martin B-57A

[tigercat2]

I have been building B-57s and Canberras for a long time, and  have never run acros a reference to a B-57A or RB/EB-57A in a SouthEast Asia paint scheme.  By the time the Vietnam war came along, most of the A models had been converted to DSES aircraft in the silver/orance paint scheme.  Were any A models ever in the SEA camo?

Thanks.
'

Wes W.

[Gondor]

Not that I can find any information on. There were only eight B-57As built; the rest of the A variants were RB-57As. There were a couple of conversions to EB-57As that happened in 1966, so add a few aerials and dress it in SEA, and you're good to go.

[tigercat2]

also something else I have wondered about Canberras is why did they keep that old fishbowl canopy, when the B-57B and up had the centerline tandem seating.  In the Canberra, the navigator was stuck in the back unable to see out and in the pr 9 was stuck in the nose.  Apparenly the fishbowl canopy trapped so much heat that  made it almost unbearable in hot climates   Why didn't the Brits just adop the simple but very effective B-57B, C, D, E, F and G seating?


Wes W.

[PR19_Kit]

Because the pilot's seat was offset to port on ALL Brit Canbberras, that's why the B(I)8s and PR9's canopies were offset, they didn't move the seats specially. There was (just....) enough room to starboard to take the 2nd seat in the T4's, but that's about it.

The nav on the first three PR9s was in the back too, but they were later 'upgraded' to the nose position, like all the others.

It would have needed re-engineering to move the seats to the centreline, and you can bet money came into it then.

[kitbasher]

Having had jollies in a B.2 (albeit a target-towing B.2, the banner being shot at by Leuchars Phantoms) and a T.4, the nav was behind the pilot.  Only the PR.9 had the nav up front, linked in (IIRC) to making sure pics were being taken at the right time.

In the B.2 any 'extra' crew sat in a bang seat next to the nav but once airborne could unstrap and sit up front by the pilot on a folding seat.

In the T.4, crew entry was nav, captain then second pilot/passenger on a jolly.  Bit of a faff strapping in but once done there was plenty of room in the cockpit for both pilots.

[jcf]

The RAAF operated camouflaged Australian built Canberra Mk.20 in Vietnam. Painting an EB-57A in SEA cammo wouldn't be too much of a stretch, or perhaps a Mk.20 in SEA and US markings. A loner after the airfield attacks that took out a number of bare metal B-57Bs? 
The B-57A, only eight built, was never considered to be a combat ready aircraft so it wouldn't have been camouflaged.
The EB-57As are more of a grey area. 

[tigercat2]

Thanks so much for the answers on the B-57A canopy questions.  I can just imagine climbing in one of the "fishbowl" canopy versions after it had been sitting on the ramp on a hot August day. 

Wes W.

[kerick]

Thanks so much for the answers on the B-57A canopy questions.  I can just imagine climbing in one of the "fishbowl" canopy versions after it had been sitting on the ramp on a hot August day. 

Wes W.

That would make you want to pull the eject handle.

[jcf]

One of the factors behind the tandem cockpit of the B-57B was the fishbowl canopy.
Evidently it was two layers of glass and changes in altitude, and thus temperature,
created distortions as it cooled and warmed which meant that installing a gunsight,
needed for the intended "night intruder" role, problematic due to the distortions.