Reconnaissance variants of the famous English Electric Canberra bomber became involved in clandestine reconnaissance operations over the USSR at least as early as 1953, and through that and the following year may have reached targets as deep within the Soviet Union as Kapustin Yar. As far as is known, the Soviets launched numerous intercept attempts but all remained fruitless – which is the probable reason why so little about the operations in question is known today. The example illustrated here was a Canberra PR.Mk 7 of No. 13 Squadron, perhaps the most advanced reconnaissance aircraft in service as of 1955–1968. At the time, all the Canberras wore the high-speed silver finish overall, and their usual set of national markings and serials on the rear fuselage and the cover of the undercarriage bay. Subsequently, Canberra’s US-made variant, manufactured under licence as the Martin RB-57, saw even more action, especially in the Far East. (Artwork by Tom Cooper)