Canterbury Bomber ? - Aircraft of World War II

dougreed · 01-16-2005, 07:08 PM

I took a photo of a very high altitude aircraft. Someone told me it was a canterbury bomber, what is it? I know it's not of WWII vintage... thanks, doug-<dougerdo1@yahoo.com> P.S. what aircraft looks (exactly!) like a B-17 but with only 2 engines?

I saw one at a small airport in Arizona back in 1980, very odd. No it wasn't just missing it's engines! it looked to be flight ready as a duster or fire suppressor...

R Pope · 01-16-2005, 08:10 PM

Your high-flyer is a Martin RB-57 Canberra. It has much longer wings than the regular Canberra, and two added engines out on the wings. Cool photo!

R Pope · 01-16-2005, 08:32 PM

I dug up some info on your picture in my library. It's an RB-57F , one of 21 converted from standard B-57's by General Dynamics. It's for "Special high-altitude reconaissance"! Can we say, CIA? Two 18,000 lb thrust PW TF33 turbofans, two 3300 lb thrust PW J60 jets. In your pic there's a dark object under the center section, no idea what that is.
The "Baby B-17" is likely a Douglas B-23 Dragon. There weren't many built, but they all stayed in the USA and survived the war, many going civilian. They are basically a hot-rodded DC-3, and reliable as a rock.

dougreed · 01-16-2005, 11:00 PM

R. POPE, Thank you so much for the info!!! Itook the photo from 50 miles west of Austin, Tx. USA in Nov.2004. I believe it was flying east to west. I can usually ID even the military aircraft that frequent the skies around here. lots of T-33, swearingen turboprop,etc, trainer traffic going n & s, also blackhawk,cobra& plain ole hueys buzz around-before the last 2 conflicts there was lots of C5A, and C130 as well. I've seen tankers flying the deck as well and this is not the boondocks!!! Here is another one for you. I saw this near Edwards AFB in Sept.1994: I was driving back to Texas and saw a small group of craft approach a military runway. Thru my celestron with an eyepiece-didn't have my camera fixed to it- I saw what appeared to be a STEALTH fighter with a single engine light plane and a small bubble canopy type helicopter in close formation. I thought cool here is a chance to see a STEALTH. Well all went well until they got close to what appeared to be the control tower. The small fixed wing and rotor wing craft overtook and passed the now STATIONARY IN MID AIR STEALTH. it slowly sat down on the runway. the only difference from a regular stealth was a bubble type canopy not the angular. I am aware of the x-wing development that was going on then ,but this did not look like either craft, and it was black. any guesses...... I will see if I can find my photo of that "B-23"...thanks

GermansRGeniuses · 01-16-2005, 11:22 PM

SPECIFICATIONS

Span: 92 ft. 0 in.
Length: 58 ft. 6 in.
Height: 18 ft. 6 in.
Weight: 32,400 lbs. max.
Armament: Three .30-cal. M-2 machine guns, one .50-cal. M-2 machine gun, plus 4,000 lbs. of bombs carried internally
Engines: Two Wright R-2600-3s of 1,600 hp. ea.
Crew: Six
Cost: $133,000
Serial Number: 39-037
C/N: 2723
Other Registrations: N800N, N41821

PERFORMANCE

Maximum speed: 282 mph.
Cruising speed: 210 mph.
Range: 1,400 miles
Service Ceiling: 31,600 ft.

Might the other thingo have been a Harrier?

(Harrier II)

Anyways, similarly enough, many years back, when coming home from somewhere up north (driving through the desert, mind you), I saw a huge black wing fly over...

Note, I was something like 5 at the time, so I thought it was a UFO, until I got interested in aircraft and saw that it was a B-2!

dougreed · 01-17-2005, 09:49 PM

thank you GermansRGs...That's the plane-but mine was an oxidized sky blue! and as for the harrier - i wish, but I've seen it too many times to mistake it. the elevators/tails were v up. My dad's reno race buddy that's an aerodynamics engineer at the skunk works wouldn't comment on it !

( and sorry about the x-wing thing, don't mean to sound star wars, it was late,

I was refering to the tail design on one of the fighters that boeing & lockeed were competing & prototyping for a contract, one of those was also vtol. But I'm sticking to my (all sharp, angular and edgy ) stealth with a bubble as to EXACT description...this is a great place for info

; guys, thanks again for you guys research...

the lancaster kicks ass · 01-18-2005, 02:51 PM

man i love the EE Canberra, one of the best looking birds of all time, cirtainly one of the most influential post war bombers, still in service with the RAF today and even better, you americans wanted it (practially unheard of today, the only other exaples i can think of are the BAe hawk and harrier)!!! but you couldn't handle the fact that it was british so you lisence built your own.........

evangilder · 01-18-2005, 03:14 PM

It wasn't about it being British, Lanc, the American harrier was heavier and they wanted things a bit different, so they license built them with their changes.

Nonskimmer · 01-18-2005, 05:22 PM

Yeah, Mr. Paranoid!

(I'm kidding, Lanc. )

the lancaster kicks ass · 01-19-2005, 04:28 PM

you guys want us and can't admit it, aint that always the way.......

evangilder · 01-19-2005, 04:33 PM

Huh?

plan_D · 01-19-2005, 04:55 PM

The Gr.7 Harrier is superior to the AV-8B 'Harrier II' so, it's all okay. The British Harrier is still better.

