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Originally conceived in 1944 as a replacement for the de Havilland Mosquito, the English Electric Canberra was a bomber designed and built by a company whose only experience in aviation was building Halifax bombers under licence. Although the contract was signed in May 1945 the prototype did not fly until May 1949. Canberra Bombers served under many flags and even fought on both sides in the 1967 Indo-Pakistani war. In November 2005 Canberra bombers were still on active duty as Tactical Reconnaissance aircraft with No. 39 (1 PRU) Squadron of the RAF and in recent years have seen service in Rwanda, Zaire, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

Given that the contract was signed in May 1945 I feel safe in classifying the Canberra as "WWII era"

Anyone know any other WWII birds (not including DC-3) that are still in harness in air forces ?

Corsair?

As a frontline fighter?
With whom?

Meteors, maybe?

corsairs? meteors? maybe in some Banana Republic in South America but that is yet to be proven[:)]
But No. 39 (1 PRU) Squadron is part of the RAF and is still doing frontline service with WWII era aircraft some 60 years since Hitler moved on.

That's impressive.[&o]

B-52's?

(I know, close but no cigar since it entered service in 1954...but impressive nonetheless that it still forms a major part of our strategic bombing capability.)

I think the award would have to go to the C-47/DC-3. One of the great all time aircraft designs-ever. Still quite a few flying around but I would guess that most are post war production.

Reengined, too...

Tiger Moth, AT6 Harvard trainers perhaps ?

ORIGINAL: crsutton

I think the award would have to go to the C-47/DC-3. One of the great all time aircraft designs-ever. Still quite a few flying around but I would guess that most are post war production.

Actually, I don't think there was any post war production. Anyway, how many here besides me has flown on a DC-3 on a regularly scheduled airline?

ORIGINAL: crsutton
I think the award would have to go to the C-47/DC-3. One of the great all time aircraft designs-ever. Still quite a few flying around but I would guess that most are post war production.

Agreed. The DC-3 is a fact of life which is why I acknowledged it in my original post. However I was specifically interested in WWII era aircraft which are still serving in the armed forces of any nation. Does any nation still use the DC-3 in its armed forces or are all the Gooney birds in the hands of private operators?

how about the Invader Bomber (A26 I think) I'm sure some third world countries still use them

ORIGINAL: trojan

how about the Invader Bomber (A26 I think) I'm sure some third world countries still use them

I believe it is only in use bombing forest fires.

ORIGINAL: Greyshaft

ORIGINAL: crsutton
I think the award would have to go to the C-47/DC-3. One of the great all time aircraft designs-ever. Still quite a few flying around but I would guess that most are post war production.

Agreed. The DC-3 is a fact of life which is why I acknowledged it in my original post. However I was specifically interested in WWII era aircraft which are still serving in the armed forces of any nation. Does any nation still use the DC-3 in its armed forces or are all the Gooney birds in the hands of private operators?

UFOs

Besides the DC-3 or C-47, I have to wonder how many of any front line fighters are still around in the armed forces or privately operated. For example, wasn't the real Memphis Belle accidently destroyed during the filming of the movie 15 years ago?

The real Belle was not used in the movie. Sadly, when looking on the Memphis Belle website, I found this:

Robert Hanson Passes Away

Robert Hanson, the radio operator on the "Memphis Belle" passed away Saturday, October 1st, 2005, in Albuquerque, NM. Bob was the last surviving member of the bond tour crew of the "Belle." He succumbed to congestive heart failure at the age of 85. Bob is survived by his wife of 63 years, Irene, the same sweetheart whose name was carried next to his window on the "Belle." He is also survived by a brother, Harold Hanson, a half-sister Ann Blatt, his daughter, Mary Black, his son, Richard Hanson, and 6 grandchildren.


Obituary

Isn't North Korea still using some An-2s for special forces low alt insertion ops.

In all likelihood, they are actual WW2 era airframes, rather than a (heavily modified) WW2-era design like the Canberra....