English Electric Canberra PR.9

The Canberra long-range, photo-reconnaissance aircraft was one of several versions of the Canberra bomber, and one of the success stories of the post-war British aircraft industry. Many British-built aircraft were exported and production also took place under licence in the United States of America and Australia.

The Canberra was the first jet-powered bomber to enter service with the Royal Air Force. It was unarmed and relied on high speed to escape enemy fighters. As the Cold War deepened in the early 1950s the Canberra was ordered in large numbers to replace the obsolete Avro Lincolns and to form new light bomber squadrons. Shortly after the Royal Air Force began to also consider the Canberra as replacement for its aging photo-reconnaissance Mosquito aircraft. It's speed and high flying ceiling made it ideal for this purpose.