Buccaneer 50th a few shots...

[Snapshot]

Yeah I know I've posted some of these before but it 'is' a special occasion

I've added a few new ones, I trust they bring back some great
memories of this truly awesome aircraft. We are all just lucky that some
are still flying in Cape Town :D
Brooksy

http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XV352 GMGD 11ft Large.jpg
XV352



http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XV352_TAIN_7x5300dpi.jpg
XV352





http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX900 DCMS Sno Large.jpg
XX900 on her last flight Snowdonia 6 April 1994


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX901_Sharpy_JJ_tain02.jpg
XX901 owned now by the BAA


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX894 DCND tain Large.jpg
XX894


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX899_Fras_Westy_Snowdon_04.jpg
XX899 on her last flight Snowdonia 6 April 1994
(just noticed a great scratch along bottom right! Oh well, those
were the days, 35mm film!!!)


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XV361_Skids_Delish_Tain02.jpg
XV361


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX901 MSJJ R Tain Large.jpg
XX901


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XV893 006.jpg
XX893


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XV359_Glenn_Delish_tain02.jpg
XV359


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX901_Ned_Billy_Snowdon_03b.jpg
XX901 Last flight Snowdonia 6th April 1994


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX894_Dick_Delish_tain_00.jpg
XX894 'dirty' in 809 NAS colours for the final 6 month's flying



http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/208 sqn_tain.jpg
208 Farewell Family album!!!


http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/RB_040_RB pre take off 19 March 1970.jpg
The great man himself, Roy Boot! (I didn't take this one!)


There's more on my Buccaneer website and here's a link (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cK6V4Kt_Ejw) to a youtube tribute vid I posted a few months ago,
I trust you like?
AB

[foldingwings]

Great shots of a great jet - it's impossible to believe that it first flew 50 years ago (30 April 58) and served for 33 years with the FAA, SAAF & RAF, the latter who flew it as an interim measure (following the TSR2/F-111 fiasco) for 25 years - some interim measure!

FW:ok:

[BlackIsle]

Yes the superb photos bring back great memories of my ( v happy) Lossie days and of course the guys who flew them (and those who flew in them!):ok:

[effortless]

Who was it christened it the "Flying Banana"?

[MDJETFAN]

I think it orginated at Brough when Blackburn management held an employee contest to name the aircraft shortly after uits first flight. Some wag in the Design Office Came up with "Blackburn ana" which slurred into "Black banana" It was triggered by the shape of the area-ruled fuselage. "Buccaneer" was also suggested by somebody else in the Design Office.

[foldingwings]

I think that this is the truth although others may choose to differ:

"The Buccaneer was designed to fulfil Naval Staff Requirement NA39 (Ministry of Supply Specification M.148T) issued in 1953 for a carrier-borne strike aircraft with a long range (430 nautical mile radius of action), capable of 610 knots at sea level, carrying an internal load of up to 4,000 pounds (including nuclear weapons) - below enemy radar - and attacking ships or ports. Blackburn's design, B-103, won the tender. Due to secrecy, the aircraft was called BNA (Blackburn Naval Aircraft) or BANA (Blackburn Advanced Naval Aircraft) in documents leading to the obvious nickname of "Banana Jet"."

FW

PS. On the 26th of April, 275 Bucc Aircrew (and their ladies) turned up at the FAA Museum at Yeovilton to dine under Concorde to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the First Flight - pre-dinner sips were taken on the Flight Deck with Buccs landing and taking off all around. What an excellent event it was and a worthy celebration of a great aircraft. At the same time, the SAAF aircrew from 24 Sqn were also celebrating at the SAAF Museum in Swartkop, Pretoria.

:ok::ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:

[30-20-20]

Managed to recognize myself in one of the Tain shots - brings back great memories - VMT

[effortless]

It is a peculiarly "English" design don't you think? I know that there are poor imitations out there, F22 comes to mind.:E

[matkat]

Thanks for the memories, I served for 3 years on XV at Laarbruch 1978-81.

[TEEEJ]

Superb, Andrew. :D :ok:

What location did you use for the LFA7 shots?

