JensOle
June 16th, 2009, 12:31
Hi,
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Here are some screenshots of a few Rhodesian and South African Canberra repaints I’m working on. I’m including a quick write up on the history to set them into context. I hope this is not seen as political as my goal is just to shed some light over a interesting aspect of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City> history
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I’m very glad Alphasim finally released their update for their old but still superb <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City>. They have included the B.2 and the hard nose prototype, and the later fits perfect for a hard nose T.4 stand in!
<o:p></o:p>
Henry has done some outstanding repaints for the Alphasim Canberra, including several Rhodesian repaints. He was so kind to let me use his superb master textures as a starting point for a few repaints of my own. Thanks!
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During the 1950’s the Rhodesian Federation, (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland) took its obligation to the British Commonwealth very seriously and a proof of this is that they bought 15 EE Canberra B.2 bombers and 3 T.4s to equip two squadrons for supporting the RAF “Near East Air Force”. This must have been a major financial undertaking for such a small country.
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After the dissolution of the Rhodesian Federation in 1963, all of the jet combat aircraft continued to form the backbone of the air force of (Southern, until 1964) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Rhodesia</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The Canberra’s served on faithfully in a time of great political tension and a bloody counter insurgency war for 20 years, even thought the fleet was slowly dwindling due to the problem with cracking main wing spars (this was a common problem on all “first generation” Canberras as the B.2/T.4).
<o:p></o:p>
The Rhodesian Canberra’s were delivered in a silver metal scheme, but they were from the mid 1960’s camouflage painted in green and brown top and sky blue underside with large “Single assegai” Rhodesian roundels based on the RAF “D” roundel with a large assegai spear in the middle. Both the camouflage scheme and the roundel make this a rather interesting scheme. I have tried to do a lot of research to get the camouflage pattern right as the one used on the Rhodesian aircraft was not to the standard RAF camouflage pattern. A very good source has been the book “<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City> in Southern African service”.
<o:p></o:p>
One interesting discovery the Rhodesians did early with this paint scheme was that the “sky blue” underside of this scheme did absolutely the opposite of masking the aircraft against the blue African sky, even at 50.000 ft. The solution was to paint the underside in the same brown colour as used on the top camouflage pattern. This colour reflected much less light and was impossible to see at height.
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<o:p></o:p>First out is Canberra B.2 “RRAF 207” from No. 5 Sqn, 1965.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5562.jpg
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5572.jpg
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5622.jpg
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5632.jpg
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<o:p></o:p>
Hard nose Camberra T.4 “RRAF 217” (later coded R2175) of No. 5 Sqn, 1965-68.
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/scrshot6222.jpg
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/scrshot5802.jpg
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5742.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5682.jpg
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
Here are some screenshots of a few Rhodesian and South African Canberra repaints I’m working on. I’m including a quick write up on the history to set them into context. I hope this is not seen as political as my goal is just to shed some light over a interesting aspect of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City> history
<o:p></o:p>
I’m very glad Alphasim finally released their update for their old but still superb <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City>. They have included the B.2 and the hard nose prototype, and the later fits perfect for a hard nose T.4 stand in!
<o:p></o:p>
Henry has done some outstanding repaints for the Alphasim Canberra, including several Rhodesian repaints. He was so kind to let me use his superb master textures as a starting point for a few repaints of my own. Thanks!
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
During the 1950’s the Rhodesian Federation, (Southern Rhodesia, Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland) took its obligation to the British Commonwealth very seriously and a proof of this is that they bought 15 EE Canberra B.2 bombers and 3 T.4s to equip two squadrons for supporting the RAF “Near East Air Force”. This must have been a major financial undertaking for such a small country.
<o:p></o:p>
After the dissolution of the Rhodesian Federation in 1963, all of the jet combat aircraft continued to form the backbone of the air force of (Southern, until 1964) <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">Rhodesia</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The Canberra’s served on faithfully in a time of great political tension and a bloody counter insurgency war for 20 years, even thought the fleet was slowly dwindling due to the problem with cracking main wing spars (this was a common problem on all “first generation” Canberras as the B.2/T.4).
<o:p></o:p>
The Rhodesian Canberra’s were delivered in a silver metal scheme, but they were from the mid 1960’s camouflage painted in green and brown top and sky blue underside with large “Single assegai” Rhodesian roundels based on the RAF “D” roundel with a large assegai spear in the middle. Both the camouflage scheme and the roundel make this a rather interesting scheme. I have tried to do a lot of research to get the camouflage pattern right as the one used on the Rhodesian aircraft was not to the standard RAF camouflage pattern. A very good source has been the book “<st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Canberra</st1:place></st1:City> in Southern African service”.
<o:p></o:p>
One interesting discovery the Rhodesians did early with this paint scheme was that the “sky blue” underside of this scheme did absolutely the opposite of masking the aircraft against the blue African sky, even at 50.000 ft. The solution was to paint the underside in the same brown colour as used on the top camouflage pattern. This colour reflected much less light and was impossible to see at height.
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>First out is Canberra B.2 “RRAF 207” from No. 5 Sqn, 1965.
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5562.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5572.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5622.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5632.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
Hard nose Camberra T.4 “RRAF 217” (later coded R2175) of No. 5 Sqn, 1965-68.
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/scrshot6222.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/scrshot5802.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5742.jpg
<o:p></o:p>
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v216/JensOle/Rhodesian%20Air%20Force/Scrshot5682.jpg