English Electric Canberra

English Electric · United Kingdom · first flew 1949 · bomber

The English Electric Canberra is Britain's first jet bomber, a twin-jet aircraft with broad straight wings that gave it exceptional high-altitude performance and longevity.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	Mid-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × turbojet, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	19.96 m fuselage
T — Tail	Conventional

WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.

Spot it by:

Broad straight wings
Engines mid-span in the wings
Glazed nose on bomber versions

Identify the wide, near-straight tapered wing with engines buried mid-span, the tall conventional fin, and the bombers' fully glazed transparent nose.

Specifications

The English Electric Canberra has a length of 19.96 m (65 ft).
It has a wingspan of 19.51 m (64 ft).
Its maximum speed is 933 km/h (580 mph).
Typical crew: 3.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

The prototype first flew in May 1949 and the B.2 entered RAF service in 1951. Its simple, large straight wing allowed it to fly higher than contemporary fighters, and it set numerous altitude and long-distance records. It was even licence-built in the United States as the Martin B-57.

Variants

Many marks were produced, from the B.2 and B.6 bombers to the PR variants for photo-reconnaissance, the intruder B(I)8 and a range of target-tug and trainer versions. The type was widely exported around the world.

Where you'll see it

The Canberra served the RAF for an extraordinary 55 years, flying bombing, reconnaissance and high-altitude survey missions from Suez to the Cold War and beyond until 2006. Preserved Canberras are displayed at the Newark Air Museum, RAF Cosford and Duxford, marking it as a cornerstone of British aviation heritage.

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