FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1957
1957 - 1887.PDF
27 December 1957 975 INTERDICTOR TRAINING A LABS Run in a Canberra B(I)8 of No. 88 Squadron HAVING played an important and varied part in both worldwars and the Korean war, No. 88 Squadron (equippedwith Blenheims and Bostons from 1940 to 1945 and with Sunderlands in Korea) gained a new distinction when it wasre-formed in 2nd T.A.F. 18 months ago to operate B(I)8 night interdictor Canberras. Since then, at first under the command ofW/C. J. A. Holmes and now led by W/C. D. T. Witt, it has achieved a high standard of proficiency not only in low-levelinterdiction but also in medium- and high-level bombing. It should be emphasized at the outset of this account that theflight which it describes was not in any sense "laid on" as a demonstration trip. The crew were carrying out routine training,making the best possible use of every minute in the air to practise navigation and bombing plus LABS,* homing and let-downprocedures. Canberra B(I)8s have an offset fighter-type bubble canopythrough which die pilot can get a good all-round view, necessary indeed when travelling at 350 kt only 250ft (or less) above groundlevel. The navigator normally occupies a seat at the plotting-table (just forward of, and below, the pilot's position) with limitedoutward visibility through a small window on the port side; or he lies prone in the nose, which is completely transparent and affordsan excellent area of visibility. There is also a rumble seat beside the pilot, who on this occasion was S/L. Max Charlesworth; butfor take-off the navigator, F/L. Ken Utton, gave me his seat at the table (facing aft), later exchanging places when low-levelexercises had been completed. There was a little trouble with generator warning lights afterthe Ayons had started, but it proved only temporary; in the meantime I was able to look round and see how little room thereis to spare in the front compartment of the black-camouflaged B(I)8s (especially when a passenger is carried). Chiefly it is thelack of head-room which gives this impression. After the slight delay we taxied fast to the end of the Wildenrath. runway in useand awaited control's "Clear to go." We were airborne at 1042, the Avons with their combined15,000 lb thrust sucking us smoothly off the runway, and settled down to an initial cruise of 335 kt at 2,000ft before reaching thelow-flying area. Eight minutes after take-off we crossed the Rhine and two minutes later Utton gave his pilot a course of 320 deg tosteer. Charlesworth had meanwhile been listening-in to the bomb- ing range R/T, and when he learned there were two aircraftalready there said to Utton: "Take me wherever you like." We then altered course to 330 deg, flew over Wesel and turnednorth-eastwards on to 050 deg, going down to 250ft at an I.A.S. of 350 kt. Charlesworth remarked that there was always a risk ofhitting birds on this low-flying practice, some of them big ones. *LABS = Lotu Altitude Bombing System, more commonly known astoss bombing, loft bombing or over-the-shoulder bombing. RECENTLY a member of "Flight's" editorial staff, while doing hisR.A.F.V.R. annual training in 2nd T.A.F., flew on a routine training sortie with No. 88 Sqn. This was arranged with the willing co-operationof the squadron commander, W/C. D. T. Witt, D.S.O., D.F.C., D.F.M., and it is believed to be the first time a writer—as distinct from a photo-grapher—has flown with a Canberra B.8 squadron. It is certainly the first occasion on which a journalist has participated in a LABS manoeuvre.The article which follows contains our staff member's impressions. (At times the squadron is committed to studying bird migratoryhabits in order to avoid the unusually large flocks which pass through its low-flying areas.) We were now in one of these areas, of which there are several—linked by corridors—marked on the squadron maps of northern Germany. The ground is fairly flat and predominantly agriculturalterrain, though sprinkled with occasional small towns (which we sciupulously avoided). Utton gave his pilot some rapid changesof course—020, 040 then 060 deg—and in the Canberra's pres- surized interior (No. 88 Sqn. proverbially works either "on thedeck" or at 40,000ft) conditions were rather bumpy and stuffy. B(I)8s, especially in hot summer weather when operating at lowaltitude, cannot make the navigator's life a very happy one. After passing near Hessle, a well-bombed airfield still pock-marked with the Allied craters of twelve or more years ago, we turned on to 015 deg and climbed up to do a practice G.C.A. atAhlhorn. This was completed successfully almost to touch-down, then broken off with an overshoot.From Ahlhorn we made for the Nordhorn bombing range, a matter of 12 minutes' flying, first at about 5,000ft then going downagain under some low cloud. When nearing the range, we climbed to something over 25,000ft—I had by then moved forward into theprone position and did not have an altimeter in view—to do some simulated bombing runs. (Unfortunately it proved impossible todo any actual bombing, for the range had by now gone unservice- able : a truck had become stuck in the mud and efforts were stillbeing made to pull it out.) Far below us there was now thick immobile stratus, looking likefrosted snow. (I noticed, too, after examining the unrestricted view downwards, that it was just possible to see the pylon bombswhen looking backwards from the farthest point in the nose.) With pressurization, the aircraft's equivalent altitude was thenabout 12,500ft; and there was a noticeable absence of vibration, with comparatively little engine noise. But a marked judderingoccurred when the bomb doors were opened and after the first run Charlesworth was not satisfied about them being closed properly,since he was not getting the correct speed for the correct revs. As after two dummy runs there was not much point in stayingany longer over the unserviceable range we turned back to do a practice QGH on Wildenrath, starting it from 60 miles away ona course of 215 deg, which brought us over base with only a 2 deg alteration when just under 20 miles out. At that point, Charles- Graceful but pugnacious (its under-fuselage pack conceals four 20 mm cannon): an English Electric Canberra B(l)8 of No. 88 Sqn. over Germany. "Flight" photograph
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
