Seeking photos of Ethiopian Air Force Canberras

Good (or rather, sad) to know there were such limits back then on photography. Understandable, but I thought it was worth a shot on the off-chance someone snapped one flying around either of those locations. Ref the IPMS photos, yep, most of those are from BAe Heritage themselves, and I have them all. The 351 test flight seems to the only one they did air-to-air shots for (that we know of) but not seen anything of the other 3 Cans, barring a shot of 352 in primer with Matra rocket pods fitted. I have a handful of very rare pics taken in Ethiopia itself, but still scouring for more.

As a spotter active in those locations around those times I can add that I only ever saw and spoke to one local who had the use of a long lens at Warton bank lane and coverage was nothing like it is now, no step ladders. Salmesbury was even worse with few vantage points and tighter security. Workers at both sites were rightly fearful of loosing their jobs if seen with a camera and that even applies today.
Of course you will have seen thse on line? https://ipmscanberrasig.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=15819379

Yes, I have that one, it’s a good book. Most photos are from the test flight series, but there’s a chance someone working at Samlesbury at the time might have snapped some, or maybe a plane spotter.

I asume you’ve seen the picture of one, in flight, in the “Warpaint” book, number 60. It shows #351 (ex WH638).

There is also a coloured drwaing of the same aircraft.

Bumping this thread to see if anyone has any material in their collection regarding the Ethiopian Canberra. I’m still trying to complete my book on the topic, and it would be interesting to see if anyone out there worked on their refurb at Samlesbury.

Hi Steve

Will do, and already look at the other Canberra groups (well the 2 I know of) and am chatting with Canberra SIG re a few builds I am near to finishing.

Tim

Steve

Having worked in publishing I don’t know of any other than the BAE shots, but that doesn’t mean to say someone didn’t photograph them on delivery of course.

Would love to see the book when its finished

Tim S

Hi Tim,

There is a photo out there showing one of them coming in to land at Warton in 1968 in colour, and I am trying to contact the photographer who caught it, but no joy so far. It looks like he was a spotter, so I’m hoping he wasn’t unique and others may also have caught them on camera.

The book is almost finished and I hope to approach publishers at some point this year. I’ll keep you posted, and there’s a Facebook link in my sig as well if you want to keep tabs on it 🙂

Best,

Steve

Steve

Having worked in publishing I don’t know of any other than the BAE shots, but that doesn’t mean to say someone didn’t photograph them on delivery of course.

Would love to see the book when its finished

Tim S

Thanks, but it might be the same as the ones I got from BAe. There were several air to air shots, both colour and b/w taken at the time it seems, and one of them showing an unpainted a/c with rocket pods fitted on the ground. I have all these, and a few others from test pilots actually out in Ethiopia. Just trying to see if there are any spotter photos that were never published.

Hi Steve,

There was a Database section on the Canberra published in Aeroplane around ten years ago. I’m sure there’s an air-to-air of an Ethiopian Canberra up on test from Warton in the section on export Canberras, although my copy went in the recycling a while ago. I hope that’s a useful lead.