Buccaneer Flying Qualities
 

I'm interested in pilot comments expanding on the flying qualities of the mighty Buccaneer.

I've just watched the Dave Southwood interview on YouTube about his experiences, and he described the flying qualities in 3 distinct areas;

• 300-550KCAS - probably the best aircraft for flying low, delightful to fly.
• Above 550KCAS - directionally not that easy - would yaw off, fin too short.
• Landing Pattern - probably the worst handling characteristics of anything he's flown.

I've spent 30+ years as a flight test engineer on military fast jet aircraft, originally in the UK, now the USA. My hobby is radio controlled model aircraft and I have recently designed, built and flown a 1/7 scale model of the Buccaneer. At 9ft (108") long, 75" wing span, weighing 61lb at take off and powered by 2 22lb turbines with 1.5gal of Jet A it is a monster model, but very impressive looking in flight. I have incorporated drooping ailerons (flaperons) as well as the inboard flaps and the tailplane flaps and a functional speedbrake. The main gear also shrinks during retraction to fit in the wheel well. I have not attempted wing-fold nor the blow system.

The first 2 models were lost in early flight test, but as the saying goes, 3rd time's a charm and so far it has 45 flights on it.

The reason I ask about pilot comments from the full-scale Buccaneer is that my model version also has some very unique handling characteristics in the landing pattern, and I am interested to know if this is just a trait of this model, or something that has carried over from the full-scale.

In particular, when the flaps and ailerons are drooped for landing, the model exhibits a very strong tendency to roll wings level when centering the stick and has the need to hold in significant proverse aileron all the way through the turn. This has taken some effort to balance control throws and to learn the characteristic as it was so unusual compared to everything else I've flown.

Also, with the flaperons drooped, the model validated the need for the tailplane flaps to counteract the nose-down pitching moment from the flaperons, as I would run out of nose up elevator authority with the tailplane flaps at neutral.

With half speedbrake, full droop and about half power, it is very precise to fly on final approach, using power to control sink rake.

A few pictures of my model (not yet finished). If you squint I think you can tell it approximates a Buccaneer.


https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....350441e732.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....e0ff66f259.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7edf14ac9e.jpg
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7cf7fd85f1.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8fc01a74d5.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....2f2f7b7f04.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....7129c6673c.jpg

Great looking model. I've never heard of tail plane flaps before.

Extraordinary level of detail - well done.

Niiiice. Great photography as well. :ok:

A Buccaneer at low level (below about 3000ft) was a delight to control. At 550kts you could look for a gap in unidentified traffic some 10 miles ahead and aim the aircraft for it, knowing you would pass through easily.
When our Bucc S2 arrived, the crews did a large amount of IFR flying on airways to familiarise the navs with it; the airways controllers kept complaining it was too fast because it flew faster than 'standard' airliners (apart from the Trident) and they had to keep vectoring it in order to overtake other traffic at the same level.

https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...buccaneer.html

https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...low-level.html

https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...rformance.html

https://www.pprune.org/aviation-hist...aneer-blc.html

https://www.pprune.org/military-avia...ml#post9338471

No need to squint…that’s a beauty!

Looks fantastic... a video would not go amiss!

Looks great, well done. Now you just need to rid of the silly fox decal and replace with some blue/yellow arrow thingy near the nose!

Lovely model, but doesn't look so good with no crew!!!

Shame on you. :O

Joking aside, what a fabulous-looking model - well done !

Stealth crew … this is the 21st Century!

Gorgeous pice of work … my congratulations to the builder.

Superb model. It really looks the part, I've enclosed a couple of pics of some of the runners still in the UK. :O

https://live.staticflickr.com/1860/3...1de6874c_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/1888/4...56d77034_c.jpg

https://live.staticflickr.com/1895/2...129848e9_c.jpg

I am not into RC, not a fan of the Bucc…have to tell you though that is one amazing model.
Did you upscale the size from an existing model, did you use plans? Can you tell us about the design process?
I think the pictures belie the size.
Care to post a pic with something of known size as reference? Car or person?
Thanks!

Roughly 9 feet long and 6 foot wingspan! Heck of a model!

And that’s number 3….. :eek:

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Well now you spoiled it by showing pictures of the real one. Now I have to squint to not see that the main gear extension is different.

My only (and abiding) memory of the Bucc was when faced by one doing an Exercise airfield attack at Waddo … pointing straight at ATC Local. Those intakes just got bigger and bigger! Did I duck? Not sure!

Off topic but my recollection of the Bucaneer was an encounter near Garstang when doing the gas pipeline survey. I looked left up to the hills in the direction of the Spadeadam training area and all I saw were two great intakes and a nosecone, all too close and at my level. We passed safely.

Superb model, I would also like to see a video. Early memory of Buccs for me was wheels appearing out of a layer of thick black cloud over the Anglesey Golf Clubhouse which were finally revealed to belong to the first of three visitors from Laarbruch somewhere in the short distance to the Valley boundary fence.

I fear you are wrong, it needs repainting in the immortal colour scheme as shown in Nutty's top image.:) Or of course '547s current 'desert pink' scheme at Hendon.:8