Cheers

TJ

[Snapshot]

TJ, thanks.
Climbed for about an hour near Ogwin on one of the sticky out rock things near the A5. :ok:
AB

[STANDTO]

what about the "Open the Doors! Open the F*ckin Doors!" one, I won the caption compo with years ago (prize never arrived folks)

A classic:ok:

[Snapshot]

STANDTO! Mate!!!
Please consider this a formal apology!
I shall thrash myself with nettles whilst naked 3 times a day for one month!
If you didn't get what was promised, please PM me with address details
and I shall dispatch something without delay to make up for my disgusting
and unforgivable behaviour!
AB (in disgrace) :{

[TEEEJ]

Climbed for about an hour near Ogwin on one of the sticky out rock things near the A5. AB

Thanks Andrew,

I've yet to try the A5 Pass! I would have loved to have snapped a Bucc at low-level!

Cheers

TJ

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Another old pic...

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d132/Lardbeast/huisgenoot_11e_460.jpg

[Snapshot]

Boet, that is one baie lekker pic!
Thanks for posting that! SAAF at its finest!
AB

[Solid Rust Twotter]

De nada.

Shamelessly poached from Vatniekaknie on the other site.

[NutLoose]

Andrew,

Stunning pictures as always.

Have you considered running them through something like Neat Images? The programme is a free demo (JPEG ONLY) download and allows you to remove a lot of the graininess if you wish, I have ran one through on auto as an example of what it does, I hope you do not mind, but I thought it may show you what you could do if you were unaware of its existance. I run my Digital pics through it after Photoshop :O

http://www.neatimage.com/download.html

http://www.avcollect2.co.uk/buccaneer/pprune/XX901_Sharpy_JJ_tain02.jpg

Post processing

http://mysite.orange.co.uk/aircraftphoto/XX901_Sharpy_JJ_tain02_filtered.jpg

[mr fish]

Does anyone have any info on XT283?, I own a copy of her landing on the royal painted by michael turner. Everytime i look at it it makes me wonder!!

[Vitesse]

Does anyone remember some spectacular footage of a Buccaneer performing low-level manoeuvers somewhere (I think) in the USA?

IIRC (and it was a long time ago I saw the film) the aircraft was evading a targeting system. I recall dust flying in it's wake and much whooping from the (very impressed) audience.

I would like to see it again if anyone recalls the footage.

PS Nice photographs above.

Cheers!

[A A Gruntpuddock]

Vitesse, I think I have seen the video as part of the Red Flag exercises in the US. Don't know where to find them but I would like to see them again. As I recall. even the range controllers were whooping and hollering!

[Lower Hangar]

Yes I saw that clip in the Ops Wing at RAF Honington in 1977 (??) -the 1st participation by an RAF sq (12 ??) in Red Flag. The film was taken from a SAM bunker looking out through the slit windows and after the Bucc went over the sand from blew over the windows accompanied by 'whoops' from the US obervers.

But the best has got to be the Caribbean 1975- ship turned downwind after a launch at which time it was usual to get a bit of 'bronzy' on the round down and watch the splash target bombing...walking towards the back end and the port mainplane of a Bucc sliced across from rear stbd to rear port of the flight deck - that's all that was visible until the aircraft popped out on the port side - rolling wings level at v low level -yes thats all that was initially visible was the port mainplane slicing across left to right looking aft...a certain exchange freckle faced red haired Flt Lt had a following on interview with Cdr (Air) after recovery.

[PTR 175]

Lower Hangar

The first Bucc sqn to go to Red Flag was 208 Sqn, (208 Penetrate, apparently) with a couple of additional ground crew from the OCU.

[foldingwings]

Sad news!

B3-05-65 XT283 Buccaneer S2A d/d 07/12/1965, b/u 09/1992 Lossiemouth and sold as scrap to George F Williamson, Elgin scrapped 1997

Foldie

[mr fish]

thanks foldie, no chance of seeing her in the flesh then!!!:(

[Vitesse]

Thanks for the replies...Sorry to be late replying.

It must be thirty years ago I saw that footage!

Now I know to google for Red Flag, I see there is a bit of interest in this clip


Cheers!

[greywings]

If my memory serves me correctly, MT came on board for a spell and took lots of photos, made sketches, etc., then painted that great picture of the Bucc landing on Ark. I am pleased to say that I was flying said aircraft when the appropriate photos were taken, and, when I left 809, had a print signed by the squadron.

It was a nice momento of a wonderful time, spent flying a great British aircraft, the like of which will never be seen again.

As Dark Blue aviator, I would like to express my admiration for the way that the RAF squadrons embraced the Bucc, despite it being an 'interim' solution, as has already been pointed out in this thread.

The recent gathering at Yeovilton (and down in South Africa), and the ongoing enthusiasm of the members of the Buccaneer Aircrew Association (BAA), speak volumes for the affection we still hold for that wonderful aeroplane.

