Sorry to be a party pooper. The images are great, if a little dated, but the music's awful (IMHO), dreary and turgid. Far better if they'd used Vangelis's 'Chariots of Fire' theme. Alternatively, plenty of Pink Floyd tracks available at that time would have done the trick. See if this link works.

YouTube - Sailor series -Aircraft from HMS Ark Royal at Vieques weapons range

If not search "Aircraft from HMS Ark Royal at Vieques weapons range" to see how good it can be with Buccs and Phantoms set to music.

Just my opinion, preparing to be flamed.

Edited: link seems to work fine. Enjoy. Oh, forgot to mention Gannet & Wessex in above comments, sorry to any ex drivers of those venerable machines reading.

Gainesy

Maybe they had overestimated just how low the Black Banana could go and were checking all levels.

Fantastic!

Duncs:ok::ok:

The Nimrod that is:O

The full 12 Sqn Bucanneers film is one of the four films on this video on sale at Amazon (as is the 9 Sqn Tornado one).Link at Amazon.co.uk: Great War Planes Of The RAF [VHS]: Explore similar items

The music was also used on a BBC Snooker Prog..... Was it "Pot Black"? or the World Championships"? :confused:

World Championships.

alwayslookingup,

How astute you are:

The 2 films were directed by the same man - Hugh Hudson! However, I cannot agree with you, the music from the Spiral album is now a part of Buccaneer folklore! Brilliant.

Foldie

Is it just my speakers or does Banana Lead sound like he is sucking helium instead of 02?

sisemen,

Correct - the choice was indeed concocted by wee Jock (he of hair-perm fame) and the assistant producer, and vetted by the cast!

alwayslookingup,

Not flaming you, but I agree with foldy and, as the Buccaneer Songbook author, he knows about such things. Dang-a-dang-a-dang (along with bananas-bananas) is entrenched in Buccaneer history, often nasally recited during tales of 12 Sqn daring-deeds at gatherings various.

A somewhat strange comment? The film was made some 30 years ago! Maybe we should make it again and update things - but then updating me would be very time-consuming, expensive and painful.

Auntie Mary had a ---- STOP IT.

StbdD

We were on something a lot stronger than helium in those days! You had to be to get through a night low level 3-ship close formation sortie at 300' over an inky black North Sea looking :sad: for the bloody Navy!

Ahhar! Them were the days!

Foldie

Did any of the vids of Buccs knocking down washing lines in Beirut ever surface? Ditto Red Flags?

Okay guys, hands up, I'm more than happy to let you have this one. But I still prefer the Ark footage.

Does no one else like it 'cos it is the dark blue Buccs & Phantoms (and I know they became light blue property after the Ark)? Head above parapet but NOW preparing to be flamed alive!.

alwayslookingup

OK, your vid is quite good and Pink Floyd does work but the problem with it is the lack of air-to-air close up in comparison with the 12 Sqn Buccaneers movie by Hugh Hudson.

But look, take it from me as an ex-Bucc man, it doesn't matter whether the Bucc is dark blue, light blue, desert pink or South African blue and grey. It's a Bucc and as far as Bucc guys (and the rest of the Bucc fans out there) are concerned that's all that matters!

Foldie:ok:

Foldie, not much to say after that, other than you're absolutely spot on! :ok:

For a non-mil, In the Vangelis vid, what does the phraseology Bananas Bananas mean please?

Go on then foldie, you're the quewhy. But there were also the tacticians ----

execExpress,

It's just a recognisable codeword that was used in the ASuW role to denote a specific range from a specific target in a specific tactical attack that identified that target to each navigator in the attacking formation on their radars.

Foldie

PS. Black Omega inbound!:=

--- and the pilots, them that had a clue, that is

Thanks Foldie.

P.S. Red Top outbound. :confused:

The reason I would have joined up...
 

1978 was the year I went to Edinburgh Uni, and applied for the University Air Squadron. Would have loved to have flown Buccaneers, Phantoms or LIghtnings (have a vivid memory of combined 23sqdn & 43 sqdn flypast at Leuchars in early 70s).

However, my eyesight let me down. Interesting to see one of the crew with glasses.

Thanks for the reminder!