Two killed as Canberra jet crashes

[Nasir]

Two killed as Canberra jet crashes
New Delhi: A vintage Canberra jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Agra airbase in Uttar Pradesh Monday, killing its pilot and navigator instantly.

The jet was returning from a routine flying mission when it crashed into farmland about 5 km from the airbase at 2 p.m., an IAF spokesman said.

The pilot, Squadron Leader S. Bedi, and the navigator, Squadron Leader A. Sharma, were killed instantly.

There were no casualties on the ground but some crops were damaged. The IAF has ordered an inquiry to ascertain the cause of the crash and will pay compensation for the damage on the ground, the spokesman said.

The Canberra entered service with the IAF in 1957 as a bomber. Though most of these jets have been decommissioned, a handful have been retained in service due to their capability to serve as excellent surveillance platforms despite their age.

Canberras are also regarded among the safest jets in the IAF fleet, with one of the planes making it back to its base even after being hit by a missile while on a reconnaissance flight during the 1999 Kargil border conflict with Pakistan.

http://www.newkerala.com/news.php?action=fullnews&id=69910

 

[Kashif]

Canberra is an old machine its a bomber I dont know why they arent retired uptill now.
Some spec of Canberra
British Aerospace Canberra
Origin: UK
Type: bomber and visual attack aircraft
Max Speed: 525 kt / 605 mph
Max Range: 1,778 km / 1,105 miles
Dimensions: span 19.51 m / 64 ft 0 in
length 19.96 m / 65 ft 6 in
height 4.75 m / 15 ft 7 in
Weight: empty 10,099 kg / 22,265 lb
max. take-off 24,040 kg /
53,000 lb
Powerplant: two 3402-kg (7,500-lb) dry thrust Rolls-Royce Avon Mk 109 turbojets
Armament: normal bomb load six 454-kg (1 ,000-lb) bombs internally, plus two more such bombs, or AS.30 air-to-surface missiles, rocket-launcher pods or other stores on two underwing pylons

 

[EagleEyes]

Kashif,

Thats what i was about to say. They should be retired now, i mean they are of the 60s and 70s, they really need to go.

Also note that the article mentions in the Kargil war even after it getting hit by a missile (*probably Anza class) it made its way back to the base.

 

[miroslav]

IAF has a small number of Canberra's for Recco role.

Thats what it was doing in the early days of Kargil even before conflict started.

It was hit by a stringer (Apart from patriotic views) and signal was clear was the Indian Armed Forces.

May be the greatest mistake by Mujahideen/PA.

They not only confirmed their existance but also introduced the fact that they have shoulder launched AA missiles.

Miro

 

[Zeeshan S.]

Originally posted by miroslav@Dec 22 2005, 07:55 PM
IAF has a small number of Canberra's for Recco role.

Thats what it was doing in the early days of Kargil even before conflict started.

It was hit by a stringer (Apart from patriotic views) and signal was clear was the Indian Armed Forces.

May be the greatest mistake by Mujahideen/PA.

They not only confirmed their existance but also introduced the fact that they have shoulder launched AA missiles.

Miro

[post=4735]Quoted post[/post]​

Yah like Mujahideens didn't have any Soviet era stringer missiles.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

they were using anza 2s and rbs70