Who am I?

[SilverFox441]

No pic on this one...it's a little bit harder. The object is to guess what the plane is based on a little teaser of information:

1. I once competed against the CF-100 Canuck for a major contract, and won.

2. Like the CF-100, I ended up serving long past the time when I couldn't carry out my original mission...and I served doing the same thing the CF-100 did (amongst others)!

[ChuckMajik]

Ratzafratz, the only other country I know of that had interest in the Clunk was Belgium.
It was replaced by the Starfighter, so I don't suppose you're talking about the Zipper?

[SilverFox441]

To my knowledge the CF-100 never competed against the '104. Belguim did operate the Clunk for a while though.

[ChuckMajik]

Hmmm, was it the Canberra?

[SilverFox441]

Yes it was.

The Canberra competed against a number of planes to provide a jet-powered replacement for the A-26 Invader. Only existing types were accepted for the competition, which lead to a comparison of the B-45 Tornado, AJ-1 Savage, B-51, CF-100 and EE Canberra.

Canberra went on to become the license built Martin B-57. The CF-100 and the Canberra were the long term survivors...both types serving as EW training platforms long after their front line duties were taken over by younger types.

[ChuckMajik]

You know that was just a shot in the dark.
I took a good long look at some Clunk pictures, and thought to myself what jet it most resembled.
Then BAM! I think Canberra.

Would have certainly been interesting to see a CF-100 in USAF markings.

[Woodlouse2002]

You know Silverfox, the only reason why the Canberra wasn't retired was because there was no other aircraft to take over the roles it performed and do them as well as the Canberra. So the bit about no longer being able to perform it's mission is false.

[Hagar]

The Canberra is still in service with the RAF now. Not many left now but they've given faithful service in one form or another since May 1951. That's over 50 years & possibly a record for any military aircraft.

[Felix/FFDS]

The Canberra is still in service with the RAF now. Not many left now but they've given faithful service in one form or another since May 1951. That's over 50 years & possibly a record for any military aircraft.

Doesn't the RAF still fly Hurricanes and Spitfires  :) and the FAA a Stringbag?  They're still giving "faithful service" ...

(I can just imagine the shock and awe of the guerillas around Basra as they get a rocket attack from a Stringbag!)  What's next, reflying the Afghan Hinds back in-country?

[C]

[quote]

Doesn't the RAF still fly Hurricanes and Spitfires

[Hagar]

I was thinking mainly of front-line types, specifically jets.

The oldest in continuous use is probably the Harvard, which is still in pretty much stock 1942 condition, with very few modifications.

I was very surprised when you mentioned this recently & the notorious ground loop incident. I had no idea that Harvard was still in service. It's possibly the same one W/Cdr Ken Wallis used to fly into Shoreham back in the 60s when he was developing his gyrocopter. He was based at Boscombe Down at the time.

[Felix/FFDS]

If one considers aircraft like the C-47 (and I include the turbine engined conversions, such as those by Basler) that has been continuously in (non-ceremonial) military service practically since it's inception.. I would add the An-2 (and variants) to this "I refuse to retire" list.

It seems that every once in a while there comes an airplane that just refuses to realize it's obsolete, and convinces everyone else around it, only because no other "replacement" can do the work as efficiently.

While the Stringbag's front line service ended quickly after the war, it actually survived its "replacement", the Albacore.

[Woodlouse2002]

I do believe that these day's the first aircraft to be placed aboard a newly commissioned Royal Navy carrier is in fact a Swordfish.

[beaky]

I do believe that these day's the first aircraft to be placed aboard a newly commissioned Royal Navy carrier is in fact a Swordfish.

You're kidding- a 'Stringbag'? Glad to hear it; I love those old monsters. They certainly proved themselves aginst the German Fleet in WWII!

[SilverFox441]

The B-52 will probably go down as the champion of "hanging around" long after it's supposed demise.

Some of the current plans show the '52 still in service as much as 100 years after it's prototype first flew!

It's actually fascinating to watch how some planes soldier on...they reach a point where the only acceptable replacement is another version of the same plane.