The Libya SR71/Canberra pic?

Interesting point.

would the Brits want/need any damage assessment?

why would the RAF risk it? the SR-71 would bring back any goodies and while a canberra may have been able to get through the damaged air defences, would there be any point ?

The Myth concerned the Blackbird on a mission at altitude over Tripoli, anyway- NURR!!!

In which case I’ll go with the urban myth idea as I don’t reckon a Canberra could get that high.

Blimey Mike !! I never realised you were a pongo 😀
I will be more polite in the future;)
I was Royal April Fool meself but only hacked 12yrs before promotion to ‘mister’:D

I was only a pongo because I failed the RAF entrance exam. Glad I did really as I got more flying in the army courtesy of the AAC than I ever would have in the RAF trade I wanted as I was going to go airframes and engines in the days before aircraft got so complicated they had to split them. (or was it due to lowering intelligence of the recruits?:diablo: )

High flying Canberras and SR 71

Don’t know about SR 71 but in 1957 I travelled in a high flying canberra as a ground crew passenger to carry out an emergency repair to a grounded canberra in Libya. I had to be kitted out with a pressure suit that plugged into the aircraft oxygen system. I don’t know what our max height was but I recall the sky was midnight blue although the sun was a blazing ball. The suit was very cumbersom and during the 3 hour trip I was bursting for a wee.
I will always remember landing at Tripoli and being directed to the nearest toilet — just in time!! So pressure suits were in vogue and canberras could have been above an SR 71 at some time.

Paddy R

It’s quite possible (given the right circumstances). All that’s needed is for the Canberra to be stooging around at cruising altitude over an SR-71 taking off or landing. I assume we’re all reasonably intelligent people on here in which case I’m surprised no one else thought of it.

The Myth concerned the Blackbird on a mission at altitude over Tripoli, anyway- NURR!!!

Just as well really given the warped sense of humour of some of us. Personally I blame 22 years of army life.

Blimey Mike !! I never realised you were a pongo 😀
I will be more polite in the future;)
I was Royal April Fool meself but only hacked 12yrs before promotion to ‘mister’:D

Just as well really given the warped sense of humour of some of us. Personally I blame 22 years of army life.

It’s quite possible (given the right circumstances). All that’s needed is for the Canberra to be stooging around at cruising altitude over an SR-71 taking off or landing. I assume we’re all reasonably intelligent people on here in which case I’m surprised no one else thought of it.

Some of us did think of it mike , which is why we were taking the P.If we use ‘;) ‘ or ‘:D ‘ then we obviously aint taking the subject too seriously 😉 😀

cheers baz

in the first place you’d never get a picture of an SR-71 from a Canberra camera(!) because of the difference in speed, and for another thing, i’ve never seen a Canberra crew in full pressure suits (which is what they would need for that sort of flight)

It’s quite possible (given the right circumstances). All that’s needed is for the Canberra to be stooging around at cruising altitude over an SR-71 taking off or landing. I assume we’re all reasonably intelligent people on here in which case I’m surprised no one else thought of it.

Thought everybody knew this ‘photo’ thing was an urban myth.

The tale, however, has its genesis in an event which happened back in the early 80s. An SR-71 was just finishing a trans atlantic crossing and begining to let down through 60/55,000 ft over west england for arrival at Mildenhall. In contact with western radar (or similar) the -71 asked for an ID on what was making contrails at their level about five miles to their 3 o’clock as they had not expected any traffic at their height. They were told it was a (39 Sqn) Canberra PR.9.

.

I have a shot of an SR71 taken from above.

The a/c is in Duxford’s AAM. :p

😀 😀 😀

I have seen those pages in the SR71 manual before but the manual states ‘do not exceed 85,000ft without permission’ please show me a canberra above 80,000ft.

Plus the manual quotes the top speed as absolute max at mach 3.2 but this is incorrect as the speed record was faster than that, i read that the limit was up to mach 3.5 but not for any long periods of time.

But if someone does find a pic it would be interesting, can you also have a look for the lancaster on the moon pic at the same time?

curlyboy

Tee Shirts and Jeans i heard….!

With the window open.

“Those silly suits are alright for the yanks”, said Squadron Leader Nigel Forby-Smyth, ex-Canberra PIC.
“We’re rather tougher than that. My great-great-great grandfather fought with Nelson at the Battle of the Nile, and my mum drove Churchill during the Blitz. We’d like nothing better taking the old gal up to 90-100,00 feet.
On long flights we’d tune in the BBC World Service and have a fag or two with our tea. Frightfully fun, that.”

😀 😀 😀

For SR-71 altitude limitations see here and here.

I have a shot of an SR71 taken from above.

The a/c is in Duxford’s AAM. :p

Tee Shirts and Jeans i heard….!

…i’ve never seen a Canberra crew in full pressure suits (which is what they would need for that sort of flight)

Agreed. That was the first thing that crossed my mind.

After witnessing the elaborate procedures and crew suit-up, I’d hope the RAF would protect their aircrews before going +80,000 feet.
Unless, we’re to believe the RAF crews were so tough they just went up in their regular flightsuits.:rolleyes:

in the first place you’d never get a picture of an SR-71 from a Canberra camera(!) because of the difference in speed, and for another thing, i’ve never seen a Canberra crew in full pressure suits (which is what they would need for that sort of flight)

In Writing?? I would have thought that was classified info;)

I would have thought so too but then again maybe our transatlantic friends were enjoying the chance to pull British legs for a change (or didn’t wish to disclose just what altitude the B-57 was capable of). I know that the EE Canberra had a respectable ceiling but I would not have thought it capable of beating that SLMG, let’s face it that is all the B-57 and U-2/TR-1 ammount to.