picture 209269

Submitted by aua on
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RB-45C
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In 1951, the USAF provided four RB-45C Tornado reconnaissance bombers to the Royal Air Force for operations over the western USSR. Wearing the full British insignia, but no serials or other markings, three jets were deployed from RAF Sculthorpe during Operation Jiu Jitsu on 17–18 April 1952, which took them deep over the western USSR. The fourth aircraft was kept back as a spare. All three were detected by the PVO, and as many as 10 MiG-15s were scrambled to intercept, but to no avail. Encouraged, the Special Duty Flight of the RAF then prepared another mission, but this was cancelled. As far as is known, all four RB-45Cs operated by the British were left in their ‘bare metal overall’ livery, with anti-glare panels in dark green applied along the upper front fuselage, and top forward surfaces of engine nacelles. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)

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