Thunder & Lightnings

Blackburn Buccaneer - Photo Gallery

Advertising

Blackburn NA.39 advert from 1958. Seems the British aviation industry has lost the ability to deliver the goods on time in this day and age. Blackburn advert for both NA.39 and their new starting trolley from 1959. Blackburn advert from 1960. A Royal Navy recruitment advertisement from 1963. Another recruitment ad, this time from late 1964. A Hawker Siddeley advertisement from early 1965, S.2 XN976 being the star. Another Hawker Siddeley advertisement, this time from December 1969. Astonishingly honest for an advert, with no ludicrous claims being made at all. Little export success as a result? :-) Early 1970s, and the RAF get in on the act. £21.35 a week! More recent RAF recruitment campaigns have been rather more sophisticated...!

The Wade Collection

These pictures are kindly supplied by Jack Wade from his father's collection; Jack's father was stationed with the Buccaneer OCU at RAF Honington from 1973 to 1977.

Some idea of what it would be like to be on the receiving end of a Buccaneer strike...! 12 Squadron machine in the camouflage scheme typical of the mid to late 1970s; light aircraft grey undersides, dark green and dark sea grey topsides and red/blue tactical roundels. Typical Buccaneer take-off - not so much pulling back on the stick, more just retracting the gear and levitating by sheer willpower. Nice overhead shot; note the missing panels on the wingfolds. XT287, an OCU machine, showing off the earlier camouflage scheme of full colour roundels and white serials, with XT279 providing a contrasting backdrop. Two in formation is not enough, so let's try three. XT287 and XT279 again, this time joined by XT284 which shows off another camouflage variation - the matt finish introduced later in the 1970s. Another view of that three-ship. Well, three's nice but four's better... Four in formation, well, come on lads. Let's do it properly. How about the entire OCU fleet in formation, including the Hunters! Showing yet another camouflage scheme, this is XX888 of 15 Squadron in a picture taken courtesy of the CO of RAF Laarbruch in 1983. As the RAF entered the 1980s, the tactical fleet was beginning to acquire wraparound camouflage like this. The lense used here has distorted the aircraft a bit - so how close were they flying to each other?! Going all naval now, with a fantastic shot of HMS Ark Royal - a <em>real</em> aircraft carrier! Just look at those Buccs and Phantoms lined up on the deck... ah... The occasion - the Queen Mother's visit to HMS Ark Royal in 1975. 809 NAS put on this demonstration of rocket pod firepower with XN981.

The Eacott Collection

These pictures are kindly supplied by John Eacott from his collection taken during his time in the Fleet Air Arm. If you want to use them for anything other than personal use, contact John.

S.2A XV357 of 809 NAS onboard HMS Ark Royal in 1973; here being guided onto the Ark's waist catapult. Note the catapult bridle lying on the deck; these were lost in the sea for many years before somebody realised how easy it would be to save and re-use them, saving a fair bit of money in the process. XV357 some moments later, leaving the Ark in a hurry! The Ark's waist catapult was 200 ft long, a distance the Bucc would traverse in 2 seconds. What goes up must come down, if only for a touch and go... ...or more permanently. XV357 seconds before landing on. XV357 went on to serve with the RAF's 208 Squadron and 237 OCU before being used as a damage-to-aircraft target at Foulness. Another 809 NAS machine, S.2B XV869, captured as it slams onto the deck, catching the 2 wire. A year after this picture was taken XV869 was flying with the A&AEE and later served in the RAF with 208 and 12 Squadrons and 237 OCU, and was sadly scrapped in 1994.

The Hall Collection

These pictures are kindly supplied by Michael Hall from his collection, which would appear to consist of nothing but top quality photos of just about everything the RAF have flown for the last 40 years! If you want to use them for anything other than personal use, contact Michael.

S.2B XV344 with 809 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton, September 1975. After leaving RN service XV344 became a trials aircraft with the MoD(PE) and trialled many different pieces of equipment including NVG systems. One of the last Buccs to fly, she's now preserved at DERA Farnborough. S.2B XV342 of 12 Squadron creating its own weather at RAF St. Mawgan, Air Day 1976. XV342 had previously served with 803, 736 and 800 NAS and went on to serve with 16 and 208 Squadrons and 237 OCU before being scrapped in 1993. S.2B XV334 in rather more sedate mood than XV342, also at RAF St. Mawgan, Air Day 1976. At the time this picture was taken XV334 had only been serving with 12 Squadron for a few months, having just left 736 NAS (and before that, 801 NAS). XV334 was scrapped in 1991. S.2A XN982 of 809 NAS at Greenham Common, IAT 1977. Not long after, XN982 would become a maintenance airframe, and was then used as a fatigue test specimen when the Bucc's wing fatigue problems showed up. What was left after that was scrapped in 1992.