Post by viscount on Oct 7, 2013 23:24:10 GMT 1
The Blackburn (later HSA) Buccaneer
- a photo thread
- a photo thread
Without doubt a very British aeroplane, a product of the 50s that had become a potent warplane in the 70s and 80s, and all but disappeared during 1994. Built to a requirement for the Fleet Air Arm, it later served with distinction with the RAF in Iraq shortly before retirement.
The origins of these colour and black & white images are covered in the 'Phantom images' thread. The quality does vary, but please do enjoy as you scroll through these shots, the vast majority are from the mid to late '70s. Although the majority of the colour 35mm slide images are by Brian Billington himself, a few may have been 'bought in', while the b&w prints are mostly unnamed, where known I'm only too pleased to credit.
All these images digitised on a CanoScan 9000F scanner, then cleaned, cropped, straightened, sharpened, re-contrasted etc where necessary on Picasa before uploading onto Photobucket and downloading onto nwan forum by Brian Jones.
THE BLACKBURN BUCCANEER
The third prototype NA.39 Buccaneer, XK488, seen here on gate guard duties outside the FAA Museum, Yeovilton on this undated photo (although possibly the same day as the next one?). This aircraft first flew 31.20.58 and had non-folding wings. It never entered active service serving as an airframe and engine manufacturer's test bed and with the RAE. Today it is in store with the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.
A production Buccaneer S.1, XN957/630:LM seen inside the FAA Museum, Yeovilton 5th July 1976 in the colours of its final unit, 736 Sqdn, although had earlier served with both 809 and 801 Sqdns. This aircraft remains an exhibit in the FAA Museum to this day.
<a href="https://postimg.cc/XZKtYGNK" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.postimg.cc/XZKtYGNK/IMG-BB-Bucaneers-0003.jpg" alt="IMG-BB-Bucaneers-0003"/></a>
When did you last see a sight like that? A line of 26 FAA Buccaneers, I suspect sometime early '70s. Has to be Lossiemouth, as surely too early to be Honington - someone will put me right I'm sure! No idea of the event (if it was one) or the date either. This is a slide that Brian has 'bought-in' from someone else, but who?
Both these shots of XV863/023:R of 809 Sqdn performing at the Biggin Hill Air Fair, 14th May 1976 suffer from being shot into sun, but serve to illustrate the Buccaneer in flight 'dirty' and 'clean'. Tried to get rid of the Kodak colour cast with only limited success - most of these images are on Agfa transparency film.
XV358/- of 809 Sqdn (had only weeks earlier been coded 034:R) at IAT Greenham Common, 26th June 1977
Another 'weak' flying shot of a Buccaneer, XV334/035:R with the Leuchars sun typically playing havoc with photographer's aspirations at the air show on 4th September 1976.
The RAF received both 'new build' aircraft and 're-works' from the Fleet Air Arm. In all 5 Units operated the type for many years, based both in the UK and at Laarbruch in West Germany (as it was at that time); 12, 15, 16, 208 Sqdns and 237OCU.
A 12 Squadron Buccaneer, wearing their foxes head badge on the air intake. Detailed examination makes the serial as probably XN983 - location and date are not recorded either. The earliest shot of a RAF Buccaneer in the collection - note the 'high viz' national markings, with the white sector in the roundels and fin flash.
XW527 a Buccaneer S.2B of 12 Squadron at the Royal Review Finningley, 30th July 1977
XW544/H a Buccaneer S.2B of 15 Squadron (XV Roman numerals on tail a 'give away'), also at the Royal Review, 30th July 1977
From a Kodak original, XT275/A of 15 Sqdn performing at the IAT Greenham Common 25th June 1979. A latest (ie more recent) shot in the collection, note the 'wrap-around' camouflage adopted in the late '70s for RAF strike aircraft. Most of the shots in the collection have the earlier light grey undersides.
XW526/Y Buccaneer S.2B of 16 Sqdn (the 'Saints'), another shot at the Royal Review Finningley 30th July 1977. It was rare to see the Germany based 15 or 16 Sqdn aircraft in the UK, so photos of aircraft in these unit's markings are less common. Two years later as Y/15 Sqdn crashed near Osnabruck, West Germany on 12.7.79.
XV340 a Buccaneer S.2B of 208 Sqdn, fourth and final Buccaneer squadron shot at Royal Review Finningley, 30th July 1977. The 208 Sqdn colours are familiar today on the RAF Valley Hawk T.1s. Grounded during 1980 this aircraft became 8659M and early in February 1984 was relegated to become a target at Pendine ranges.
XT270 of 208 Sqdn at a Finningley Battle of Britain show, likely September 1978. Another photo of the RAF Buccaneer in 'wrap-around' camouflage colours on the underside.
XV360 of 237OCU with their 'cross swords behind a graduate's mortar board' badge on the intake. This is a Kodak slide at Yeovilton 21st September 1974. Within a year, still operated by 237 OCU, crashed into the North Sea 29.7.75.
XV348 at RAF Finningley Battle of Britain At Home, September 1975. Although not marked with any unit insignia, this was from 237 OCU, clearly fresh from the paint shop!. Still with 237 OCU this aircraft crashed in Norway 31.10.77.
Two shots of XV334 Buccaneer S.2B of 237OCU at RAF St.Mawgan Air Display, 4th August 1976 - although the flying shot was the aircraft arriving the day before!
Same aircraft a month later, XV334 of 237 OCU at RAF Leuchars Battle of Britain 'At Home', 4th September 1976.
XT286 in 237 OCU markings. With a USN F-14 Tomcat in the background, it can only be a Mildenhall Air Show - this one 28th May 1977.
In answer to the unasked question 'why so few, indeed any, people in the air show photos?', Brian as one of the MAS air show sales stall stalwarts, had early airfield access to set up the stall - but only after a rapid run around the static aircraft park first!
