Martin RB57

[darthspud]

Bit of a random question but,

Did the RAF ever operate the RB57 variant of the Canberra?
I've checked all the resources i can (limited t'interweb at work) but i don't know if they did or not.
Mabbe 100Group/Sqn had one on charge?

Anyone got a definitive answer please.

[PR19_Kit]

No, they didn't.

Neither the RB-57D or the later, and MUCH bigger, RB-57F saw service in the RAF. I believe the only other operator of any of the RB-57 variants were the Chinese Nationalists, who flew some of the Ds over mainland China. At least one got shot down and the wreckage was put on display in Peking/Bejing.

The Canberra PR9s did  pretty much everything that the RAF needed in the strategic recce area, and they had to once the Valiant B(PR)s were grounded.

Of course the RAF also had the Meteor PR19 for the REALLY important tasks................  

[Later] Of course the RAF never operated any B-57 variants, they didn't have to as they had 'the real thing'.   

[kitnut617]

The RAF did operate a few B-45's though, an interesting three part article appeared in Air-Britain's Aeromilitaria quarterly last year along with a number of photos of the B-45's with roundels etc ---- it was all about the Ju-Jitsu operations

[PR19_Kit]

The RAF did operate a few B-45's though, an interesting three part article appeared in Air-Britain's Aeromilitaria quarterly last year along with a number of photos of the B-45's with roundels etc ---- it was all about the Ju-Jitsu operations

They did indeed, and there was a TV programme about those flights in the 'Timewatch' series. With superb timing the Beeb showed it the very same night I finished building the original PR19! 

The B-45s had VERY tall RAF fin flashes for some reason, no idea why. I've thought of doing my Mach 2 RB-45 kit in that scheme, but every time I get it out of the box I have another think and put it back in again..... 

[darthspud]

reason for asking,

I have an old Airfix RB57 and two sets of Tornado wings.
I'm thinking of deleting the tiptanks and extending the tips outwards using the tornado wings as extensions, plus a slightly altered fin.
But i'd hazard it's a low priority build this year as i'm glacially slow and a crap painter.
Might also add the Sgt Anderson? tanks from a Phantom as fuel tanks outboard of the engine nacelles.

I'm think about doing a Suez scenario in which U.K. /France win

[kitbasher]

The RAF did operate a few B-45's though, an interesting three part article appeared in Air-Britain's Aeromilitaria quarterly last year along with a number of photos of the B-45's with roundels etc ---- it was all about the Ju-Jitsu operations

Weren't these actually operated by the USAF with some RAF crew, albeit in RAF markings (no serial numbers were carried if I correctly recall pictures I've seen) and based at Sculthorpe? 

[PR19_Kit]

Weren't these actually operated by the USAF with some RAF crew, albeit in RAF markings (no serial numbers were carried if I correctly recall pictures I've seen) and based at Sculthorpe? 

I don't think so.

While the aircraft were part of a USAF recce unit at Sculthorpe, Eisenhower wouldn't let American crews fly overflights. Of course the UK Government didn't care so much but a dedicated Canberra version (later the PR3) wasn't in service at the time so the RAF crews flew the RB-45s over E Germany, Czechoslovakia and other Eastern Bloc countries wearing RAF markings. As you say they bore no serials for the overflights.

[Aircav]

I once knew a Navigator that was on RB-45's, he went onto Victor's and Vulcan's over flying the USSR.

[kitnut617]

The RAF did operate a few B-45's though, an interesting three part article appeared in Air-Britain's Aeromilitaria quarterly last year along with a number of photos of the B-45's with roundels etc ---- it was all about the Ju-Jitsu operations

Weren't these actually operated by the USAF with some RAF crew, albeit in RAF markings (no serial numbers were carried if I correctly recall pictures I've seen) and based at Sculthorpe? 

The aircraft were 'borrowed' from the USAF but were flown entirely by RAF aircrew.  They did it a couple of times and just before each mission they got RAF roundels and flashes.  The RAF aircrew did train with the USAF aircrew before each mission though.

[pyro-manic]

I'm think about doing a Suez scenario in which U.K. /France win

We did win. Operation Musketeer was very successful. Politics was the problem.

[rickshaw]

I built the first prototype Canberra PR.9:



Is that the effect you're looking for, Darthspud?

[PR19_Kit]

I built the first prototype Canberra PR.9:

Pure brilliance! 

[darthspud]

Yes Dagnammit!

Back to the drawing board for something original.

[Weaver]

I recall reading or hearing a story about the RB-45s to the effect that when a British crew were flying one on a training mission, one of the fully-loaded tip tanks fell off, prompting a snap-roll so violent that the other one came off and the plane therefore self-righted after one, extremely quick, uncommanded 360 deg roll, leaving the crew thinking "what the..........!!!!!" 

[McColm]

The Wyton boys never flew the RB-57, although there were rumours that the M.O.D. U.K. did have talks to buy a small number of stored RB-57F's when the PR.9 was retired.