Quality film with detailed interviews recounting this wonderful Aircraft. No fluffy "History Channel" content....This film is definately one for the aviation enthusiast
Very much enjoyed this documentary. My father was involved in the development of the Buccaneer in the 1960s, liaising with Brough as a RN engineer. He was Commander (E) at Lossiemouth in the late 60s. He always had tremendous admiration for the Buccaneer. As I type this, I'm looking at a very tarnished silver plated Buccaneer presented to him in 1967 - I'm going to give it a damn good polish! Thank you for some happy memories.
I was at Bae Systems Brough on the day that the RAF paid homage to where the Buccaneers had been made, at the end of their service, with a large diamond formation. The entire factory was allowed to go out to watch the spectacle. One of the factory sheds was behind us and sheltered from view was the River Humber and Lincolnshire. Myself and a friend of mine are ex RAF and we were both expecting the RAF pilots to scare the life out of everyone in one way or another. Sure enough just as the diamond formation had passed our front two Buccaneers coming from behind us skimmed the roof of the shed at high speed. Everyone hit the deck but my friend and I were still standing. Even so it caused a chill to run up my spine. Brilliant.
I was standing on the flight deck while we were in war games with the British attacked I remember looking down into the two man cockpit as they flew about 50 feet over the water, very fine pilots.
I remember a similar experience during Navy days at Portsmouth, we were on the Sheffield i think and the announcer said a sea harrier was going to do a pass, I was looking everywhere but couldn't see it, in the end I looked down and there it was! and yup i was looking down into the cockpit as the pilot carried out a high speed pass. It was pretty hard to believe, even to this day.
Inside bombs - machined from solids - air brakes -retractable refuelling nozzle - enhanced lift technology on wings and tailplane ... years ahead of its time in my view.... Beautiful Aircraft..
Sure was, spent a few good years on the Bucc whilst in the RAF, But No retractable in flight refuel probe / Nozzle though, It was fitted on the UK based kite's, & not on the ones, I was on XV & 16 son's based at Laarbruch then West Germany...
Most aircraft that feature in these types of aviation history videos are usually billed as the 'first' of something, or the fastest, or the greatest or the highest or the...something outstanding. The thing about the buccaneer is that it wasn't the first or the fastest or the greatest anything at all.... it was just very good at everything it did and it did it all for an impressively long time. It was an unglamorous workhorse that paid for itself many many times over and in my book that makes it a great aircraft.
I remember walking in the hills of snowdonia. I looked down and saw a buccaneer following the terrain along a valley below me. That was the first time I had looked down on an aircraft in flight. Quite stunning.
great video, actual interviews with the men who built and operated the machine in question. You cannot possibly get any more informed insight than that. Also I have always had a soft spot for the buccaneer
Always loved this marvelous aircraft especially in Royal Navy service of course, as a young lad in the 1960s to the 70s it was the jet I dreamed of roaring off of HMS Victorious, Hermes or Eagle. Alas I never became a pilot but I served. : ) RN 1978-1986
Born in RNH Gibraltar, one of my earliest memories is these flying over our house in Gib. Liked them so much my Dad bought me a print of one when I was 3 which I still have hanging in my study. Awesome machines.
One of the finest aircraft I ever had the pleasure and honour to work on, it is such a pity the aircraft industry in the United Kingdom died as the aircraft it produced were some of the finest ever made, but as this film demonstrates the development and introduction to service took far to long, and that in turn lead to the military turning to other countries for aircraft, if only we hadn’t insisted on having an aircraft perfect before releasing it to service, perhaps we would still have large scale aircraft industry, instead we rely on collaborative manufacture or overseas manufactured aircraft. RIP United Kingdom aircraft manufacture. I don’t think that anyone has produced an aircraft that could match the Buc for its TFR capability, and that is another story. The Buccaneers being transferred to the RAF was absolutely imperative, just because the government was so short sighted and cancelled the TSR-2, a decision that was also, in my opinion, influenced by the USA and the Common Market (as it was then), just the first in a long line of decisions forced upon the 🇬🇧 by the E.U, when, or if we eventually leave the EU we might, I say might get back to the old days of building and buying British aircraft, oh, forgot, we will probably go cap in hand to the USA, just because of the “special relationship “, and at the moment I don’t see a viable alternative, even the typhoon, as good as it is, can’t cover all the bases, the Lightning 2 is taking far to long to enter service and can’t do the job it is supposed to, we would be better of with Falcons and Hornets, throw in some A-10s (yes I know they are out of service but there are plenty out in the desert) and finally a few B1B’s just for luck, easy this procurement lark, don’t need pen pushers in Whitehall, oh and our helicopter fleet and airlift capability is fine, for now at least. Have fun ripping my comments to shreds, I love a good debate/arguments, bring it on!
Droning on about the TSR2 is usually done by right-wing types who don't like the Labour party and prefer the party that appeased Hitler. The real disaster in British aircraft procurement was the Conservative 1957 Defence White paper that cancelled lots of promising aircraft, leaving just the TSR2 for the RAF, which was then loaded with bureaucratic problems by the Conservative government up to 1964. Many say that the TSR2 was compensation for the air force losing the strategic deterrent role to the navy. The Buccaneer should have been developed from the outset for the RAF as well as the navy.
The Buccaneer flew so low that during Red Flag exercises the fighters had to look for dust trails to find them. Also they could fly faster fully loaded at low level than the Mach 2 Strike Aircraft.
Yes, and with its area rule and boundary layer it could fly under full control incredibly low and slow. I watched one flying down a valley near where my dad lived in Wales, and I could barely believe just how slowly it was flying. A fast jet going that slow? Any other aircraft would have simply fallen out of the sky!
They had to ascend from 10 feet to 20 feet to stop the dust trails.. it was also said would take 4 seconds to get a missile lock on a Buccaneers but a 5 seconds the American fighter would hit the ground
I do know there was a argument during a red flag exercise because the observer said the buccaneers had not PULLED UP to open the bombay doors! (rotary bombay, no doors)!
You ask kids today and they have no idea what a slide rule is. When I did my A levels in 1973, the slide rule was all we used for mathematics and physics.
If the slide rule was that great, then those same people would not have invented calculators. Regardless of what you use, you still need the same Math knowledge.
Having worked on both the Buccaneer & Phantom aircraft at Brough & H.O.S.M. great film, agree with Richard Smith's comments it would have been a lot better in the original 4.3 format. Have experienced seeing the Buccaneer fly at low level between the Hangers at H.O.S.M. working as ground crew in the 70's a great thrill to see again.
I had an airfix scale model Buccaneer when I was a kid. My dad helped me put it together. I loved that thing. It even had the rotating bomb bay. I love those big hefty 'shoulder' jet air intakes, and I always imagined it transforming into a Gundam .
By all accounts this is one of those special aircraft that delivers what it looks like it would deliver. A very robust jet that can fly steady as a rock straight and true even a zero feet.
When i was a young soldier in the German Air Force in 1978 a few Buccaneers come to visit our Fliegerhorst. We made jokes about the airplane. Our Pilots flew F 104 Starfighter! The best looking and incredibly performing aircraft! When our guests left we all gathered around to farewell our friends. The Buccaneers left, only to come back a few Minutes later to "attack" our Fliegerhorst. We stood there and dropped our jaws. They where so fast and so low we couldn't believe our eyes! We looked at each other unable to say something. We never made a joke again about this fantastic aircraft.
I really do enjoy all things military aviation, especially jets. But I do find this type of documentary with the facts and specific interview type things of people that don’t throw any bullshit in the mix and tell the good and bad the most interesting. If you have access to any more of these types of films or even just audio of different aircraft and wouldn’t mind sharing that would be something to look forward to!
I still remember when I was young living in South Cornwall and saw a couple of Buccaneers flying down to bomb the Torrey Canyon stuck on the rocks at Lands End ( a failure as the crude didn't burn) but i think the only operation they flew for the British forces. The South Africans used them a lot in the bush war, to great effect. A super achievement for British engineering.
This was when we, GB, were still building fantastic aircraft, better than anyone else at the time... I was just over a year old when his first flew....
Us RAF ground crew loved them too! Absolutely brilliant aircraft, I saw one today, not airworthy but at Newark Air Museum nr the former RAF Swinderby. The best Fleet Air Arm cast off's the RAF ever got.
The 'Bucc' was a fearsome beast,I remember standing near the end of the runway at RAF Honington ( at Bulk Fuel Inst5A/B) watching them take off and you could literally feel your bones shaking! always made me feel proud to be Air Force!When they turned to for Gulf One it was like watching your Grandad re activated,but as always they saw the job done.A wonderful Aircraft,I never heard an Aircrew Officer moan about them!
The bones shaking part of the deal was due to those earlier jet engines. For whatever reason they are far louder than modern fighter engines. I don't understand why exactly as they are both jet engines that have no bypass at all unlike commercial engines. Commercial jet engines have become increasingly quieter as they have gone along as they have discovered bypass technology. Today's ultra high bypass engines are amazingly quiet. Could you imagine how loud the engines from the A380 or other huge twins like the 777 would be if they weren't bypass engines? Jeez they wouldn't just shake your bones, they would shatter them! But even fighters engines today are far quieter. The loudest aircraft in the American Navy is the A6, now only around in its electronic warfare version. This was an aircraft that dates roughly to the same time as the buccaneers. The A6 was far louder on takeoff than any of the more recent aircraft like the F/A 18 Super Hornets, louder by a long ways I might add. Again I don't understand why. Neither engine features by pass technology, no fighter jet does for that matter, so one would think, if anything, the Hornets engines would be quite a bit louder as they are far more powerful even without counting the temp thrust gain when in afterburner. But nope it's the older less powerful A6 engines. They are so loud that with some people if they are standing too close the sound actually makes them nauseous like it they were suddenly motion sick. I would like to see a video on exactly why those engines of old are so loud. I know why they smoke and newer ones dont, cause the newer engines burn the fuel much more efficiently,
"No fluffy 'History Channel' content". Thank you! This business of turning aviation films into rock video wannabes has been getting on my nerves for years.
I have lost count of the number of times I was on the receiving end of "attacks" from these guys when I was in the RN. Many a time I have stood on a bridge wing and looked down into the cockpit of one of these monsters flown by some of the best pilots ever. I have seen these pull up to pass over the focsle of a frigate ffs!!
Thanks for the upload. I had this film on VHS but it went missing during a house move. Glorious to see it again. Such a pity the RAF big wigs resented the Bucc for being a Navy aeroplane. It could have been upgraded and kept effective well through the 90s.
"Never fired a shot in anger." Really? Do these people ever check their facts? The Buccaneers of the South African Air Force were pretty much constantly in action during the Border War.
I like how cool and understated the pilot is "[landing on a carrier] is not at all as difficult as it might look". Contrast that with any other documentary on YT, with its obligatory fawning comments, that shows naval aviation.
I'm quite certain that a new tranche of Buccaneer airframes, equipped with modern engines, avionics & weapon systems and working in the low level attack role, would still give any Air Defence System a good eye watering kick in the bollocks.
sorry to be offtopic but does any of you know a tool to log back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid lost my login password. I would appreciate any help you can give me!
@Grey Roger I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process atm. Seems to take quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
I got this as an airfix model sent to me when i was a kid. Didnt like it much then as it wasnt supersonic. Now i get it! Typical elegant, understated and effective brit design. If you guys werent so short sighted you'd still be sat with us now. At the top of the pack! You know what. There should be more british american projects 50/50 down the middle. cos at the moment. Your talents are being wasted my friends. An affectionate 'yank'!
I'm sorry to say it but the U. S has often put a stop to the british developing their own military projects in favour of buying theirs. Which put an end to most of their military aviation industry. I think they still do engines, radar and ejection seats. But as far as a full aircraft. The last of a long line I think was the harrier.
The tail is not only the airbrake - the aircraft was intentionally designed to be longer than the length that would fit on the carrier flight deck lifts. However by opening the airbrake and rotating the hinged nos (with the radar) 180 degrees the aircraft was short enough to meet the specified length.
XK486 crashed at Low Hunsley Farm, Little Weighton, John Joyce an observer died in the first test flight, two more died with Sea trials on an aircraft carrier (including RN Pilot), two more died at Holme on Spalding Moor where the aircraft was being tested from. This was between 1959-1963
Cool plane! .. legend... I seen Buccaneer planes on HMS Eagle when it visited NZ in the early 70s..... I been interested ever since.. thanks from NZ ✈️👍🇳🇿
I agree I thought it was much smaller until I saw the one at Newark Air Museum. The other aircraft that is bigger than it seems is the Gannet. At the other extreme the Folland Gnat looks as though you can put it in your pocket. Newark had the Gnat under the wing of a Gannet - it fitted with plaenty of room to spare !
Very interesting to listen to the test pilots' stories, but when the film gets to 13:50 or so and the first Buc' is lined up on the carrier (Ark Royal?) for its first launch, and then you see how short the lanuch pad is... jeepers. Standing start to ~100kt or so in about the length of a football pitch, in a development ship that's never done this before. "All set? Jolly good, off you go then."
Who produced this amazing docummentary? Also, who did the music for it? I have to say the tone and style set for this production was wonderful. Thank you very very much for posting it.
Wonderful aircraft. The designers apparently didn't do anything groundbreaking with the structural airframe in order to make it more resistant to the tremendous stresses of low altitude flight but applied known design principles to enable the stresses to be spread throughout the aircraft frame and not too greatly in any single spot. The Buccaneer would fly low altitude sorties as a matter of course, for its operational lifetime, that would have simply trashed other aircraft in a fraction of the time. Tremendous aircraft and greatly underestimated.
Sorry, but they did mess up for the Mk2 when they put the bigger wing on the airframe without any other modifications which led to fatigue failure and the loss of aircraft and their crews.
Dear god, I love this plane, was brought up with it, pops was FAA for 24.5 years so it was there when I was born,and was there all through my youth, some of the tales he told I belive are still classified?
