Corgi AA34704-OLD Martin RB-57A, 30 TRS, 66 TRW, USAFE, Germany 1956 NOT PERFECT (see product description for details)

This model is missing the cradle part of the stand so can only be stood on its wheels. The upright and base of the stand are missing. The images are for illustration only and do not show the actual model.

This item has a limited edition certificate included.

The English Electric Canberra was BritainGÇÖs first jet bomber, the prototype making its maiden flight on 13th May 1949 from Warton, Lancs., powered by two 6,000lb (2722 kg) thrust Avon R.A.2 turbojets. The first Canberra delivered to the RAF was a B.Mk.2 on 25 May 1951 and this was followed by a further 415 B.Mk.2s. Production of this superb aircraft of all variants totalled 1,352, before construction came to an end. Of this figure, 901 were built by English Electric, and its sub-contractors(Avro, Handley Page and Shorts); 48 were built under licence in Australia for service with the RAAF and in the USA, the Martin Company of Baltimore, Maryland, built an additional 403 under licence, designated the B-57. The Martin B-57 Canberra was a rare example of a foreign-designed military aircraft being built under license by an American manufacturing company for use by the US armed forces. The last previous such example was the De Havilland DH-4 of World War I. After the Korean Conflict began in 1950, the USAF looked for a jet medium bomber to replace the aging Douglas B-26 Invader. In March 1951, the USAF contracted with the Glenn L. Martin Co. to build the Canberra in the U.S. under a licensing agreement with English Electric. The Martin-built B-57 made its first flight on July 20, 1953, and when production ended in 1959, a total of 403 Canberras had been produced for the USAF by the time production ended in 1957.The RB-57A (Martin Model 272A) was a reconnaissance version of the B-57A bomber.