CANBERRA B(I).Mk.8 Venezuelan Style

With the successful flight of the prototype on Friday the 13th 1949, this paved the way for English Electric to move into production of the first Canberra's. The B.2 bomber version came first & entered service with the RAF in the high level bombing role.


The true interdictor version, corresponds to the third generation of the Canberra-based B.Mk.6 with a completely redesigned cabin hunting eccentric type, reduced to two crew members (pilot and navigator-bombardier); avionics and sighting equipment modernized, structural reinforcements and a new hard spot on each wing for bombs of 454kg or SNAB 68mm rocket launchers on the wings.

The B(I).Mk8 was designed for interdiction missions (hence the prefix "I" in the designation) and attacks low-level, highlighting the improped weapons warehouse to support a package of four guns Mk.V 20mm Hispano Suiza carrying 525 rounds per gun and flares to illuminate the target.

The B(I).Mk8 was a popular aircraft with crews despite its obvious shortcomings of having no ejection seat for the navigator.
Venezuela received 30 Canberras, including eight B(I). Mk.8, at the beginning of 1958 arrived in the Venezuelan Air Force eight individuals, who were assigned to B-Bomber Squadron 39 in Barcelona. In 1977 are updated in the UK changing its name to B(I),Mk,88. The las four were kept in service in the 1980 along with other versions of Canberras after a long life in the Venezuelan Air Force, this aircraft 4B39 was retired on September 16, 1990 after 37 year of service.

. Function: Aircraf interdiction and ground attack

.Source: Unite Kingdom.

.Crew: Two: pilot and navigator-bombardier

.Dimensions: Length: 19.96m, Wingspan:19.49m, Height: 4.75m

.Weights: Empty: 10509kg; Loaded: 25514kg.

.Powerplant: Two Rolls-Royce Avon RA.7Mk109 power from 3401kg

.Performance: Maximum speed:933km/h, Maximum range:5471km, Autonomy combat: 1300km, service ceilling 15000

.Armament: four guns Package Mk.V Hispano Suiza 20mm with 500 rounds per gun, 3628kg of weapons and two hard points on the wings, range of bombs: 454,227,113 and 45 kg; rocket SNAB of 18x68mm.

The model is a 1:48 scale kit manufactured by AirFix (A10102) It is known by modelers a good kit, the instruction are easy to understand, I didn't use the kit decal on this project, I use decals from Latinamerican Canberras 2 multi scale set manufactured by Aztec of Mexico.
Colors: Gray Primer ALC 302, AlcladII White Aluminium Alc-106 and Aluminum ALC-101, Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver, Tamiya XF-16 Flat Aluminum, Tamiya X-32 Titanium Silver, Tamiya XF-1 Flat Black,Model Master Medium Sea Gray.

B(I) Mk.88 (Mk.8) Venezuelan Air Force ( FAV 4B39) , 39th, Squadron. Barcelona 1958.