pete taylor Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 If anyone ever doubts the capability of some of the finest British hardware...take a look at this photo. Nice picture of Big Ben you might think... it was taken from a Canberra PR9 in 2006 from 47000 ft over the Isle of Wight. That's nearly 9 miles high and 80 miles distant! Edited By pete taylor on 05/07/2013 17:36:55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I saw this picture on TV last night, it was a show about british aircraft on one of the Sky channels, they had a whole section about the Canberra, apparently it gets (got) better pictures than the Blackbird with the same digital camera. Also very interesting that the photographer sits right in the nose of the plane in temperatures down to minus 5 degrees and the cabin is only partially pressurised so they are on oxygen for the whole flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete taylor Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 I'll keep my eyes open for that if it appears on terrestrial tv. I came across it while I was researching the Canberra for an upcoming project and couldn't resist sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WolstonFlyer Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 It was part of a series narrated by Harry Enfield, I think it has been on before. They showed a few episodes back to back all very interesting stuff! It is a shame that planes like that go out of service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Impressive photo but it doesn't appear to have been taken at an angle of 6.5deg from horizontal, which is what I think it would be at the altitude & distance quoted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 The real miracle is the lack of cloud, rain, mist etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greybeard Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Posted by PatMc on 05/07/2013 18:08:34: Impressive photo but it doesn't appear to have been taken at an angle of 6.5deg from horizontal, which is what I think it would be at the altitude & distance quoted. Correct, it was from a much higher angle than that. Shouldn't believe all you hear on the tele. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 With a very approximate check of the apparent angles, the line comes out on the south coast near Newhaven, a long way from The I.O.W. But I could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Yep, it's from further east than the IOW. My guess would be somewhere around Crawley if the altitude is correct. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 My hunch is that it's a bit closer in than Crawley - maybe a little east of Redhill aerodrome? I'm sure somebody who knows what they're doing could reproduce the pic using Google Earth - and see exactly where it was taken from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatMc Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I think your right John. It looks like an angle between 30 & 40 deg which would make the distance 16 - 10 miles. Somewhere within the M25 - between Croydon & Caterham perhaps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malcolm woodcock 1 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 51 Squadron used to take photo's like this. They where often described as a 'airfield radar calibration squadron' thing is they never said whose airfield radar's they calibrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Posted by PatMc on 05/07/2013 19:49:33: I think your right John. It looks like an angle between 30 & 40 deg which would make the distance 16 - 10 miles. Somewhere within the M25 - between Croydon & Caterham perhaps? That's not too far from me... Perhaps if someone has a big step ladder (47,000 feet tall!) I can put up in the back garden and a pair of binoculars I can have a look and see what it looks like from here? Or from the office in Croydon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete taylor Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 Whoops!!... That's told me then! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
001 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I'm not very good with computers, so I put a 'ruler' over Google Earth's image of the Houses of Parliament (saucy) on the line that the photo seems to have been taken on and extended it. (Ignore the red line top left). It seems to be at about 172 degrees 36 minutes. So if you agree that it might be in that region, follow it South........... The only way I could capture it was by photographing the computer screen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 So sad that the Canberra PR9s were grounded in 2009. I'm not sure if any of the current RAF fleet (what fleet)? has this sort of PR capability. I suppose the only aircraft they have now which may have been adapted for this purpose is the Tornado. I hope. Considering the world lead we have historically had in things like PR and AEW, it makes you despare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modonaut Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 From what I can gather almost total reliance is made these days on satelites etc. The claim was made that there was no replacement for the Blackbird and I'm not sure if any 'U2's are still flying. Of course the general public will never be told anywhere near the truth about these matters and it's been said that technology is fifty years ahead of what we can even conceive of... whether this is true or just mis-information it's difficult to say, probably true, with the military industrial dabbling with the 'paranormal' or mind control and 'distant viewing'. The sort of thing that the man on the street scoffs at has been taken very seriously for decades especially by the Russians who seem to have a inborn natural leaning towards these skills. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mowerman Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 I suspect that the role of the Canberra PR is now taken on by various drones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Privett Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Posted by Chris P. Bacon on 05/07/2013 23:40:19: It seems to be at about 172 degrees 36 minutes. So if you agree that it might be in that region, follow it South........... Hmm, odd.... I was sure I replied to this last night, but apparently not! I drew a line on Google Earth at 172.62 degrees (that was the closest I could manage to 172.6, ie 172 degrees 36 mins) and it passes directly over my office in Croydon, then continues on to Caterham. I'd say Pat's suggestion of between Croydon and Caterham is looking good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leighfield Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 Modonaut is I'm sure correct about the use of drones and satellites. However, the U2 is definitely still in service although highly developed and I believe now called the TR1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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