English Electric Canberra - Survivor WT483
T.4 WT483 - Luqa International Airport (for sale), Malta
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Canberra T.4 WT483 at Long Marston, 26th September 2012; Dave Thomas
This Canberra T.4 entered service in June 1955 with 69 Sqd at RAFG Laarbruch. For a few years she swung between Laarbruch's Station Flight and 69 (PR) Sqd. WT483 was transferred to 231 OCU (RAF Bassingbourn), then on to 39 Sqd (RAF Wyton), back to 231 OCU, and eventually sold to BAC in 1981.
She was dismantled and moved to Filton in 1986 and finally sold to the Stratford Aircraft Collection in 1989. T.4s were not always painted in camouflage schemes, this seemed to be a fairly late change. They were usually in overall gloss grey/silver - a polyurethane grey colour - with dayglo stripes identifying them as a trainer.
WT483 was preserved at the Stratford Aircraft Collection, Long Marston, and was well looked after for many years; she sported a 7 Sqn badge on her fin (7 stars in the shape of "The Plough" on a blue disk) - although she isn't recorded as ever having been on 7 Sqn. Sadly, over time the collection became derelict with nature slowly reclaiming the airframes there. She was seen with no engines, sagging nose oleo, faded colour scheme, and supported by a body trestle.
Thankfully, WT483 was put up for sale and was sold to Malta Air Services who wanted to display the aircraft at Luqa Airport. In December 2010, she was exported to Luqa airport where she was reassembled, partially repainted, and put on display. Due to the high winds at the airport and lack of weight in WT483, she could often be seen sitting on her tail - hopefully, this has been sorted by supporting the back of the airframe with a body trestle!
Overall, the aircraft is sadly in a poor state having been robbed of parts and fairly corroded. The paintwork is also starting to look a little tatty. The airframe is currently up for disposal (free to a good home!) as there are plans for a building to be constructed on the site that she is displayed on.
She was dismantled and moved to Filton in 1986 and finally sold to the Stratford Aircraft Collection in 1989. T.4s were not always painted in camouflage schemes, this seemed to be a fairly late change. They were usually in overall gloss grey/silver - a polyurethane grey colour - with dayglo stripes identifying them as a trainer.
WT483 was preserved at the Stratford Aircraft Collection, Long Marston, and was well looked after for many years; she sported a 7 Sqn badge on her fin (7 stars in the shape of "The Plough" on a blue disk) - although she isn't recorded as ever having been on 7 Sqn. Sadly, over time the collection became derelict with nature slowly reclaiming the airframes there. She was seen with no engines, sagging nose oleo, faded colour scheme, and supported by a body trestle.
Thankfully, WT483 was put up for sale and was sold to Malta Air Services who wanted to display the aircraft at Luqa Airport. In December 2010, she was exported to Luqa airport where she was reassembled, partially repainted, and put on display. Due to the high winds at the airport and lack of weight in WT483, she could often be seen sitting on her tail - hopefully, this has been sorted by supporting the back of the airframe with a body trestle!
Overall, the aircraft is sadly in a poor state having been robbed of parts and fairly corroded. The paintwork is also starting to look a little tatty. The airframe is currently up for disposal (free to a good home!) as there are plans for a building to be constructed on the site that she is displayed on.
Information on this page current as of 28/12/2021, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of WT483 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net