Warplanes of the UK: Blackburn Buccaneer

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.

Surviving aircraft

United Kingdom

Buccaneer S2, XK526, gate guardian at RAF Honington, Suffolk.
Buccaneer S1, XK532, at the Highland Aviation Museum, Scotland.
Buccaneer S1, XN923, at the Gatwick Aviation Museum, Surrey.

(Alan Wilson Photo)

(Mike Freer - Touchdown-aviation Photo)
Buccaneer S1, XN957, at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset,coded '630'.

(David Bolton Photo)

(Alan Wilson Photo)
Buccaneer S1, XN964, at the Newark Air Museum, Nottinghamshire, in Royal Navy markings coded '118'.

(Alan Wilson Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XN974, is in taxi-able condition at the Yorkshire Air Museum,Elvington, North Yorkshire.
Buccaneer S2B, XV168, was held by BAE Systems at Brough Aerodrome, EastYorkshire in No. 12 Squadron RAF markings, transferred to the Yorkshire AirMuseum in August 2013.
Buccaneer S2C, XV344, is on display as the gate guardian of the Defence Scienceand Technology at Farnborough Airport.

(Alan D R Brown Photo)

(kitmasterbloke Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XV350, at the Aeropark at East Midlands Airport.
Buccaneer S2B, XV361, at the Ulster Aviation Society, Long Kesh, Maze, Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

(HawkeyeUK Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XV865, in the markings of No. 208 Squadron RAF at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

(Anthony Noble Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XW530, is on display at Scottish Deer Centre, Elgin, Scotland.
Buccaneer S2B, XW544, is on display and has undergone restoration to full taxi-able condition, at Cotswold Airport, Kemble, Gloucestershire.
Buccaneer S2B, XW547, in Gulf War camouflage coded 'R' at the Royal Air Force Museum, London.

(Pedro Aragão Photo)

(Dick Gilbert Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XX889, in Gulf War desert pink and the markings of No. 208 Squadron RAF at South Wales Aviation Museum, MOD St. Athan, Wales.
Buccaneer S2B, XX894, is in taxi-able condition at Cotswold Airport, Kemble, Gloucestershire, in the markings of 809 Naval Air Squadron coded '020'.
Buccaneer S2B, XX900, is in taxi-able condition at Cotswold Airport, Kemble, Gloucestershire.
Buccaneer S2B, XX901, is owned by the Buccaneer Aircrew Association, and is on display at the Yorkshire Air Museum, Elvington, North Yorkshire.

Stored or under restoration
NA.39, XK488, is stored at the Fleet Air Arm Museum storage facility at CobhamHall, Yeovilton, Somerset.

(Ronnie Macdonald Photo)

(Mike McBey Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XT288, at the National Museum of Flight, Scotland.

(Alan Wilson Photo)
Buccaneer S2B, XV333, at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton, Somerset, in themarkings of 801 Naval Air Squadron coded '234'.
Buccaneer S2B, XV359, is held at a private collection in Devon, England, in themarkings of 809 Naval Air Squadron coded '035'.
Buccaneer S2B, XX885, (registered G-HHAA) is under restoration at the formerRAF Scampton, Lincolnshire and was being rebuilt to flying condition by HawkerHunter Aviation; it was granted UK CAA permission to fly in April 2006, butthis effort has stalled, and the airframe has now been stored for over adecade.
Buccaneer S2B, XX895, (cockpit section only) is held at a private collection inOxfordshire.

Germany

Buccaneer S2C, registration XV337, is on static display at the RAF LaarbruchMuseum.
Buccaneer S2B, XX893, cockpit section only: Museum für Luftfahrt und Technik,Werningerode, Germany.

Ireland

Buccaneer S2B, XX897, is on static display at the Irish National Air Museum,Atlantic Air Venture Park Shannon Airport, Co. Clare in European Airlinescolours. Fitted with a Panavia Tornado F2 nosecone and was used to trial theTornado ADV's Foxhunter radar.

South Africa

Airworthy
Buccaneer S2B, registration ZU-AVI, the former Royal Aircraft Establishment(RAE) registration XW988, based at Thunder City, Cape Town InternationalAirport.

Stored
Buccaneer S2B, ZU-BCR, the former Royal Aircraft Establishment XW987, based atThunder City, Cape Town International Airport.
Buccaneer S2B, ZU-NIP, the former Royal Aircraft Establishment XW986, based atThunder City, Cape Town International Airport.
Both of these were flyable but were put for sale, although ZU-NIP is stillairworthy, but ZU-BCR is is.

On display
Buccaneer S.50 at the South African National Museum of Military History.
Buccaneer S50, 412, gate guard at AFB Waterkloof, Pretoria.
Buccaneer S50, 414, at the SAAF Museum, AFB Swartkop, Pretoria.
Buccaneer S50, 416, at the SAAF Museum, AFB Ysterplaat, Cape Town.
Buccaneer S50, 421, at the SAAF Museum, AFB Swartkop, Pretoria
Buccaneer S50, 422, at National Museum of Military History, Saxonwold,Johannesburg.

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