was a B.6! Was Struck Off Charge July 1974

. . . plus theres many T4s and B6s which i presume was in operation when they moved to Wyton.

T.4’s were usually owned by Station Flights in those days, eg, 51 at Wyton did not have their own.

As you can see some say 2 yr service and others say they lasted a lot longer.

The B.2’s lasted with with the Watton element of 51 (was 192), not the Wyton element of 51 which was B.6(R) equipped.

I understand how the allocation of airframes to 51 Sqn can be confusing and not readily researched as there was a certain secrecy over their operations. I think, however, that what I’ve written above is about a clear as I can make it from a quick look. Unless someone else comes up with more definitive gen you can take the info above a ‘good’.

Can I ask, why do you want to know such stuff? :confused:

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WH670
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1139454/L/

WJ775 B.6
http://www.bywat.co.uk/gall01.html

WT301
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=69478 #24

Hi Les,

Thanks for your info aswell, i am interested in 51 Sqn B2s and after getting the 1st serials from Scorpion63 and a little digging around the internet and books i am getting conflicting information.

Some say the B2s was only in service for 2 years based at Warton and Watton, then moved to Wyton with B6 Versions and then i have details of 540Sqn disbanding and later became 51 Sqn, the Canberra working alongside 540 Sqn Comets on ELINT sorties.

From this information i managed to get hold of more serials as listed below. So now i dont know which/who to believe…

B2 WH670 in service to 21 Aug 1958
B2 WH698 18 Feb 1952 to 20 Jan 1964
B2 WJ640 to Jul 1966
B2 WJ775 to May 1974
B2 WT301 to Jul 1974

plus theres many T4s and B6s which i presume was in operation when they moved to Wyton.

As you can see some say 2 yr service and others say they lasted a lot longer.

WJ768,WJ775,WT301 & WT305

Jason asked about the B.2’s. these were all B.6 Canberras.

51 Sqn initially inherited two Canberra B.2s from 192 Sqn when, in August 1958, 192 Sqn was renumbered 51 Sqn. By that time 192 had two additional Canberras (B.6’s) on charge, WT301 and WJ755, which were also handed over.

Hope this helps.

(Unless Jason has misnamed the aircraft he’s interested in)

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Thankyou for your help!

Just perfect, thanks! 😀

WJ768,WJ775,WT301 & WT305