English Electric Canberra B.2 (99+35) as used by the German Air Force (Luftwaffe) at the Luftwaffenmuseum, Berlin-Gatow (Germany)
It flew as the last Canberra of the German Air Force in the summer of 1993 from Manching Air Base directly to the museum at Berlin-Gatow.
The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation jet-powered medium bomber that was manufactured during the 1950s. It was developed by English Electric during the mid-to-late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havilland Mosquito fast-bomber. Amongst the performance requirements for the type was the demand for an outstanding high altitude bombing capability in addition to flying at high speeds. These were partly accomplished by making use of newly developed jet propulsion technology. When the Canberra was introduced to service with the Royal Air Force (RAF), the type's first operator, in May 1951, it became the service's first jet-powered bomber aircraft. The Canberra B.2 was the first production version, crew increased to three with addition of bomb aimer, Avon R.A.3 engines with 6.500 lbf (28,91 kN) of thrust, wingtip fuel tanks. The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) had three; 99+34 (ex WK137 ), 99+35 (ex WK138) and 99+36 (ex WK130). All were ex-RAF aircraft, sent to Marshalls in Cambridge for conversion to B.2 configuration prior to their delivery to Germany in 1966. Two flew until about 1993 with the German Air Force, and all three survive; 99+34 is preserved at Schwenningen, 99+35 at Berlin-Gatow and 99+36 is at Sinsheim.
The Luftwaffenmuseum, now known as the Militärhistorisches Museum (MHM) der Bundeswehr - Flugplatz Berlin-Gatow
(Bundeswehr Museum of Military History - Berlin-Gatow Airfield), is the Berlin branch of the Bundeswehr Military History Museum. The museum acts as an independent military department. Entrance to the museum is free. The museum is in Berlin at a former Luftwaffe and Royal Air Force (RAF) airfield, RAF Gatow. The focus is on military history, particularly the history of the post-war German Air Force. The museum has a collection of more than 200.000 items, including 155 aeroplanes, 5.000 uniforms and 30.000 books. There are also displays (including aeroplanes) on the history of the airfield when it was used by the RAF. Although there are also several helicopters and MiG fighters used during the Cold War by East German forces.