CANBERRA DECALS

try looking for the Modeldecal sheet 85. it has various wyton canberra's on it and includes a PR9.

trevor

If Airfix has re-released the kit try this from their web site. They are more than helpful.

"If you have missing or faulty parts in an Airfix model kit, please email the details, along with your full postal address to snipped-for-privacy@ibcl.com"

Disregard - wrong damn message!

snipped-for-privacy@ibcl.com"

Is it a I15? i have mdecal #28 for this variant, looks nice, anyone know?

It's a PR.9.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Not a plane i know anything about, apart from we still use em and the argies had them.

There were/are 4 kits of Canberras in 1/72 that I know of. Airfix had a B.6, Frog made a B(I).8 and Matchbox had the PR.9. Each one is distinct from the others. Also, if you go way back in time Frog had a PR.7. I'm sure there are conversion kits out there to make other marks. Anyone care to suggest a "Boys' Book of Canberra Variants" for reference?

Bill Banaszak, MFE

I know Italiari did a kit, i had it and soon swapped it, noticed many differant canopy styles but thats it, to me it didnt look that nice of a place although been in service for a long time.

Italeri issued the Americanized B-57 in two flavors, a B-57B and a RB-57G. Both in 1/72nd, of course.

HTH,

Andre

The Italeri kit is a Martin B-57 Canberra and it's my understanding that the Airfix B.6 moulds were permanently reworked to make a B-57 Canberra as well. For info on Brit Canberras, try

on that page there is also a link to B-57s too.

Hope this helps, Gene DiGennaro Baltimore Md.

thanks, guess my offer of the decals are no use.

"Bill Banaszak" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net...

The best book I have is "English Electric Canberra", by Ken Delve, Peter Green and John Clemons, published by Midland Counties (ISBN 0-904597-73-3). To summarise: A.1: Prototypes B.2: Initial Bomber variant PR.3: Initial reconnaissance variant. Fuselage stretch compared to the B.2 T.4: Dual trainer: Solid nose, fold down instructor's seat, Direct vision panels on both sides (the little white circle usually found on the port side of the canopy). B.5: 1-off prototype for a target marker variant with more powerful engines (distinguished by a larger "bullet" fairing in the middle of the intake) and extra fuel in wing leading edge tanks. Used by Roland Beamont for a record breaking double crossing of the Atlantic. B.6: Second production bomber variant, with improvements similar to the B.5. B(I)6: Interim interdictor variant (before the Mk.8 was available) with four

30mm Aden guns in a belly fairing. As provided by the original Airfix kit (although the kit nose wasn't quite right). PR.7: Second production reconnaissance variant: The longer Photo Recon fuselage with B.6 style improvements. B(I)8: Definitive interdictor variant; Aden gun pack in belly fairing, "fighter style" pilot's canopy off set to port. Navigator / Observer / whatever the second crew was called in those days moved from an ejector seat behind the pilot to a swivel chair in front of the pilot, from where he would have to dive out of the cabin door with a parachute in an emergency. As provided by the Frog / Novo / Revell kits PR.9: Improved reconnaissance version: Bigger engines, more wing area (by filling in the area between the jet pipes and the fuselage), crew accommodation changed so the pilot got into his seat via a hinged canopy, the complete nose hinged open to give the observer access to his ejector seat. Still going strong. As provided by the Matchbox kit. U.10: Target drones converted from B.2 aircraft. T.11: Converted B.2s with AI radar in a new pointed nose to train observers for all-weather interceptors B(I)12: B.6s for New Zealand and South Africa T.13: T.4s for New Zealand D.14: More B.2s converted to target drones B.15: Upgraded B.6s; wing pylons and AS.30 ASM missile capability added, mainly used in the Middle East E.15: B.15s with enhanced electronics B.16: Similar to B.15, but with one of the rear seats removed to make room for Blue Shadow radar equipment. T.17: B.2s converted to electronic jammers with extra lumps on the nose and elsewhere to provide training in an ECM environment for the RAF and RN. Used by 360 Sqn, a joint RAF / RN unit. TT.18: B.2s converted with target winches for gunnery training. T.19: Converted from T.11s, retaining the pointy nose but without the radar, but as target facilities aircraft Mk.20: B.6s for Australia. As provided in the Airfix kit as alternative markings Mk.21: T.4s for Australia T.22: Converted PR.3s with Buccaneer radar fitted in a pointed radome to train Buccaneer observers.

And then a whole bunch of export marks. Also : B-57A: USAF aircraft similar to B.2, but with license built Sapphire engines (J65s), Martin designed rotating bomb bay and wing mounted guns RB-57A: Similar to the above, but for reconnaissance. B-57B: Definitive bomber with tandem cockpit and fuselage mounted airbrakes; as provided by the original Italeri release. B-57C: Dual control aircraft. B-57D: Increased span high altitude reconnaissance variant with J57s. As provided by the DB conversion. B-57E: Target tugs; some later converted into bombers for Vietnam. As provided by the re-tooled Airfix kit. B-57F: Very modified high altitude reconnaissance variant with TF-33 engines, plus boost engines in underwing pods; new tail surfaces. Also used as WB-57F. As provided by the DB conversion. B-57G: Night Interdictor variant with nose mounted radar and Low Light Level TV to hunt the Viet Cong at night. As provided by the updated Italeri kit.

For the RAF versions, Aeroclub have at various times done: a vacform nose conversion for the B.2 / B.6 / T.4 / B-57A; an injection conversion that does the same; a vacform fuselage conversion to make the B.2 / B.6 / T.4 / B-57A and a vacform fuselage conversion to make the PR.3 / PR.7. They also do engine fronts for the B.2 and a replacement nose wheel set. Airwaves do a resin conversion for the B.2, including new front fuselage and engine intakes, and a T.17 conversion with the new nose and fairings. Magna do the winches for a TT.18; C Scale did the same, as well as a nose conversion for a T.22. Rayhex did a nose conversion for the T.11 / T.19; DB did nose conversions for the 51 Sqn B.6s with enlarged nose fairings and for the "Patricia Lynn" B-57Es used in Vietnam.

N.B. You may have noticed I have an interest in Canberras. I'm just disappointed that for an aircraft that was built in such numbers and so widely used (UK, US, France, Sweden, Germany, South Africa, New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, India, Chile, Rhodesia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Peru, Venezuela), nobody makes an affordable, buildable "goldfish-bowl" canopy Canberra.

Jon.

Jonathan:

Nice post, very informative. I'm into 1/48 scale myself so I'm a bit luckier than you-Aeroclub has released a Mk.2, a 6 and a 9 is promised. The 2/6 fuselage moldings have the extra length if a PR bird is wanted.

Bill Shuey

...snippage...

One might think that Canberra B.2 and B-57A /RB-57A both had indentical cockpit interiors since externally they are similar. However the front offices are quite different. The B.2 instrument panel is very different from B-57A. Martin did quite a redesign on the interior. Of course the whole forward fuselage was modified into the B-57B, but that's another story...

Gene DiGennaro Baltimore,Md.

Thanks, Jonathan! I agree with you about the lack of available 'bowl'-type kits. The plane is a very impressive aircraft in all of its incarnations.

Bill Banaszak, MFE