GW

[1.3VStall]

greywings,

And so you should hold her in great affection - she was British! So was the Canberra, the Hunter, the Lightning, the Victor, the Vulcan...... oh I must stop the old mince pies are misting up with nostalgia.

[Lurking123]

A couple of nice snippets here (http://youtube.com/watch?v=-Btdi8qNutw&feature=related)

[mr fish]

GRAYWINGS, thanks a lot for the extra info. having hung on my wall for many years its nice to have the gaps filled in!!!

[greywings]

Thanks for the link. I have seen many of the films already but they never cease to please me.

I am also amazed that we never lost more aircraft / crews when I am reminded how fast and low we operated on a regular basis.

Mind you, that is probably why we never lost people!

As for other British classics, I was also fortunate enough to have flown the Hunter, Canberra and - under supervision - the Lightning.

I also remember the Farnborough show when it had something new - and British - every time one attended. Not a glorified shop window for rather boring civilian types, as it is now.

[Snapshot]

Nutloose,
apologies for taking an age to reply, I’m in Cape Town. :}
Thanks for the heads up on the program and no I didn't mind at all.
I appreciate the effort.
However, I must say it all seems VERY alien to me using programs to alter
ones photographs!!! VERY ALIEN indeed!

I come from an era where there was great debate amongst photographers at end of runways or air shows in the skill in choosing
ones film for a particular show or photo shoot etc. Then of course you only had 38 pics (if you loaded the film correctly) and THEN even after taking said pics, you still had the responsibility of deciding WHO was going to develop the film and then what to do with the end result?
What I mean, in the 'olden days' of film and not digital, there was a lot more involved in getting the end result onto a screen or print on the wall!
Today, another skill has taken over, computer skills!

I’ve been using Photoshop for years now and know without doubt I only use a10th of what it’s capable of but that is mainly to make my negative or transparency film acceptable for screen (computer monitor) or for digital printing labs to enlarge prints for customers.

I am sponsored by various brand name companies with kit and to me, the process of scanning a neg or transparency with a scanner was a mission in itself. I gave up long ago :}
So for me, using Photoshop (or a computer program as you’re suggesting here) was only for removing dust marks post scanning at hi res or making some colour correction etc and that was an accepted part of modern photography in my book! In fact, sometimes, grain added to the atmosphere of the image.

The point I’m making is I’m all for new tech and new toys and digital is AMAZING! (Ive only recently moved over to digital SLR) but I can't help feeling
somewhere that 'something' has been lost with the new era of cameras and photographers that now pursue the 'shot' of a lifetime!
It’s just too easy now! You can make a pigs ear of a shot and as long as it’s reasonably in focus and you’ve taken it at high enough resolution, you can, if you know what you're doing, change so much about the original image its unreal! Then you can reduce it down and down for a computer monitor (72 dpi) and it looks as sharp as a scalpel! Prints are made around 250 dpi and that's when you see how sharp the quality REALLY is?

Guess I’m just not into image manipulation and I stay with what I took on the day! ALL of my Buccaneer images on here (albeit taken 14 years ago) were taken with Fuji 100 asa print film and most with a 500mm mirror lens fixed on f8 at about 90th - 125/sec (if I was lucky with the light :ok:)
The aircraft were going a tad fast I recall?:mad:

My air to air work was always Fuji 50 or 100 asa transparency (that's not because Fuji sponsor me, it’s because I always used it and think it’s the best colour reproduction) Having said that, it doesn't matter anymore does it? :ugh:
I look forward to trying out the digital in the air!

Anyway, THANK YOU again for letting me know about the program, I shall, I’m sure take a look and within a short time shall forget my reservations on the whole new digital scene and maximise the ease of the new breed to the fullest!! I do agree, your image after using the program was better than my original! :D
Brooksy

[Topofclimb]

Doesn't it look old fashioned nowadays. Hard to believe that this was considered state of the art! Anyone who has been in the cockpit will know what I mean. Still, a proper aeroplane built with lumps of metal not plastic!

[Bladdered]

Old fashioned, how very dare you:eek:

[Out Of Trim]

Old style maybe.. But, it did the business! :ok:

[Exnomad]

As one who had a little to do with the things the bucc carried, I think it was the last aircraft the UK had with an internal bomb bay that could carry stores at low level at high airspeeds. Most others with external stores had limited high speed capability in dense air.

