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The ECAMS

The Daily Briefing

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August 28, 2026THEECAMS.COM

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This Day in Aviation

1957

This Day in Aviation: 28 August 1957

On 28 August 1957, Michael Randrup and Walter Shirley piloted RAF Canberra B Mk.2 WK163 to a staggering 21,430 meters (70,308 feet) over southern England, setting a new FAI World Record for altitude. Taking off from Luton at 5:26 p.m., Randrup used the aircraft's Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets to climb to 44,000 feet before igniting a Napier Double Scorpion rocket engine.

This experimental powerplant drove the Canberra far beyond its normal 48,000-foot service ceiling, achieving the record-breaking peak before landing back at Luton at 6:12 p.m. Navigating the extreme altitude required precision; Randrup maintained airspeed within a narrow 15-knot range to avoid the "Coffin Corner," where stall speed and critical Mach number converge. Both crew members wore pressure suits despite the pressurized cockpit. The Canberra B.2, a twin-engine light bomber, was built by A.V. Roe in 1954. Randrup and Shirley received the Royal Aero Club's Britannia Trophy in 1958 for this achievement. The aircraft, later restored, remains a testament to Cold War-era aviation innovation.

Trivia

1. Which experimental rocket engine was used to propel the Canberra B Mk.2 to its record-breaking altitude on 28 August 1957?

  1. A. Rolls-Royce Avon RA.3 Mk. 101
  2. B. Napier Double Scorpion NSc D1-2
  3. C. De Havilland Goblin
  4. D. Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire
Show answer

B. The evidence states that the Canberra was being used to test Napier's Double Scorpion NSc D1-2 rocket engine, which drove the airplane far beyond its normal service ceiling to set the new FAI World Record for altitude.

2. Which crossword answer matches this clue: Three-letter code for Oslo Airport?

  1. A. OSL
  2. B. RADOME
  3. C. SCAN
  4. D. ALERT
Show answer

A. OSL is the matching crossword entry.

3. Which crossword answer matches this clue: Minimum crossing altitude, briefly?

  1. A. MCA
  2. B. MIA
  3. C. LEARJET
  4. D. DAL
Show answer

A. MCA is the matching crossword entry.