A Buccanneer question
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A Buccanneer question
Help please chaps...(and girls)...
In this mornings tea break we were having an argument about when the last flight of a UK based buccie took place. Can anyone help with this?
I'm claiming that it was around 4-5 years ago just before the GR1's were posted to Lossie. Others in the tea swindle think it much longer ago than that.
cheers
Metman
also..one of the guys wanted to know which would emerge victor in an aerial battle...Blue Thunder or Airwolf?
Duffus!
In this mornings tea break we were having an argument about when the last flight of a UK based buccie took place. Can anyone help with this?
I'm claiming that it was around 4-5 years ago just before the GR1's were posted to Lossie. Others in the tea swindle think it much longer ago than that.
cheers
Metman
also..one of the guys wanted to know which would emerge victor in an aerial battle...Blue Thunder or Airwolf?
Duffus!
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Delta Jets test flew XW986 a couple of times last April prior to its departure to South Africa as ZU-NIP. Does that count?
I think another may have flown in the UK this year...but can't find the reference...
I think another may have flown in the UK this year...but can't find the reference...
Gentleman Aviator
There was a very unusual "last flight after the last flight" flight [are you following this?] which took place in Northern Ireland of all places in '93 or '94.
One of the last flights had been to deliver a Buc to Aldergrove, which had been acquired by the Museum at Langford Lodge. The intention had been to put it on a low loader and drive the 4 or 5 miles to Langford. However, after discussion with police (both RAF and Rucksack) it seemed that half the elctricity cables in Co Antrim would have to be removed. All too difficult.
Military delivery crew was still around, and said "Well, it's only a coupla minutes, we'll fly it!" [Not sure how legal this was] which they duly did with not much fuel into the not very long runway at LL. As the discussion with Plod had taken place when the ra-ra press facility VIP visitors "Last Flight" was going on (at Lossie), we all thought that this (3 mins!) was the REAL last flight of a Buc with a mil crew, as it happened the day after the official one.
It's only about 10 years ago, so the memory can't be playing TOO many tricks ... anyone else remember the occasion??? Or is there anyone currently at EGAA who could check local history........
One of the last flights had been to deliver a Buc to Aldergrove, which had been acquired by the Museum at Langford Lodge. The intention had been to put it on a low loader and drive the 4 or 5 miles to Langford. However, after discussion with police (both RAF and Rucksack) it seemed that half the elctricity cables in Co Antrim would have to be removed. All too difficult.
Military delivery crew was still around, and said "Well, it's only a coupla minutes, we'll fly it!" [Not sure how legal this was] which they duly did with not much fuel into the not very long runway at LL. As the discussion with Plod had taken place when the ra-ra press facility VIP visitors "Last Flight" was going on (at Lossie), we all thought that this (3 mins!) was the REAL last flight of a Buc with a mil crew, as it happened the day after the official one.
It's only about 10 years ago, so the memory can't be playing TOO many tricks ... anyone else remember the occasion??? Or is there anyone currently at EGAA who could check local history........
According to Wings of Fame Vol 14...
Farewell Weekend at Lossie 26/3/94.
RAE/DRA aircraft - date of last flight not given but all 3 aircraft withdrawn by February 1995.
Last Bucc to fly in UK airspace was XW987 (ZU-BCR), which departed for sunnier climes on 1 April 1997.
So, for the last RAF Bucc flight, one assumes that the final delivery flight to a museum (or such like) is the one. For the last Bucc flight in the UK, April 1997.
As for the Tornados, Jeff Jefford's book on RAF Squadrons dates 12 Squadron's appearance at Lossie as being January 94 (post renumbering from 27 Squadron); 617 arrived at the end of April.
So you're right about the Tornados, just a couple of years out with the date. If you'd asked me when the Bucc went out of service, though, I'd have said about five years ago, not realising just how 'tempus has fugited' as one of my history masters used to put it.
Farewell Weekend at Lossie 26/3/94.
RAE/DRA aircraft - date of last flight not given but all 3 aircraft withdrawn by February 1995.
Last Bucc to fly in UK airspace was XW987 (ZU-BCR), which departed for sunnier climes on 1 April 1997.