01-16-2005, 11:00 PM	#4
dougreed Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3	Re:ID of RB-57F R. POPE, Thank you so much for the info!!! Itook the photo from 50 miles west of Austin, Tx. USA in Nov.2004. I believe it was flying east to west. I can usually ID even the military aircraft that frequent the skies around here. lots of T-33, swearingen turboprop,etc, trainer traffic going n & s, also blackhawk,cobra& plain ole hueys buzz around-before the last 2 conflicts there was lots of C5A, and C130 as well. I've seen tankers flying the deck as well and this is not the boondocks!!! Here is another one for you. I saw this near Edwards AFB in Sept.1994: I was driving back to Texas and saw a small group of craft approach a military runway. Thru my celestron with an eyepiece-didn't have my camera fixed to it- I saw what appeared to be a STEALTH fighter with a single engine light plane and a small bubble canopy type helicopter in close formation. I thought cool here is a chance to see a STEALTH. Well all went well until they got close to what appeared to be the control tower. The small fixed wing and rotor wing craft overtook and passed the now STATIONARY IN MID AIR STEALTH. it slowly sat down on the runway. the only difference from a regular stealth was a bubble type canopy not the angular. I am aware of the x-wing development that was going on then ,but this did not look like either craft, and it was black. any guesses...... I will see if I can find my photo of that "B-23"...thanks

01-16-2005, 11:22 PM	#5
GermansRGeniuses Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,043	SPECIFICATIONS Span: 92 ft. 0 in. Length: 58 ft. 6 in. Height: 18 ft. 6 in. Weight: 32,400 lbs. max. Armament: Three .30-cal. M-2 machine guns, one .50-cal. M-2 machine gun, plus 4,000 lbs. of bombs carried internally Engines: Two Wright R-2600-3s of 1,600 hp. ea. Crew: Six Cost: $133,000 Serial Number: 39-037 C/N: 2723 Other Registrations: N800N, N41821 PERFORMANCE Maximum speed: 282 mph. Cruising speed: 210 mph. Range: 1,400 miles Service Ceiling: 31,600 ft. Might the other thingo have been a Harrier? (Harrier II) Anyways, similarly enough, many years back, when coming home from somewhere up north (driving through the desert, mind you), I saw a huge black wing fly over... Note, I was something like 5 at the time, so I thought it was a UFO, until I got interested in aircraft and saw that it was a B-2! __________________ Holder of "Crappiest Post Ever" Award. 2005 Palos Verdes Concours d'Elegance Thread

01-17-2005, 09:49 PM	#6
dougreed Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 3	B-23 photo thanks thank you GermansRGs...That's the plane-but mine was an oxidized sky blue! and as for the harrier - i wish, but I've seen it too many times to mistake it. the elevators/tails were v up. My dad's reno race buddy that's an aerodynamics engineer at the skunk works wouldn't comment on it ! ( and sorry about the x-wing thing, don't mean to sound star wars, it was late, I was refering to the tail design on one of the fighters that boeing & lockeed were competing & prototyping for a contract, one of those was also vtol. But I'm sticking to my (all sharp, angular and edgy ) stealth with a bubble as to EXACT description...this is a great place for info ; guys, thanks again for you guys research...

01-18-2005, 02:51 PM	#7
the lancaster kicks ass Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 19,945	man i love the EE Canberra, one of the best looking birds of all time, cirtainly one of the most influential post war bombers, still in service with the RAF today and even better, you americans wanted it (practially unheard of today, the only other exaples i can think of are the BAe hawk and harrier)!!! but you couldn't handle the fact that it was british so you lisence built your own......... __________________ "Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy."

01-18-2005, 03:14 PM	#8
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,809	It wasn't about it being British, Lanc, the American harrier was heavier and they wanted things a bit different, so they license built them with their changes. __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

01-16-2005, 08:10 PM	#2
R Pope Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 134	Your high-flyer is a Martin RB-57 Canberra. It has much longer wings than the regular Canberra, and two added engines out on the wings. Cool photo!

01-16-2005, 08:32 PM	#3
R Pope Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 134	I dug up some info on your picture in my library. It's an RB-57F , one of 21 converted from standard B-57's by General Dynamics. It's for "Special high-altitude reconaissance"! Can we say, CIA? Two 18,000 lb thrust PW TF33 turbofans, two 3300 lb thrust PW J60 jets. In your pic there's a dark object under the center section, no idea what that is. The "Baby B-17" is likely a Douglas B-23 Dragon. There weren't many built, but they all stayed in the USA and survived the war, many going civilian. They are basically a hot-rodded DC-3, and reliable as a rock.

01-18-2005, 05:22 PM	#9
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Yeah, Mr. Paranoid! (I'm kidding, Lanc. )

01-19-2005, 04:28 PM	#10
the lancaster kicks ass Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 19,945	you guys want us and can't admit it, aint that always the way....... __________________ "Reminds me of the time I sank the Tirpitz" comments a Spitfire pilot, "One pass of course, old boy."

01-19-2005, 04:33 PM	#11
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 14,809	Huh? __________________ http://www.vg-photo.com For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

01-19-2005, 04:55 PM	#12
plan_D Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 11,978	The Gr.7 Harrier is superior to the AV-8B 'Harrier II' so, it's all okay. The British Harrier is still better. __________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode