Blackburn Buccaneer

Survivor XK526

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S.2 XK526 - RAF Honington (gate guard), near Thetford, Suffolk

Buccaneer S.2 XK526 at RAF Honington, 25th July 2015; Richard E Flagg

Buccaneer S.2 XK526 at RAF Honington, 12th January 2007; Francis Wallace

Buccaneer S.2 XK526 at RAF Honington, May 1999; Allan Barley

First built as a S.1 and then converted to a S.2 at the production stage, XK526 stands as a reminder of Honington's past, when the Buccaneer OCU was stationed there. The airframe does look more like a plastic mockup than a real aircraft though, with its high gloss paint scheme and a black-painted canopy which is now faded. The canopy was painted black due to the fact it was turning cloudy from where it has been exposed to the sun light for several years, it also covers up the fact the cockpits are completely empty.

Information on this page current as of 18/06/2021, last updated by Jake

Find other photos of XK526 on the following sites:

Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net

Visitor Comments

2 people have commented on this page. This is comment section 1 of 1.

Colin Robson from sunderland	Posted at 6:39pm on Wednesday, August 10th, 2016
I was a Junior Technician at RAF Honington from 1997-2003 working in the General Engineering Flight (GEF). During my time there the Buccaneer XK526 Gate Guardian was looking a bit sorry for itself so it was decided by my bosses that it needed repainting. A company was called in to erect a scaffold frame with a cover over the aircraft and the painters from GEF repainted it. The scaffold was removed and on inspection my boss was unhappy with the canopy which was clear at the time. He said that it needed paint... read more »read more »
Norman J Roberson from OAKHAM, Rutland	Posted at 5:54pm on Saturday, June 1st, 2013
XK526 was a Gate Guardian at RAF Honington, but in early 1994, before the Station was handed over to the RAF Regiment, it was changed to be a Memorial. Memorials can not be removed, and this action was taken to prevent the aircraft being removed, and replaced by a piece of artillery equipment. I have a picture of the memorial plaque, which I can send you if you give me your email. Regards Norman Roberson (Buccaneer Aircrew Association's Historian) Buccaneer Navigator. Honington 1969/72 & ... read more »read more »

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