So, for the last RAF Bucc flight, one assumes that the final delivery flight to a museum (or such like) is the one. For the last Bucc flight in the UK, April 1997.
As for the Tornados, Jeff Jefford's book on RAF Squadrons dates 12 Squadron's appearance at Lossie as being January 94 (post renumbering from 27 Squadron); 617 arrived at the end of April.
So you're right about the Tornados, just a couple of years out with the date. If you'd asked me when the Bucc went out of service, though, I'd have said about five years ago, not realising just how 'tempus has fugited' as one of my history masters used to put it.
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I recall the delivery of XV361 to Langford Lodge and think it was covered in the press (Flypast?). Probably the shortest Bucc flight ever - the aircraft spooling up on the tarmac at Aldgergrove was clearly audible at LL. Brakes to brakes time was something like 92 seconds!
The last RAF Buccaneer flight in the UK was XV332 on 12th April 1994.
Of the DRA trio XW986 and XW987 were withdrawn in October 1994, while XW988 continued flying from Boscombe Down until February 1995.
Archimedes - the Wings of Fame info is out of date as the last UK airspace flight of a Bucc was April 2002 when Delta Jets flew XW986 from on test from Kemble and then from Kemble to Woodford.
Details here: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.../gallery4.html
However there may have been something more recent - maybe XX885 up at Scampton which was added to the UK register as G-HHAA at the end of 2002?
My mistake, XW986 did not fly to Woodford, but to Warton.
more details here:
http://www.f4aviation.co.uk/Hangar/2002/bucc/bucc.htm
The last RAF Buccaneer flight in the UK was XV332 on 12th April 1994.
Of the DRA trio XW986 and XW987 were withdrawn in October 1994, while XW988 continued flying from Boscombe Down until February 1995.
Archimedes - the Wings of Fame info is out of date as the last UK airspace flight of a Bucc was April 2002 when Delta Jets flew XW986 from on test from Kemble and then from Kemble to Woodford.
Details here: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.../gallery4.html
However there may have been something more recent - maybe XX885 up at Scampton which was added to the UK register as G-HHAA at the end of 2002?
My mistake, XW986 did not fly to Woodford, but to Warton.
more details here:
http://www.f4aviation.co.uk/Hangar/2002/bucc/bucc.htm
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ZU-NIP has the honour of last UK Bucc flight, last year as mentioned above. G-HHAA has yet to fly. If anybody's got any Bucc spares - particularly engines - give the chaps at Scampton a ring, cos they'd love to take them off your hands.
Web Pilot,
As I typed that, I thought to myself - sure I've read something about a later flight somewhere - but where?
I looked in two other works and couldn't find it. Of course, I'd read it about three minutes earlier in your post...
Even by my standards, that'll take some beating...
Is the work on G-HHAA to return it to flight or taxying condition? And if the former, what are the chances of the CAA saying 'yes' looking like?
As I typed that, I thought to myself - sure I've read something about a later flight somewhere - but where?
I looked in two other works and couldn't find it. Of course, I'd read it about three minutes earlier in your post...
Even by my standards, that'll take some beating...
Is the work on G-HHAA to return it to flight or taxying condition? And if the former, what are the chances of the CAA saying 'yes' looking like?
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Looking back, I think I've imagined XX855 getting airborne - wishful thinking?!
I'm not privy to the inside dealings at OFMC, but I understand that things are looking optomistic at least.
It is a restoration to flying status. I know that we've seen exotic metal on the CAA register before that never made it to flight...let's hope this one is different!
I'm not privy to the inside dealings at OFMC, but I understand that things are looking optomistic at least.
It is a restoration to flying status. I know that we've seen exotic metal on the CAA register before that never made it to flight...let's hope this one is different!
A very sad footnote to this is that the pilot for the final flight of a Buccaneer as a military registered aircraft, XW988 at Boscombe Down in Feb '95 (as stated above) was Rick Husband, Commander of "Columbia" on the ill fated STS 107 mission. It was Rick's final flight on his exchange tour at Boscombe before returning to the USA to start his astronaut training. Rest in peace, Rick.