It originated as the NA 39 designed as a carrier-borne attack aircraft able to carry a nuclear bomb below radar coverage.hence the rotating bomb bay I remember photographing one at Farnborough in late 58/60 or thereabouts :-)
Worked on them '89 to '92. Best low flying aircraft the UK has ever produced. Should have fitted it with the Tornado avionics (like they did at Boscombe Down during Tornado development) and kept it in service. Bomb proof airframe. Not unsurprising the Tornado couldn't carry out the same mission profiles when it took over maritime ops after the Bucc was retired.
The nose folded back and the split tail extension folded to allow the aircraft to be short enough to fit on the aircraft carrier lifts. The split tail was also the air brake. They had an interesting discussion with the procurement people as it was longer than specified unless the nose and tail extension were folded.
I have the vid on video tape and it goes into everything from design to service .I must have a hundred or more vsr tapes on various aircraft design and entry into service and I am hoping to transfer everything to DVD .
10:44 By comparing the lateral position of the "face curtain" overhead ejection "handle" between the Pilot and the backseater, you can see the backseaters seat is laterally offset to starboard compared to the pilot. I've heard "the Buc's backseater's view is a bunch of the pilots right shoulder."lol Great videoi.
The pilots used to say, that the only replacement for the Buccaneer...was another Buccaneer! Check out footage of some of the early 'red flag' excersises in the US!
Further to a previous comment an international interceptor test was arranged wherebye a Concorde would fly over at full speed while interceptors from NATO including the US would after taking off cold. Attempt to catch her. Not only was the Lightning the only one that could catch her, it also overtook it drawing considerably applause from the US observers.
In mid 1977 I was an RN POAF (O) on 809 RN Squadron based at RAF Honington. It was a Saturday, and we were informed via telecon from ATC that two RAF Jaguars were diverting into Honington, it being a Saturday there were no RAF ground crew available to ‘see them in’. We were of course were more than happy to comply, whilst assisting the lead Jag pilot to unstrap and make his seat safe, I mentioned that his Jag looked like a high performance sports car compared to our ageing Buccs on the flight line. His response was (with a nod towards our Buccs) 'If I had to go to war, I'd prefer to go in one of those than one of these!' Says it all really doesn't it?
My memory of the Buccaneer is sailing a 60 ft yacht across the Minch and being 'attacked' by a pair of Buccaneer's who were flying low enough to lift over the mast of our boat. Pity I did not have a camera handy at the time.
Looking at the Buccaneer I would think that a lot of people would be unaware that it was designed to deliver the ultimate weapon, and on knowing this it suddenly takes on a brooding malign character.
One factual note - the S Mk-50 variants flew combat missions in South-Africa It also had RATO packs, which were thankfully discontinued before I worked on the bucs - HTP is nasty stuff
My dad was one of the chief electricians that worked on these at Brough then when the squadron moved to Honington we moved from Hull to Stanton so my dad could sub-contract to the RAF to maintain them until the end of their stay there. His name was Trevor Isaksen if anyone at Honington knew him?
The SAAF Bucs saw action in Angola. One took out 9 BTR90 APCs during the Cuito Carnavale fight returning time after time to base to refuel and rearm with rockets. Somewhere online is an account of that by the pilot.
I think you will find that the splash is a trolley. Launches used to be by hydro-pneumatic systems whereby a steel wire rope dragged a small trolley along the flight deck, with the aircraft towed along behind. With the introduction of steam catapults in the mid 1950s the steel cable was replaced by a shuttle which was attached directly to the aircraft and the deck. By so doing you can transfer more energy to the aircraft and simplify the launch with fewer moving parts.
Aha! I have just been searching the internet...without success..'''steam catapult splash''...Was it recoverable? I was imagining them running out of ''thingys'' to throw in the sea.
The issue with the Buccaneer is could something this good in 1956 and relatively seamless in development possibly have been designed by Blackburn definitely a second line British aircraft builder or even the United Kingdom. I mean Sydney Cam and Hawker or English Electric could have designed say the TU 16 but even Hawker or EE would never have done or afforded the 99 perfection. Consider the previous efforts of Blackburn. The Beverley mediocre, the Skua dated and the Firebrand poor as and terrifying. Its equivalent to saying 3 years after a 1955 Vanwall you have penned and built a 1969 Tyrrell. You have to assume that the Buccanear is the USN very substantially designed alternative to the Intruder A-6, rejected because the Buccanears superior ability to land on small carriers is just what the USN dosen't want, as it strengthens the argument for Essex sized carriers. NA39 was also built and developed against strong opposition from the Churchill government which carriers as anti submarine carriers with defensive fighter squadrons or alternative large light cruisers sinking commerce or raiding ports. And to he fair saw this sort of capability as creating the absurdity of two competing air forces.
