Remote Control Canberra

No – great detail. I’d love to hear the full facts behind “my story”. I heard it back in 1991 when my local branch of the IPMS organised a guided tour of No.2 SoTT at Cosford. It was a really interesting day out. Got to crawl all over Jaguars, Buccaneers, Canberras etc.

Ah, the infamous Canberra snatch unit. This was actually a two-part bit of kit, a “detonation collar”, which was fitted around the elevator control tube where it ran under the pilot’s port side control panel, and a spring (or two springs on some) attached to the bottom of an extension to the control column under the pilot’s feet. As has been said, when used the det collar severed the elev control tube and the snatch unit forcibly pulled the stick fully forward. It wasn’t always the case that this violent column movement smashed the yoke into the lower part of the inst panel, eg, it didn’t always happen thus on B(I)8s, but it seems to have happened often enough in other marks of Canberra to have become “legendary”.

Regarding EricMc’s tale – the incident described to you did happen I believe, don’t recall the aircraft at the moment but could look up the serial number for you if you’re really interested. The pilot, of course, acted magnificently in that he re-established some sort of flying control by using the “flying tail” trim (all electrical) and differential throttle. Mmm . . .have heard this tale recently somewhere, don’t recall all the detail but will try and find out.

The canopy jettison and the control column snatch unit were initiated indepenently of the ejection seat sequence. On B.2 and variants, there was a flap-covered control lever on the port panel which activated the column’s det collar system. Or the pilot could just jettison the fish-bowl canopy from another switch (ring of det boolts holding the canopy in place), then use the seat’s face blind and get out. Interestingly though, the B.2 type Pilot’s Notes say that the canopy was NOT to be jettisoned and the pilot was supposed to eject through it! The B(I)8 also had a separate a canopy jettison switch but it also had a combined canopy/control cloumn control lever (which activated both emergency actions). In the B(I)8 of course, the nav wasn’t provided with an ejection seat – brave guys those Strike Squadron navs.

Hope this helps, more than you wanted to know I bet.

I wouldn’t have wanted to wash the pilots flying suit afterwards, must have ponged a bit one would think.

Fantastic feat though.

Originally posted by Eric Mc
… The problem is that once this happens, the yoke is no longer useable – the presumption being that the pilot will not be around to want to use it once he has decided to eject.

Great story and you’re right, the yoke certainly isn’t useable afterwards. There is an explosive “snatch unit” (ooh, er!) fitted to the elevator control tube which actually breaks the tube allowing the yoke to be ‘snatched’ forward, and away from the pilot’s legs, under the pressure of a (strong) spring. So even if you could overcome the pressure of the spring and pull the yoke back you ‘d have no elevator control anyway.

I’d always assumed aileron control was retained though – although the yoke would be jammed against the instrument panel making it a bit tricky to use of course! Maybe someone else (LesB ?) can confirm/refute my assumption?

There’s a great thread about the Canberra on the Pprune Military Aircrew board. Lots of very well qualified contributors. Someone might know the full story behind the remote control Canberra?

Thanks for the clip Ewan, I bet the boffins were sobbing after that little happend!

AJ I think Ewan is concerned about putting it up because he doesn’t know who owns the copywright on it.

Tank

Tank Soldier,

PM me with your e-mail address and I’ll send you a copy of the Canberra video clip. Not sure how to attach it to the forum.

Ewan

Another Canberra story I heard from a Sargeant at Cosford was the tale of the control yoke deploying into “eject” mode at 40,000, even though the pilot was not planning on ejecting.

On the Canberra, as part of the ejection sequence, the control yoke slams itself forward against the instrument panel prior to the pilot departing the aircraft. This prevents the pilot from being “kneecapped” by the “handlebars” of the yoke. On this occasion the aircraft was cruising along when, for no obvious raeson, the yoke slammed forward. The problem is that once this happens, the yoke is no longer useable – the presumption being that the pilot will not be around to want to use it once he has decided to eject. However, there was nothing wrong with the aurcraft and the pilot now had to decide what to do. In the end, the pilot and crew decided to stay with the aircraft and were able to fly the plane with judicious use of the rudder pedals and variable throttle settings. They landed safely.

It was quite a feat of airmanship in fact.

Eric that sounds fantastic, love to see that.

At least this sounds like it’s based on a true event and not just an urban myth. This bloke tells these stories by the million, once you get talking to him it’s difficult to get away!

The problem is sorting the chaff from the wheat of course.

Thanks

The BBC2 documentary of 1991/92 called “Woomera” had some spectaular footage of a remote control Canberra doing its own thing when the joystick operator lost control of his “box”. The Canberra was performing a slow speed flypast, gear and flaps down when its nose reared up, started to climb, stalled, plummeted to the ground and exploded in a fireball.

Very funny, actually.

Hi

Tank, your story sounds like a publicity stunt as happened with a Trident (mentioned by Distiller – thought that was at RAE Bedford though).

However, there were pilotless Canberras – variants U.10 and U.14. These were used as flying missile targets by the Weapons Research Establishment at the Edinburgh Field base, Australia in the early 60s – they were flown on the Woomera range.

Short Bros & Harland produced 17 U.10s and 6 U.14s by converting existing B.2s. These were painted overall white with various black markings applied for camera setting purposes.

So your mate’s tale is probably true from a publicity angle, haven’t heard of it myself, but that’s no indicator! 😀

Wasn’t that a publicity stunt done by BOAC with a Trident back in the mid or late ’60s?