Canberra PR.9

[Daryl J.]

Was the PR.9  obsolete at the time of retirement?  Worn out?  Both?   Impossible to maintain?   Budget gone?
What happened to the airframes?


Thanks again,
Daryl J.

[Martin H]

now weres Kit Spackman (PR19kit) when u need him?.....the sites resident Cranberry PR 9 experten.

Im sure he can/will give u chapter and verse on the last few and what happened to them

[pyro-manic]

IIRC at least one of them has gone to Delta Jets at Kemble airfield, which operates some Hunters and a Gnat (among others) IIRC.

[PR19_Kit]

now weres Kit Spackman (PR19kit) when u need him?.....the sites resident Cranberry PR 9 experten.

Im sure he can/will give u chapter and verse on the last few and what happened to them

You called? 

How much do you need to know Daryl, and how long have you got? And how big is the site's file allocation?

As to your qustions, the answer is 'most of the above'. The last three PR9s, XH131, '134 and '135, were pretty worn, but did have quite a number of flying hours left before major work was needed, but maintenance was becoming a problem. Their operational Squadron, No. 39 (1 PRU) Sqdn. had a number of expired airframes 'in stock' at RAF Marham from which they'd been cannibalsiing parts for some time, but they'd predicted it would be almost impossible to keep the Last Three flying past 2007. Of course that was with the aircraft flying to RAF standards, and it was quite possible they could continue to fly without some RAF specific kit still operational, thus their sale to civilian owners in 2006.

There was also the issue that the RAF was losing its requirement for the sort of tasking that the PR9s were built and adapted for, low level recce is now the province of Tornado GR4As and the new Sentinal R1s are planned to take-over the more long range, high level tasks.

All three of the PR9s were flown to Kemble on July 31st 2006, and I was there to see them, having a personal connection with XH131 (I fitted a hydaulic sampling system to her back in 1973 or so) Delta Jets are looking after them for their owners, two, '131 and '134, having been bought by Ground Equipment Supplies, and '135 bought by a Swiss concern.

When they arrived at Kemble each one was in a different colour scheme interestingly, '131 in the grey 'water paint' finish that had been specially retouched for the occasion as it had just returned from ops in Afghanistan in a very worn state. '134 and '135 were in the Hemp scheme, but '134 carried the amazing 'Flying Bomb' markings that covered its entire fin. Since then at least one, usually '135, has been in the Kemble Air Day flying programme, but has gone tech every time, although it has done a few taxi runs now and then. '131 has had most of its paint stripped, right down to bare metal in some places, and usually lives in Delta Jets hangar most of the time. '134 has vanished from sight since late 2007, but it's not been reported as having left Kemble so far.

Some pics of the Last Day below, me in The Hat.... 

[Martin H]

Nice one Kit, I some how knew you would have the info required lol

[PR19_Kit]

Nice one Kit, I some how knew you would have the info required lol

We aim to please.....

What else do you need Daryl? 

[Daryl J.]

Will post as needed.       Thank-you very much.



Daryl J.