CANBERRA – T.19 – WH904
T.19 – WH904
 WH904 at Newark Air Museum (Les Bywaters)  WH904 as a T.11 (Copyright : Newark Air Museum)  WH904 with 85 Sqd (Via : R Bonser) |
WH904 is preserved relatively intact and in fairly good shape at the Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire. This Canberra started life in 1954 as a B.2 with 207 Sqd at RAF Marham and then transferred to 35 Sqd on the same station when 207 was disbanded in 1956. It was converted to T.11 configuration with the extended nose housing an A.I radar, as used for the Javelins, and served to train radar operators. After a brief spell with 228 OCU, WH904 joined the Target Facilities Squadron (TFS) at RAF West Raynham and remained with this unit when it changed to 85 Sqd in 1963 (red and black chequers as squadron flash) and transferred to RAF Binbrook. Further radar mods were carried out with WH904 being redesignated a T.19. It then spent time with 85 Sqd and 7 Sqd (RAF St Mawgan) until it went into store at RAF St Athan in 1979. It was sold to BAC as a possible export in 1980 but was moved to Marshall’s of Cambridge where it stayed until it was donated to the Newark Air Museum in 1985. It is worth going to see this fine example of a T.11/19 and noticing the B(I)8 style “windbrake” door in front of the main cabin door. This is most unusual on a “blister” canopied Canberra. |