Buccaneer
 

Dear Ppruners, the recent taxying of three Blackburn Buccaneers has re-stimulated my interest in this classic aircraft. Often featured in accounts is the required integral strength to counter buffeting at high speed and low level. Regarding this aspect, I remember as a youngster watching a news account of a Buccaneer accident while on Ex Red Flag, around the early eighties, IIRC. Sadly I think it claimed the lives of the crew. I’d be very interested to read memories from anyone who remembers the circumstances surrounding this tragedy. Of course it is just one isolated aspect of an aircraft and it’s personnel giving distinguished service, so I’d be equally delighted to hear more pleasant aspects of the mighty Bucc in service. Groundcrew particularly welcome! Thanks.

I think that was XV345 in 1980, which lost a wing due to a crack in the wing. I was there in 1980, but with a different jet.

When the first of 3 'special build' S2s for RAE was delivered, the crews did a lot of airways flying to familiarise themselves with it. As it cruised at 550 kt(T) where most airliners (apart from Tridents) never exceeded 500, it wasn't liked by the LATCC controllers as it tended to overtake everything else in the airway!
During GW1, the Bucc was brought in initially to 'illuminate' targets and proved what a great chariot it was.
We had XV344 at Farnborough amongst others.
A test pilot (name withheld - TA) just returned to RAE for his second tour was following an autobahn in Germany when he saw a German police helicopter coming the other way. Pulling 10g to avoid it, the tail of the Bucc became detached, but both crew landed safely via Martin Baker.
I seem to recall the grounding resulting from the Red Flag tragedy didn't include the three 'special build' S2s of RAE as their airframe hours were much lower than the average Bucc. I attended morning briefing (as Duty Controller) the day after the accident and recall the COEF reading out a signal giving brief details.

I remember talking to a very experienced Buccaneer instructor during my last RAF tour, and he said that one didn't fly around hills, one went through them!

Would that have been B**c* Ch**p*e?

Can't remember mate...................:\:\:\, although it might have been Brucie.

'Twas at Lossiemouth though, circa 1983/4.

Interesting US perspective on the Buccaneer

Tailhook Daily Briefing: Flightdeck Friday - Fleet Air Arm Edition: Blackburn Buccaneer

I heard a Bucc crew member say that once you'd strapped the aeroplane on, one felt like flying around looking for things to ram!

Phoenix Squadron by Rowland White is not a bad yarn about the Buc on Ark Royal.

Fly Navy