Ref this hand-grip thingy.

Pics below show a B(I)8 stbd horn (left pic) and a PR.9 stbd horn (right pic). Bit of difference between these and the pics shown on ebay. True the 8s did have triggers and bomb release – under the large(ish) thumb-cover on top of the 8s hand-grip. Also trigger switches for un-guided rocket pods (not used on the RAFG 8s). I think you could also pickle off the bombs from the underwing pylons with one of the thumb buttons on the grip.

The 8s were all dead and gone by mid 70s and I left them in 1965, so there may have been handgrip mods in the final years, but I doubt it. These airframes were in a ‘running-down’ operational mode in their later years at Laarbruch (we were all expecting TSR2s but got Buccs!) so I really don’t see any mod programme being undertaken to upgrade the hand-grips. Slim chance it could have happened I guess.

And the 9s, the pic below is of XH175, 80s vintage. Comparison doesn’t sit easy either.

Doubt it’s a Hunter hand grip either, but I don’t ‘know’ the Hunter that intimately.

So, there you go. If pressed I’d say a high level of confidence of the thing not being from a B(I)8 or PR.9 – in fact not Canberra at all! If pressed further I guess I’d opt for a possible maybe on a late-issue 9 hand-grip as later fit sensor suites may have demanded such an awkward looking arrangement.

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The UK’s Area 51 is generally considered to be RAF Machrihanish in Kintyre, Argyll, Scotland. I put a picture of it on the ‘Airfields’ thread a couple of weeks back, had to take it down though due to the cap on images.

Actually Les, I think you’ll find theirs two!

Who’s two?

One of them is rather rudely sat at the top of the yard! :rolleyes:

Wasn’t doing anything rude last time I saw it, bit out of sorts maybe but nothing rude.

😎

Just talked with Malc, next Thurs then, WX permitting. Usual ETA.

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Aeroclub did do a Vacform fuselage which you could mate to the Italeri and Airfix canberra/B58 kits. Think its out of production though now Les.

I understand about after-market goodies, add-on’s, mods, etc but I was writing about ‘original equipment manufacturers’. Seems to me there’s a crying need for a PR.3/7 Canberra kit – would cover a multitude of RAF (and others) usage. (And be slightly longer than a B.2/6 kit).

Did you like the Sea Hawk article in the mag Malc passed onto you?

Malc says doesn’t have a copy and I couldn’t find one in WH Smiths (even allowing for the confusion of mag titles). So, haven’t seen it yet.

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OK Albert, thanks for that anyway.

Interestingly, PR.7 WH773 was one of the three UK Canberra entrants in the 1953 London/New Zealand Air Race. The other two, WE139 & WE142, were PR.3s (the winner being WE139 now at Hendon). WH773 was the 1st production PR.7 and was given race number 1. All three Canberras were from 540 Sqn then at Wyton. WF773 was flown by Wg Cdr L M Hodges, Sqn CO. Anyway, as you can appreciate, Bex’s cranberrie has some historical significance so all the luck in its refurb.

So, here’s a sample of the images Bex is talking about. They have their work cut out for the next couple of years of course but it’s not as bad as it looks if planned and executed methodically . . . and I’ve invoked Malcom, of WF922 fame, as a sometime advisor.

Maybe Bex would care to comment on/explain the pix?

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This certainly was 43 of 2 FTS at one time, but whether it was when the shot was taken I cannot be sure.

Well you can be sure now, the bloke in the pic is me on the line at Syreston. 😎

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