CANBERRA WJ680 “CT” (G-BURM) – DEPARTURE FROM RAF MARHAM

WJ680 (G-BURM) – DEPARTURE FROM RAF MARHAM – 10 AUGUST 2001

Photos and words by Ron Mitchell

Pic 01 – Standing on RAF Marham’s pan (Photo : Les Bywaters)	Pic 02 – The Team
Pic 01 : WJ680 stands at the edge of the pan at RAF Marham ready for air-test and eventual departure. Pic 02 :The Marham team: On the left is Flt Sgt Ian Brown of Eng Ops, who has been our day-to-day host throughout our stay at Marham. Ian’s boss, W Cdr Steve Pettitt has also been of great assistance when times were hard. Centre is Sgt Steve Innes who carried out much of a Minor, including torque tube replacements, all of it in his spare and leave time from 39Sqdn. Without Steve, CT would not now be operational. Right is Chief Technician Chip Moreton, who was our host in 2 Hangar for the first year of our stay. Not with us on the day was our former Chief Engineer, John Gannon, who was on holiday but previously spent as much time as he could with CT, in amongst his responsibilities as Chief Engineer at Military Jets, North Weald.
Pic 03 – The famous Canberra Avon start	Pic 04 – Air brakes check . . .
Pic 03 : Our pilot, Dan Griffith, a CAA Test Pilot (who currently thrills the air show crowds with the Sea Vixen and Meteor at the weekends) has already got the port engine up to temperature and now starts the starboard. Both came up in textbook fashion. Pic 04 : Air brake check – we have changed the ram jacks as a result of an MPD (Mandatory Permit Directive) caused by a jack failure on a 39Sqdn T4 Canberra. In fact, Charlie Tango has had all MPD’s fully complied with for some time – probably a unique status for a “Ferry Permit” aircraft.
Pic 05 – On the move . . .	Pic 06 – Past PR.9 XH169
Pic 05 : Her first move under her own power since 7th Jan 2000 – she’s now 6ft into her taxy for departure. Pic 06 : And CT taxy’s past one of 39Sqd’s finest, PR9 XH169 just out of a Minor – also carried out by Steve Innes’s team.
Pic 07 : Away . . . Pic 07 : Dan did several retractions during three short approaches, perfect landings, rolls and take-offs. Half the station came out to see the departure and, apart from the satisfaction of seeing a long-term interloper depart, many said how refreshing it was to see the Black and Yellow markings in the air again. Finally she’s on her way to Bournemouth, where she arrived 36 minutes later in a typical Dan Griffith spirited arrival. He reported an “absolutely faultless” flight – well done Steve! Ron Mitchell