Peter Moneypenny (left) with Capt John Hackett
F.A.I. Official Record Cover Flown by Canberra.Date 22 Feb 1958
Route Washington/Caracas in a time of 4h 10m 59s with average speed of 492.95mph
Aircraft Canberra T.4 Serial 2E-39
Crew:- Capt John William Hackett, Peter Moneypenny and Lt. Antonio Leyba of the FAV
At the end of 1952 the first contract for the export of British-built Canberras was signed—an order for six B.2s for Venezuela. The sale on January 27, 1953, was made at a comparatively early stage in the life of the aircraft, and it augured well for future overseas sales. At the 1952 S.B.A.C. display at Farnborough, the Venezuelans first saw the Canberra's remarkable qualities and so began negotiations to buy it. A second Venezuelan order was placed, and delivered, this time for a larger number of B.8s and T.4 dual-control trainers. It was while delivering the final one of the latter versions in 1958 that Mr. John Hackett, Mr. Peter Moneypenny, with Lt. Antonio Leyba of the Venezuelan Air Force, established the official point-to-point record from Washington, D.C., to Caracas.
Peter Moneypenny was one of three navigators that flew on the BAC TSR2