Mig 17 or Meteor shoots down Canberra!?

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17 years 7 months

Posts: 302

Recovering last night after a painful attack on my waterworks by a man armed with a camera, with negative results. I lay recovering in my 'pit' (Bed) and the first magazine to hand was on a pile of the much missed AIR Enthusiast, number 32. A letter headed 'MiG-17 versus Canberra' written by GJ Quick, Brampton, Cambs was in the 'Talkback' section. Here it is in full.=
In reading Ken Delve's article 'Canberras over Suez' in AE/31, my attention was drawn by the account of the loss of Canberra PR Mk 7 WH799, allegedly to a Syrian MiG-17. Some years ago, a retired Syrian Air Force officer, who was a senior fighter controller at the time of Suez, gave me his account of the incident.
According to this gentleman, the course of the Canberra was plotted by ground observers phoning in to a central command post. The Canberra's track was extrapolated and a Syrian Meteor vectored onto a climbing intercept of the prediction.
On reaching the anticipated point of interception, the Syrian pilot visually acquired the Canberra, which was below him. The Canberra was then shot down in a diving stern attack.
This version of events in no way contravenes the main thrust of Ken Delve's very readable account, but does it, perhaps, throw up an historical curio by recalling the first 'kill' of one British built jet by another?
Ray:eek:

Original post

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18 years 10 months

Posts: 3,614

I assume "over Suez" referrs to the 1956 incident... since what you posted contained no date?

Therefore... both Egypt & Syria had Meteors in 1955/56 (F.4s, F.8s, & T.7s)... as did Israel!

Surplus Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF 13s made it to both Egypt & Syria, although I don't know when (they were surplus RAF, so I think around 1960).

Were there Syrian squadrons in Egypt in 1956... or was he an exchange pilot?

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16 years 5 months

Posts: 5,999

Sorry i cannot add anything to your original post SS, but another intriguing (yet unconfirmed) Suez incident is recorded in the thread below;

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=91911&highlight=wyvern+mig+suez

Considering the differing amounts of hardware and separate countries involved, whether directly or indirectly, i would'nt be surprised if other unexplained 'incidents' come to light from this brief but fascinating conflict.

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14 years 5 months

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Just wanted to say "I know how you feel" in respect of the invasive procedure - much sympathy!

Soggy

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16 years 7 months

Posts: 10,647

This same occurance has been discussed on Canberracrazy here, http://canberratalk.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&num=1270670728, and here http://canberratalk.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=general&num=1262913055&action=display&start=150, the posted link to the main article from that thread is here, http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_258.shtml
I haven't read it, so not sure how useful it is, but Nazcasteve (posts here aswel) seems to know a bit about it.

Member for

18 years 1 month

Posts: 949

Recovering last night after a painful attack on my waterworks by a man armed with a camera, with negative results. I lay recovering in my 'pit' (Bed) and the first magazine to hand was on a pile of the much missed AIR Enthusiast, number 32. A letter headed 'MiG-17 versus Canberra' written by GJ Quick, Brampton, Cambs was in the 'Talkback' section. Here it is in full.=
In reading Ken Delve's article 'Canberras over Suez' in AE/31, my attention was drawn by the account of the loss of Canberra PR Mk 7 WH799, allegedly to a Syrian MiG-17. Some years ago, a retired Syrian Air Force officer, who was a senior fighter controller at the time of Suez, gave me his account of the incident.
According to this gentleman, the course of the Canberra was plotted by ground observers phoning in to a central command post. The Canberra's track was extrapolated and a Syrian Meteor vectored onto a climbing intercept of the prediction.
On reaching the anticipated point of interception, the Syrian pilot visually acquired the Canberra, which was below him. The Canberra was then shot down in a diving stern attack.
This version of events in no way contravenes the main thrust of Ken Delve's very readable account, but does it, perhaps, throw up an historical curio by recalling the first 'kill' of one British built jet by another?
Ray:eek:

The history is on the book "Arab Migs"

1Saludo

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16 years 1 month

Posts: 318

Just wanted to say "I know how you feel" in respect of the invasive procedure - much sympathy!

Soggy

So have i, then it was followed up by a camera with a sharp knife on it.:eek:

Member for

17 years 7 months

Posts: 302

I assume "over Suez" referrs to the 1956 incident... since what you posted contained no date?

Therefore... both Egypt & Syria had Meteors in 1955/56 (F.4s, F.8s, & T.7s)... as did Israel!

Surplus Armstrong Whitworth Meteor NF 13s made it to both Egypt & Syria, although I don't know when (they were surplus RAF, so I think around 1960).

Were there Syrian squadrons in Egypt in 1956... or was he an exchange pilot?

Hi Bajer 1968, the letter I have posted assumes that you knew that the RAF lost a Canberra PR7 over Syria during the Suez incident and the earlier article mentioned stated that it was a Syrian AF Mig -17 that did the dreadful deed. But this letter states that it was plotted by ground observers in Syria who arranged with the radar plotters to ambush the Canberra with a Meteor of unknown mark. Ray

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 993

Wings over Suez has quite a detailed report on the incident, including a lengthy commentary by the pilot Bernie Hunter.

Bernie and Sam Small survived the incident but sadly Roy Erquhart-Pullen lost his life.

The book also quotes the account of Major Moukabri who was the SAf controller who vectored the Meteor to the Canberra

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18 years

Posts: 660

Both General Moukabri and later Wg Cdr Bernie Hunter were interviewed around the time the original letter referred to by 'Super Sioux' was written. It transpired that there was more than one Meteor involved in the interception. The letter's author was subsequently interviewed by Brian Cull ( author of " Wings over Suez").