The
English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation
jet-powered
medium bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher
altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a
world altitude record of 70,310 ft (21,430 m) in 1957. Due to its ability to evade the early
jet interceptors and its significant performance advancement over contemporary
piston-engined bombers, the Canberra was a popular export product and served with
air forces of many nations.