Warplanes of the UK: Blackburn Buccanear

Blackburn Buccanear

(SDASM Photo)

A Buccaneer S.2 launches from HMS Eagle; the S.2 featured more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines that allowed it to launch at its maximum take-off weight.

The Blackburn Buccaneer is a British carrier-capable attack aircraft designed in the 1950s for the Royal Navy (RN). Designed and initially produced by Blackburn Aircraft at Brough, it was later officially known as the Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer when Blackburn became a part of the Hawker Siddeley Group, but this name is rarely used.

The Buccaneer was originally designed in response to the Soviet Union introducing the Sverdlov class of light cruisers. Instead of building a new class of its own cruisers, the Royal Navy decided that it could address the threat posed via low-level attack runs performed by Buccaneers, so low as to exploit the ship's radar horizon to minimise the opportunity for being fired upon. The Buccaneer could attack using nuclear weapons or conventional munitions. During its service life, it would be modified to carry anti-ship missiles, allowing it to attack vessels from a stand-off distance and thus improve its survivability against modern ship-based anti-aircraft weapons.[2] The Buccaneer performed its maiden flight in April 1958 and entered Royal Navy service during July 1962.

Initial production aircraft suffered a series of accidents, largely due to insufficient engine power; this shortfall would be quickly addressed via the introduction of the Buccaneer S.2, equipped with more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey jet engines, in 1965. The Buccaneer S.2 would be the first Fleet Air Arm (FAA) aircraft to make a non-stop, unrefuelled crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. During the 1960s and 1970s, the Royal Navy standardised the air wings operating from their carriers around the Buccaneer, Phantom, and the Fairey Gannet. The Buccaneer was also offered as a possible solution for the Royal Air Force (RAF) requirement for a supersonic interdictor carrying nuclear weapons. It was rejected as not meeting the specification in favour of the more advanced BAC TSR-2 bomber, but this aircraft would be cancelled largely due to its high cost, then its selected replacement, the General Dynamics F-111K, would also be cancelled. The Buccaneer was purchased as a TSR-2 substitute and entered RAF service during October 1969.

The Royal Navy retired the last of its large aircraft carriers in February 1979; as a result, the Buccaneer's strike role was transferred to the British Aerospace Sea Harrier and the Buccaneers were transferred to the RAF. After a crash in 1980 revealed metal fatigue problems, the RAF's fleet was reduced to 60 aircraft while the rest were withdrawn. The ending of the Cold War in the 1990s led to military cutbacks that accelerated the retirement of Britain's remaining Buccaneers; the last of the RAF's Buccaneers were retired in March 1994 in favour of the more modern Panavia Tornado. The South African Air Force (SAAF) was the only export customer for the type. Buccaneers saw combat action in the first Gulf War of 1991, and the lengthy South African Border War. (Wikipedia)

(greenacre8 Photo)

Buccaneer S.2 landing on HMS Eagle, circa 1971.

(USN Photo)

A Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S.2B of No. 12 Squadron, Royal Air Force, performing a touch and go landing at the U.S. Navy Naval Weapons Center at China Lake, California (USA), during an air show of USN test and evaluation squadron VX-5 on 16 September 1981.

(Paul Lucas Photo)

Buccaneer S.2 with wings folding, a space-saving feature typically employed by carrier aircraft.

(Pedro Aragão Photo)

Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2B, 1991.

(Pedro Aragão Photo)

RAF Buccaneer S.2B of No. 12 Squadron RAF at Faro Airport, Portugal, in 1987.

(Brian Burnell Photo)

Buccaneer S.2 at RAF Elvington, 18 of August 2007.

(Chris Lofting Photo)

Buccaneer S.2B in flight in 1994.

(USAF Photo)

Buccaneer S.2B aircraft during the 1981 RAF Strike Command Bombing Competition that was held between the United States and Royal Air Forces, 15 June 1981.

(TSRL Photo)

Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 XN929 at the SBAC show Farnborough 8 September 1962.

(Mike Freer Photo - Touchdown Aviation)

Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2A, (Serial No. XN982), No. 809 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal, 30 July 1976.

(Mike Freer Photo - Touchdown Aviation)

Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2A, (Serial No. XN982), No. 809 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal, 30 July 1976.

(Mike Freer Photo - Touchdown Aviation)

Hawker Siddeley Buccaneer S2A, (Serial No. XV864), No. 809 Naval Air Squadron, HMS Ark Royal, 30 July 1976.

(RN Photo)

Mixed USN and RN aircraft including Blackburn Buccaneers on an aircraft carrier.