Bucket Of Sunshine

Product Description

A Bucket of Sunshine"
- a term used for the use of a nuclear bomb
- is a firsthand insight into life in the mid-1960s on a RAF Canberra nuclear-armed squadron in West Germany on the frontline in the Cold War. Mike Brookes describes not only the technical aspect of the aircraft & its nuclear & conventional roles & weapons but also majors on the low-level flying that went with the job of being ready to go to war at less than three minutes notice. Brooke tells his story warts & all with many amusing overtones in what was an extremely serious business when the world was standing on the brink of nuclear conflict. The English-Electric Canberra was a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers in the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s & set a world altitude record of 70 310 feet. Due to its ability to evade early interceptors & providing a significant performance advancement over piston-engine bombers the Canberra was a popular export product & served with many nations. Although jet powered the Canberra design philosophy was very much in the Mosquito mould providing room for a substantial bomb load fitting two of the most powerful engines available & wrapping it in the most compact & aerodynamic package possible. Rather than devote space & weight to defensive armament the Canberra was designed to fly fast & high enough to avoid air-to-air combat entirely."