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Go to www.ulsteraviationsociety.co.uk click Langford Lodge tab then select page 4 to see some photos of xv361 arriving at LL.
How the heck do you attach photos
How the heck do you attach photos
"How the heck do you attach photos?"
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When I saw the thread title, I thought the question was going to be "where do you find Buccaneers?". The answer obviously being "on the sides of your Buccan head."
And in answer to the second question of the first post, which no-one seems to have picked up, Airwolf. It got four series, whereas Blue Thunder only got the original film.
And in answer to the second question of the first post, which no-one seems to have picked up, Airwolf. It got four series, whereas Blue Thunder only got the original film.
Hilico - I seem to think that Blue Thunder got more than the film. There was a TV series in which Roy Scheider was replaced by James Faren-somethinglongwinded while the observer chappie who was murdered in the film made a miraculous recovery from his fatal injuries. It ran on BBC 1 at about 7.30pm.
I only recall this since the series ran while I was still a schoolboy. The lad who sat behind me was possibly the UK's number one fan of the series, and delighted in regaling me with the 'exciting' details of each of the episodes, and of the letters he'd writen to 'Points of View' to demand more of the same. He once sent them eight such letters in a week.
I regret to say that I eventually snapped and uttered something along the lines of 'It's a Gazelle with a nose job, for fcuk's sake, not a 250-mph combat helicopter. Now shut up.'
As I recall, one of the episodes had the mighty super helo shooting down an F-86 that had been stolen from a USAF base by ruthless criminals in order to support their attempt to steal something or other. This gives you some idea of the level of the plot - it was one of those programmes so bad that you just had to watch for the unintended comedy value...
[Edit] - worse still a quick trawl reveals that there is more than one Blue Thunder website for fans.... To give you some idea of the plots, here are some of the synopses for the 1st (and only) series..
#1" Second Thunder"
The Blue Thunder Team, a special police unit which uses a hi-tech helicopter with ground support, is formed to stop a madman who has being gunning down regular police helicopters.
#4 "Revenge in the Sky"
Chaney discovers that the FBI agent, who had asked the Blue Thunder team to recover a stolen Korean War fighter plane, is a Soviet double agent.
#6 "Skydiver"
Chaney must decide whether to rescue the lovely president of a third world nation who is about to be assassinated or to rescue Bubba and Ski who are on a small plane which is about to crash.
#11 "The Island"
The Blue Thunder team journeys to a small Caribbean island to prevent American mercenaries, who have been hired by the KGB, from killing the Prime Minister.
I only recall this since the series ran while I was still a schoolboy. The lad who sat behind me was possibly the UK's number one fan of the series, and delighted in regaling me with the 'exciting' details of each of the episodes, and of the letters he'd writen to 'Points of View' to demand more of the same. He once sent them eight such letters in a week.
I regret to say that I eventually snapped and uttered something along the lines of 'It's a Gazelle with a nose job, for fcuk's sake, not a 250-mph combat helicopter. Now shut up.'
As I recall, one of the episodes had the mighty super helo shooting down an F-86 that had been stolen from a USAF base by ruthless criminals in order to support their attempt to steal something or other. This gives you some idea of the level of the plot - it was one of those programmes so bad that you just had to watch for the unintended comedy value...
[Edit] - worse still a quick trawl reveals that there is more than one Blue Thunder website for fans.... To give you some idea of the plots, here are some of the synopses for the 1st (and only) series..
#1" Second Thunder"
The Blue Thunder Team, a special police unit which uses a hi-tech helicopter with ground support, is formed to stop a madman who has being gunning down regular police helicopters.
#4 "Revenge in the Sky"
Chaney discovers that the FBI agent, who had asked the Blue Thunder team to recover a stolen Korean War fighter plane, is a Soviet double agent.
#6 "Skydiver"
Chaney must decide whether to rescue the lovely president of a third world nation who is about to be assassinated or to rescue Bubba and Ski who are on a small plane which is about to crash.
#11 "The Island"
The Blue Thunder team journeys to a small Caribbean island to prevent American mercenaries, who have been hired by the KGB, from killing the Prime Minister.
Last edited by Archimedes; 5th May 2003 at 07:30.
