Canberra B(I) 58 [BF-597]

The Canberra is on the display in the rear corner of the Aircraft display area. in the typical grey-green Camo scheme, the aircraft looks immaculate from the outside.  BF-597 is one of the only six Canberra B(I) 58s with teh 'BF' series of tail numbers. All the other 60+ aircraft carrying the 'IF' Series of numbers. The aircraft is finished in Grey-Green camouflage and carries the serial number on the tail and under the wings. The aircraft looks quite good from the outside.

	Canberra B(I) 58 [BF-597] on display at the HAL Museum. The Aircraft is in good condition externally.
This starboard view of Canberra B(I) 58 [BF-597] shows the Crew entry door.

Not much is known of BF-597's history. This was one of the aircraft lying in the HAL airport for quite some years, before it was pulled out to be displayed here. No information is available as to how this aircraft ended up with HAL. The aircraft is stripped bare. No engines are present in the cowlings, and the cockpit lacks the ejection seat.

	Close up of the nose portion of the aircraft shows the Crew Entry hatch clearly marked out. The Red Triangle's indicates the Pilot Ejection seat and Cockpit Canopy hatch.
The rear fuselage of the Canberra is supported by a jig erected to support the tail. Note the serial numbers painted on the underside of the wings.

A peep through the bomb-aiming Plexiglas window in the nose revealed that the inside of the aircraft is in total disarray, with wires and other paraphernalia hanging here and there. A huge concrete block has been placed in the nose to keep the aircraft weighed down on its nosewheel. This was visible through the Plexiglas nose. The rear fuselage is supported by a jig and the aircraft is tethered to some weights. BF-597 is the only Canberra available for public viewing in a museum outside Delhi. Another Canberra is believed to be lying with HAL in its airport but is not for viewing in public.