The English Electric Canberra subtitled The History and Development of a Classic Jet (ISBN 978-1844152421) is a book by British military historian and author

Author

An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...

 Bruce Barrymore Halpenny

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny

Bruce Barrymore Halpenny is a widely respected English military historian and author, specialising in airfields and aircraft, as well as ghost stories and mysteries. He is also a broadcaster and games inventor.-Parents:...

 about the English Electric Canberra

English Electric Canberra

The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...

. Illustrated throughout, the book includes interviews with Wing Commander K H Wallis

Ken Wallis

Wing Commander Kenneth Horatio Wallis MBE, DEng , CEng, FRAeS, FSETP, PhD , RAF , is one of the leading exponents of autogyros. He has held 34 records relating to them.-Early life:...

, the man Halpenny attributes as having "saved the Canberra".

The book looks at the development of the aircraft during the early days of jet power and beyond. Each of the many marks and variants are described. The type's record of service with RAF Squadrons is given together with descriptions of the many experimental models.

In the introduction, the author states, “it was a matter of producing either a technical book, or one that would appeal to a wider readership, setting out the true Canberra story: marks, variants, overseas orders, squadrons, records, experimental Canberras, camouflage, markings, and most importantly, the truth about bombing up the aircraft; also serious problems with which the Canberra was sent out to operational R.A.F. stations." He chose the latter and the finished article is an "outstanding" tribute to a remarkable aeroplane, though those that were deep aviation fans were unhappy that it was not a technical book. A case that the author could not satisfy everyone.

The book took 18 years to complete and the acknowledgments cover two full pages - a testimony to the thoroughness of Halpenny's research. Among the many firms and names mentioned, one in particular comes in for special mention. W/Cdr. K H Wallis, who saved the life of the Canberra by inventing the system of loading bombs for as late at 1951 at R.A.F. Binbrook, not a single aircraft was capable of delivering bombs, simply because the fuselage was too low to the ground!

With Canberra's introduction came the early Rolls Royce Axial Flow Avon engine

Rolls-Royce Avon

|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gunston, Bill. World Encyclopaedia of Aero Engines. Cambridge, England. Patrick Stephens Limited, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-163-9-External links:**** a 1955 Flight article on the development of the Avon...

, a full description of which, its history and development is given in Chapter 2 - the author even tells us how a jet engine

Jet engine

A jet engine is a reaction engine that discharges a fast moving jet to generate thrust by jet propulsion and in accordance with Newton's laws of motion. This broad definition of jet engines includes turbojets, turbofans, rockets, ramjets, pulse jets...

delivers its thrust.

The book displays a collection of photographs - some never seen before, also the history and deployment of no less than 81 Squadrons each of which flies the Canberra in its various marks and roles.