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English Electric Canberra

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A flight of three RAF Canberra B2s flying in formation during the 1950s

A flight of three RAF Canberra B2s flying in formation during the 1950s

The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation jet-powered medium bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft (21,430 m) in 1957. Due to its ability to evade the early jet interceptors and its significant performance advancement over contemporary piston-engined bombers, the Canberra was a popular export product and served with air forces of many nations.

In addition to being a tactical nuclear strike aircraft, the Canberra proved to be highly adaptable, serving in varied roles such as tactical bombing and photographic and electronic reconnaissance. The Canberra was retired by its first operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF), in June 2006, 57 years after its first flight.

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After WW2 and the atomic bombing of German Wolf's Lair facility and the Soviet cities of Leningrad and Mozhaysk the British Empire realised its inventory of modified Grand Slam nuclear bunker busters were becoming outdated and its fleet of 5 Vickers Victory were too small and the RAF's fleet of Avro Lincoln B.1/B.2 which would be too vulnerable to enemy fighters, so the project to replace both was begun and divided it into a Air Ministry specification B.3/45, the De-Havilland Mosquito and Avro Lincoln replacement and Air Ministry Specification B.35/46, the Vickers Victory replacement.

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