[david parry]

4 x I000 Pounders in the bomb bay and another 4x 1000 pounders underslung the wings!!!!!! anyone for Garvie Island :ok: We are in the Landy with the Arc 52!!!!!!

[Rigga]

"4 x I000 Pounders in the bomb bay and another 4x 1000 pounders underslung the wings!!!!!!"

It used to be 16x1000's before the Nevada crash.

[david parry]

But not in the good old days of a Shiney White MK1 of 809 sqdn!!!! Spiv would never had enough, power to get airborne. With his two gyron juniors :)

[NutLoose]

May be new to you

Buccaneer Shots - Key Publishing Ltd Aviation Forums (http://forum.keypublishing.com/showthread.php?t=107958)

[Peter-RB]

Really good pics, almost as nostalgic as looking at the old piston era fighters,

Can anyone say why the hump was there just before the tail assembly..?

and "What was it like to fly" I have stood and watched in awe many times when seeing this type fly, and once witnessed one following the "nap of the earth" where i used to live, seeing the full a/c planform as it climbed to get over the hills at the far side of our valley, truely inspiring.!

Peter R-Blackburn

[Rory57]

Can anyone say why the hump was there just before the tail assembly..?

Area-rule?
Needs an aerodynamicist to explain.

[david parry]

The two humps on the tailplane are radar warning recievers and the hump on the fin is the housing unit for the AE Tunning unit for the SSB

[Landroger]

I imagine the Americans must have thought the Bucc' was such a funny looking sh1tehawk that they discounted its ability - until a couple of them appeared underneath them, or in the case of ground observers, very nearly alongside them! :eek:

Anybody got a direct appreciation from Americans?

Roger.

[BEagle]

Following the work of German aerodynamicist Dietrich Küchemann, in 1950 NASA aerodynamicist Richard Whitcomb discovered that, in order to produce the least amount of drag at high subsonic speeds, the rate of change of cross-sectional area of an aircraft body should be as smooth as possible throughout the aircraft's length. Hence, with a swept wing design, a 'coke bottle' waisting is beneficial. This is termed 'area rule'.

Other examples of area rule can be seen on the F-106, 2-seat Hunter canopy fairing, 2-seat Lightning canopy fairing and the Victor 2 wing bodies (known as 'Küchemann carrots'). A side benefit of fitting Küchemann carrots or Whitcomb bodies is that they can be used, as on several Soviet aircraft of the 1950s such as the Tu 95, for undercarriage stowage.

Some civil aircraft were fitted with Whitcomb bodies, notably the Convair 990 'Coronado', which could happily cruise at M0.91, faster even than the VC10.

[foldingwings]

Just for your pleasure!

I imagine the Americans must have thought the Bucc' was such a funny looking sh1tehawk that they discounted its ability - until a couple of them appeared underneath them, or in the case of ground observers, very nearly alongside them!

Anybody got a direct appreciation from Americans?

Some appreciative comments here:

YouTube - RAF Buccaneer S2 Exercise RED FLAG

Foldie:E

[bubblesuk]

894 is alive and well at Bruntingthorpe, along with XX900 and XX544. Come along to the open day on the 29th of May to see them in action.:ok:

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/Greggf_2008/DSC_0222-1.jpg

[david parry]

Would like to see the MK2 Buccaneer 020. The names on the side of the canopy bring back the memories for me!!!! But then it was a Mk1 Buccaneer and call sign 634

[jindabyne]

Pity we can't wind the clock back ---

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb59/malgrosse/BOLTFROMTHEBLUE.jpg

[sisemen]

A few more shots - Maple Flag 1981

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00043.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00035.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00039-1.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00038.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00037.jpg

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/DSC00036.jpg

[Bucc Man]

Sisemen, Maple Flag 81, I was there, but sadly with never a camera to hand, so, many thanks for posting

[Rigga]

Wow! Likewise - I was there! My 1st overseas detachment with a Fixed Wing unit.

There was a lot of PR going on and we managed to get a wave at EVERY camera shot by the MOD PR bloke who eventually gave up. I got my pic in my local rag - I still have an original somewhere...

And I got a posting notice on our return to Honkingdown.

I also remember an F16 that had a "Tarp" over its tail for a few days - "Nothing wrong here, just move along the Line please"

...and that was the run-up to TBC 81!

[bubblesuk]

XX900 today getting ready for the opne day.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/Greggf_2008/XX900/DSC_5383.jpg

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj50/Greggf_2008/XX900/DSC_5388.jpg

[sisemen]

And here's the classic PR shot for Maple Flag 81.

