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In case the aircraft fans missed my thread in "post your photos", here's some of the photos of planes in the collection at HARS. What is unusual about the HARS collection is that many of the aircraft are in flying condition, or in the process of restoration for flight.


Macchi in flight by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


Flow by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


P2V-7 Neptune at HARS by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


HARS Neptune A87-293 by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


Remove before flight by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


Super Constellation interior by RobGeraghty, on Flickr


Grumman S-2G Tracker number 844 by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

Nice. Sumthun friendly about the looks of the P-2V Neptune and S-2 Tracker. Guess they didn't have to look mean 'cause their prey was underwater an' couldn't see 'em? Even the P-5M was sort'a harmless lookin'n when in the air.

Despite having the ability to carry quite a lot of ordnance. I guess they were still that more rounded shape from an earlier age of aviation, but then I still have difficulty equating the bomb bay on a P8 with an aircraft that looks like a 737 except for the scimitar wingtips.

The MAD boom on the Tracker must have occupied a lot of space inside the aircraft since it was retractable.

I was entranced by aviation at a tender young age but it was a picture of the 'new' S-2 Tracker on a recruiting poster that 'seduced' me into a USN recruiter's office in 1962. Scored 100% on a screening test, was invited for a ride in a T-28, didn't get sick AND showed the Lt flyin' it where the gals sunbathed on the roof of the college dormitory for extra points. It was all downhill from there.

Never did get to fly the S-2. Did experience a death defying tree-top level ride in the plastic nose of the pointy end of a P-2 from NAS Cubi to Clark AFB in the P.I. though. Sorta made carrier arrested landings seem safe(r).

Canberra, nice....

Sounds fun!

The one at Temora was in flying condition but I think it has been grounded for a long time now. The HARS Canberra isn't in flying condition. The Australian Canberras had a feature which wasn't in the original UK Canberra; three starter cartridges. The engines were started by a cartridge similar to one from a howitzer. The UK aircraft could only load one at a time, so if it failed to start, it had to be allowed to cool down before replacing it. The Australian Canberra had three, so they could make a second or third attempt without reloading.

The Australian aircraft were built in Australia under license. The aircraft was named after Australia's capital because Australia was the first export customer.

Nice pics Rob.

The Temora Canberra will fly again (COVID-19 apart). I have it on good authority!

Pacerr - wonderful T-28 story!

cheers,
David

I am fully aware of the starter cartridges Rob, I have one on the shelf in my study! They were also used in Hunters (the ones that didn't use AVPIN, which is a whole new story!} and we used to get a "gizzit" of a used cartridge when we left the squadron.

I would question the naming of the Canberra though, the original English Electric aircraft was named as such and I suggest it was named well before it was exported.

One question I have, was the Canberra used for anything related to the Op Grapple bomb tests? I had heard that Canberras were used for taking air samples after the bombs had been detonated, resulting in at least one aircraft being declared as contaminated to a point it was to be stuck in a corner and left well alone for a while.

Thanks! I really want to get high resolution video of the Canberra in flight. I have video but it's my old camera which was not HD.

It was more for general information for others who may not have heard of it. I didn't know that they were used in other aircraft.


As far as I know, the name "Canberra" wasn't used in English before the naming of Australia's capital city; it originates from the Ngunnawal language of the Aboriginal people of Australia's Capital territory. I'd suggest that perhaps English Electric wanted to seal a deal on exporting the aircraft to Australia and chose the name to encourage the purchase by the RAAF.


I can confirm that at least one Canberra jet is buried in Queensland which was used to monitor the atomic tests in Australia and was so "hot" that it was unsafe. There's another used as a gate guard which I think may also be mildly radioactive.

PS I note that the US made radio-controlled aircraft to be exposed to atomic tests, while the UK/Aus ordered pilots to fly through them.

First time I was aware of those starter cartridges I was walkin' down the flight line at night in Danang in '68 when they started a B-57 just behind me. Scared the diddly-doo out'a me!


There's an interesting recon version of the Canberra -- the RB-57. I believe NASA's still flyin' one.

Martin/General Dynamics RB-57F Canberra | Military Wiki | Fandom

[ Oh, an' about diddly-doo? That's a technical aero-medical term used to measure aircrew stress levels. ]

I bet! I've only ever seen them used once - starting the Canberra at Temora at a considerable distance. I wouldn't want to have one fired unexpectedly at close range!


Yes, the NASA aircraft can be seen on Google Maps on the ground at Edwards. I believe that the US had several versions of the Canberra built under license. Ironically, the Canberra was specifically designed for high altitude, but the RAAF used them at low altitude in operations in Vietnam. I'm pretty sure that by then the SAMs were able to reach the ceiling of the Canberra.


That sounds akin to Heinlein writing about the award of the wet diaper for carrier landings.