@ Titusville, FL
September 2021
A rare English Electric Canberra TT.18 on display at the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum in Florida. First flown in 1949, the Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber intended to replace the Mosquito. Built as a B.2 (first production version) in 1954, she served with Royal Air Force 540 Squadron. This aircraft flew photoreconnaissance missions over Russian missile sites before being allocated to 57 Squadron. The aircraft was one of 22 converted to TT.18 (target tug) configuration for the Royal Navy in 1974. After retirement she was acquired by a civilian owner in the US in 1994 and carried on flying until 2000. After several years of being stored in Florida, the Canberra was taken on by the VAC in 2011. In June 2006, the RAF retired the last of its Canberras, 57 years after its first flight. The aircraft was given the name “Canberra” after the capital of Australia in January 1950 by virtue of Australia becoming the aircraft’s first export customer. Fuji X-Pro2 w/18-135mm.