CANBERRA – B(I)6 – WT319

WT319 spent a while on Station Flight at RAFG Laarbruch before being transferred to BAC Samlesbury in 1960 (for a major overhaul?). It is then moved to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment and took part in Decca equipment trials (October 1960), returning to 213 Sqn in RAF Germany on 21 February 1961.

In June 1967, this B(I)6 was transferred to Marshalls of Cambridge for trial equipment installations and was back with 213 Sqn by July. In December 1969 it was sold to BAC where it languished until October 1976 when it was moved to BAC Filton for apprentice training.

Next it came into the ownership of No 2277 Castle Cary ATC Sqn as an unidentified cockpit section, where it remained for several years until it was considered “unsafe” for the cadets. In 1998, Mr Tim Hake of Somerset stepped in and purchased the cockpit moving it to his home with the intention of refurbishing it for display. He says that the cradle label said it was a B.2 and has been trying to identify it correctly for over a year. He found some of the instruments were marked for WT319 and considered that this is the Canberra’s true identity.

Eventually Tim decided to sell the cockpit section. He stated that a change of jobs meant that he could no longer guarantee its security and he wanted to see it restored and refurbished. At the end of the summer, 1999, Tim sold the cockpit section to Mr Tony Collins of Buckinghamshire who removed it to join his Lightning and other cockpits near Milton Keynes. Tim’s photos show WT319 in the process of being moved. Tony Collins has restored this B(I)6 nose and regularly displays it a shows.

Tony Collins has worked wonders on WT319 as can be seen from the photo at the top. This was taken when Tony displayed the cockpit at the Newark Air Museum Canberra Reunion in May 2005. Compare the condition now with that when Tim Hake first acquired it from the ATC (see pictures below).