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Tony Prince
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Airfix 1/48 scale Canberra PR 9 by Tony Prince

December 30, 2013 · in Aviation · · 13 · 3.6K

This was one of the many variants produced by when they turned over a new leaf & started making their much improved kits. Not perfect but well worth building. I was lucky enough to pick it up at our local IPMS club for a mere $25.00. Too good to miss!

If you feel tempted to build one, be warned: It's big; very big & heavy too - with lots of fishing sinkers to stop it tail sitting. Not in the same league as Airfix's recent Sea Vixen in the same scale, but very satisfying nonetheless. The Canberra surely has to be one of the truly great aircraft: first flying in 1949 & finally being withdrawn after seeing service in Afghanistan as the PR 9, well over 50 years later. Hope you enjoy the pics . Have a Happy New Year!

Tony

Reader reactions:
7  Awesome

6 additional images. Click to enlarge.


13 responses

  1. Nice build of a neat 1950's era jet. Your paint job is refreshingly different from all the other Canberras I've seen built.

  2. Very nice Tony and an interesting finish. As Mike said different from what I have usually seen. I didn't realize the Canberra had that long a career. Pretty impressive.

  3. Well done Tony, well done, interesting scheme that I have not seen done before. Not that that you get to see that many built up. This was a good buy also. Been keeping my eye out for one but never seem to see one at a good price. May just need to step up just pay the price for one. Thanks for sharing.

  4. Very good job. A classic aircraft. I remember watching 12 Sqn South African Air Force Canberra's starting up, during the Border war (Namibia). The noise and long black plumes of the starter cartridges was impressive!

  5. A great job done there Tony, as you said some of the airframes were older than the pilots flying them.
    I remember Airfix magazine back in the 70`s having an article on conversions you could build from theit 1/72 scale.

  6. Beautiful job, Tony

  7. Stunning work there Tony

  8. Very, very nice, Tony, a classic aircraft indeed.

  9. that's perfection tony

  10. Sweet bird Tony!

  11. Tony, beautiful job on one of the best versions of one of the best aircraft ever, the Canberra. Tony Petter, chief designer for English Electric, took them from building bombers in WW2, to the Canberra, and from there to the Mach 2 Lightning. Quite a trip! Thanks for showing a great model of a very important and successful aircraft. I enjoyed your "airfield views" in your photos.

    • Thanks for the kind words Robert. It was an enjoyable build, with only a few tweaks here & there. Airfix continues to improve & astonish. I was lucky enough to win our IPMS raffle today & chose the new Airfix Gloster Javelin. Words fail me; the detail is incredible - even better than the Sea Vixen. It's in the cupboard for now, but not for long I think!

      • Tony, sorry, I meant "Teddy" Petter, chief designer for English Electric. The Javelin is also one of my favorites (I still have the old Roger Lindsay monographs on the Javelin), and I look forward to seeing the 1/48 Airfix kit (as well as the Sea Vixen). It is great to see Airfix coming back.

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