Me, second row in (head and shoulders) looking over Graham Pitchfork's left shoulder

http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c92/allan907/MAPLEFLAG1981.jpg

[Ogre]

I know the thread says "50th", but I found a piccie taken for the "30th" anniversary. The one on the right is in RN colours because it was the Lossie gate guardian, the last few on the left were (allegedly) dragged out of ASF to make up the numbers.

http://www.pprune.org/C:\Data\adickson\My Pictures

Edited to say I can't work out how to post this darned image!

[green granite]

Ogre http://www.pprune.org/spectators-balcony-spotters-corner/203481-image-posting-pprune-guide.html and a maximum of 850 pixels wide.

[Ogre]

OK, lets try this again. 30 Buccs

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/396109/screenshots/30%20Buccs.jpg

And as a billy bonus, I have the 208 Sqn all ranks team photo circa 1986 if anyone is interested
http://http://dl.dropbox.com/u/396109/screenshots/205%20sqn%20team.jpg

[FODPlod]

Ah yes, Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth (http://www.content-delivery.co.uk/aviation/airfields/articles/lossie-n.html) otherwise known as HMS Fulmar (not that I remember it that well but the stories involving the wardroom piano were legendary). :)

Cracking photo Ogre.

[Rigga]

Going back to Siseman's "Classic PR shot for Maple Flag 81."

Me, extreme Left (with "Ears" on)

[Ogre]

This post has languished on the back pages for a while, lets bring it back.

Dug out a few old photos and scanned them in. A couple from Gibralter (85 I think) and a couple from the last show 10 years later (hopefully they show up)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c07oor69dnavsgs/Bucc2.jpghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/fbdykym8xonpoll/Bucc3.jpghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/1zbpx381t9gzwtu/BuccGib1.jpghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/8p7gdue31xvdqkv/BuccGib3.jpghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/l3rcmlncrgscdpv/BuccGib5.jpghttps://www.dropbox.com/s/sxbacjm813zd4r3/BuccGib6.jpg
Edited to say: No they didn't! So here's the link instead

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/cmii741n33777sn/i57wQEcci3
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3o01j49w8h5uo9z/Bucc1.jpg

[Darvan]

I recommend this vid on youtube:

YouTube (http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=g0-xnaRSL6g&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dg0-xnaRSL6g&gl=GB)

This is my composition with a little technical help from my son.

[Plastic Bonsai]

Ogre

Some nice shots there - like the breaks.

The Buccaneer's area ruling did produce a profile drag coefficient less than half that of the Tornado and the guys reckoned they didn't quite get it right, a slight modification on the radio bay bulge would have reduce it even further. The real problem with area ruling is that you have to believe the numbers. Kingston clearly didn't when they area ruled a single seat Hunter - you could barely see the difference - and they grumpily announced it didn't work. Then they did the T7 which turned out faster that the single-seater with a less powerful engine - it wasn't just the canopy fairing , the whole nose-section contributed. The area ruling reduced your drag across the speed range as well as delay the onset of drag rise at the high Mach Numbers.

There were other factors too.

The T-tail arrangement reduces the fin size required due to the end-plate effect effectively increasing the span of the fin as well as putting the tailplane in an area of low downwash gradient and out of the body drag wake which also makes it an more effective stabiliser and therefore reducing its size.

The faired-in fuel wing-tanks also had much lower drag than the conventional tank/pylon arrangement. A feature only used by the Gnat?

All these plus the internal bomb-bay, leading and trailing edge blow etc gives you low drag so the aircraft has the long range, high cruise speed it is famed for. I suspect the high tail gives it the low altitude stability but I would't claim that was deliberate.

Make no mistake none of these were easy to do but if you are uncompromising then great things can be achieved.

[Rhino power]

Some more fantastic low level flying here...

Pirates of the Mediterranean - a Buccaneer special - YouTube

-RP

[NutLoose]

Will post a few of my photos for you, I did them as wallpapers for my IPad.

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc8.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc4.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc9.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc7.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc6.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc1.jpg

http://i536.photobucket.com/albums/ff321/taylortony/Aviation/Brunty/Bucc3.jpg


:) hope you like my shots.

[david parry]

Proper Buccaneers;);). When i was a snotty nosed JREM (air ) lol http://www.facebook.com/FleetAirArmBuccaneerAssociation