It was developed by English Electric during the mid-to-late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havilland Mosquito fast bomber. Among the performance requirements for the type was the demand for an outstanding high-altitude bombing capability and high speed. These were partly accomplished by making use of newly developed jet propulsion technology. When the Canberra was introduced to service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the type's first operator, in May 1951, it became the service's first jet-powered bomber. Throughout most of the 1950s, the Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other aircraft in the world. In 1957, a Canberra established a world altitude record of 70,310 feet (21,430 m). In February 1951, another Canberra set another world record when it became the first jet aircraft to make a non-stop transatlantic flight. Due to its ability to evade the early jet interceptor aircraft and its significant performance advancement over contemporary piston-engined bombers, the Canberra became a popular aircraft on the export market, being procured for service in the air forces of many nations both inside and outside of the Commonwealth of Nations. The type was also licence-produced in Australia by the Government Aircraft Factories and in the US by Martin as the B-57 Canberra. The latter produced both the slightly modified B-57A Canberra and the significantly updated B-57B. The first GAF-built Canberra Mk 20 (A84-201) flew in May 1953 and entered service with No 82 Wing in December of the same year. No 2 Squadron was the first to receive the Canberra, followed by No 6 Squadron in 1955 and No 1 Squadron in 1958. The 48th and last Canberra Mk 20 was delivered in September 1958. Five aircraft (A84-201 and 203-206) were converted to dual control Mk 21 trainers in 1958-59. RAAF Canberras achieved some national fame in 1953 when A84-201 and 202 participated in that year's England to New Zealand Air Race, the latter finishing a close second outright to a RAF Canberra. Long-distance flights were a feature of early RAAF Canberra operations, including goodwill trips to the USA. For more details of the Canberra, click here, and for details of its service in the RAAF, click here. TECHNICAL DATA (below): English Electric/GAF Canberra Mk 20/Mk 21 Source: RAAF Museum.
