RAAF English Electric Canberra B.2 cockpit, pt 1
Have not given up the black cockpits of British aircrafts yet. This time it´s the EE Canberra B.2 bomber at the Lincoln Nitschke Aviation Collection in Greenock, South Australia. Interesting museum with all sorts of little parts and gadgets from an era gone by. Will make a separate article on this museum a bit later. I have had some peeks and crawls into a few other Canberra cockpits before but never cease to be surprised of how difficult it must have been to get into the nose compartment in full flight suit and all. A few details regarding the museum you´ll find here http://www.aviationmuseum.eu/World/Oceania/Australia/Greenock/Lincoln_Nitschke_Aviation_Collection.htm More details re WH 700 is to be found here http://www.adf-serials.com.au/2a84b.htm
For some reason I can only attach 6 photos, more in part 2.
These are quite interesting cockpit photos you are providing...don't always get to see them in less than perfect condition. Are these aircraft at some sort of restoration facility? They all look like they've been collecting dust for a long time.
Hi Craig. The Firefly and Sea Venom are to be found at the Australian National Avation Museum, a fairly smallish museum outside of Melbourne. The Canberra cockpit is in a private collection. I´d say they have, just like many, limited facilities to store and recondition the items in the collections. According to my experience most man power and money goes to restore the most valuable aircrafts or stop deterioration. The Canberra is stored outdoors but cockpit is only opened for visitors, thus not open at all times. Many aircrafts have a long time history as play ground attractions, kept at dumps or behind a hangar for long times. Please check the ADF link for the, to say the least, hard life theCanberra has led. The Australian climate does not do much good for the appearance, I´m afraid.
Same situation at ur museum. We open some of the aircraft once a month in the Spring, Summer months, weather permitting. Folks visiting can sit in them, we have some maintenance platforms and ladders for the taller ones, like the Voodoo and the Phantom. The kids and the bigger kids enjoy that.
The interiors do take beating from the kids, though the individuals standing by to answer questions do intervene in some cases. Somehow, once some parents take their kids someplace, they assume that they can just stand there, whilst the little dears work off their sugar fueled excess energy. Since our flight line is on an active airposrt, near some T-hangers, we have to be alert for childish obliviousness.
Yeah, as a low budget outfit, we have to decide which airframes we can paint, as ours are displayed outdoors year round. Plus, time for painting and minimal upkeep is dependent on time of year and weather.
We're hoping for a hangar, one of these years.
Ours came from the Army (Aberdeen Proving Ground is up the road) and the Navy, some in flying use, some from tests.
Add to that conundrum the average age of us old guys and gals who volunteer. None of us are in the bloom of youth, and be have to be careful not to believe w still are 59, or something.
It's fun, but a challenge, as my various bosses used to say when eyeing me for some sisyphian task.
You ought to see our night intruder painted B-57A, which looks like it has measles. That's what happens when you paint on a humid Summer. Maryland day
Considering many aircrafts are brought up from swamps etc and made airworthy, a few sticky fingers and runny noses wont do much harm. I think it´s great one can actually sit in some aircrafts, rest is up to museums to pick those they really want to preserve in good condition. Sure parents need to be parents at all times, not just let kids do whatever they find amusing. Many times I get to sit in cockpits just because the staff want to give some extra to a long distance visitor. A humble attitude is always helpful. You people volountering at museums are doing a great job, most of the time very helpful and eager to show the gems.
Open invitation: Anyone in the neighborhood or passing thru, call the museum and leave me a message. With enough prior notice, I can be there and take you around, notably in the archives, where I labor.
Thanks, Bernard. Now I just have to get a ticket across the pond 😉
Nice !
Thanks, PK. Anything in particular or you just have an interest in Canberras?
For WW2 cockpits there's a well known volume many people may be familiar with: Cockpit, An Illustrated History of World War II Aircraft Interiors, by Donald Nijboer, with Photographs by Dan Patterson.
Haha, of course there is a book on the topic. And German landing gear? Myself want to have the one on jerry cans.
We have a politician here whose hobby is photographing London manhole covers. Takes all sorts to make a world.
I wish I could say "anything to keep 'em off the streets", but in that case it´s not possible 🙂 One day some will be happy to have just that kind of information at hand.
Stellan, that article was in an old Airfix modeling magazine, told you how to tell the difference between a "Merrican" and a "Jerrican". I may still have it, but it'll take a while to unearth it.
Deep stuff! Oh, yeah!
Merrican? If you find the article let me know. No rush, though.
My favorites- I'm told that there are folks who collect types of barbed wire, and pieces of wood with different woodpecker holes!
I always argue that plastic model mania keeps me out of the pool halls and saloons. But then there's the hobby shops...
Bernard, barbed wire you say...then I got the perfect place for you. Situated in Spalding, a bit north of Adelaide in South Australia. Been there, done that http://www.barbedwirepubspalding.com.au/
Fascinating to see all the cables, boxes and other stuff in the cockpit, it feels like if you move you will undoubtedly hook up to something and break it! Quite scary I think.
Regards
Rickard
Thanks for checking in, Rickard! Yes, what a mess it is. Not sure how tidy it would be in an active plane.