TYPE HISTORY | PHOTO REFERENCE | PROFILES | CUTAWAY PROFILE ARTWORK T Buccaneer S.1, XN930/632/LM, 736 NAS, RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar) 1969. Overall Extra BUCCANEER Dark Sea Grey, pale blue nose numbers, white tail codes, ‘ROYAL NAVY’ legends and serials. T Buccaneer S.2, XT269/236/LM, 700B Flight, RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar), 1965. Extra Dark Sea Grey over white, white tailcodes, fuselage serials and ‘ROYAL NAVY’ legends, Roundel Blue underwing serials and nose numbers. T Buccaneer S.2, XV156/100/E, 800 NAS, HMS Eagle, 1966. Overall Extra Dark Sea Grey, but this was applied over the previously white underside, giving the impression of a different grey shade being used due to the poor opacity. White ‘ROYAL NAVY’ legends, serials and ship’s ‘E’. Fuselage numbers are black trimmed in white. T Buccaneer S.2, XT280/323, 809 NAS, RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar), 1968. Overall Extra Dark Sea Grey, all serials/codes and ‘ROYAL NAVY’ legends in pale blue. Note black ‘LM’ tailcodes incorporated in the squadron badge. T Buccaneer S.2, XT284/611/LM, 803 NAS, RNAS Lossiemouth (HMS Fulmar), 1969. Overall Extra Dark Sea Grey, pale blue serials/codes/legends. (Andy Hay/www.flyingart.co.uk) no.05 www.keypublishing.com BLACKBURN BUCCANEER 11 DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT W Sightseeing Rare colour photo Buccaneer style: of two NA.39s flying A Lossiemouth together, serials S.2B blasts XK487 and XK489. by Dunrobin (BAe Brough) Castle, Wick, south of Caithness. (Key Collection) T Anti-radar Martel missiles hang from the inboard pylons of this Lossiemouth Wing Buccaneer, along with an ALQ-101-10 electronic counter- measures pod on the port outer station. (Graham Pitchfork) IN THE BEGINNING... FOREWORD he Blackburn Buccaneer story comprised one 2,500lb (1,134kg) sea level speed was specified to be starts with the issuing in March target marker tactical nuclear bomb at least 550kts (633mph/1,019km/h). his latest title in Key Publishing’s Combat Machines 5 comprises machine, which forged a long T1954 of Specification M.148T (TMB), one Green Cheese anti- An in-flight refuelling capability was Combat Machines series a general history of the type, career, culminating with combat and Naval Requirement NR/A.39 (or ship homing bomb (subsequently required, along with a pack installation T covers the Buccaneer, a sectionalised to explain design and operations in 1991’s First Gulf War. NA.39). These documents described cancelled), four Red Angel (Special M) that would also turn the NA.39 into highly successful strike aircraft which, development (and trials) flying, It was also used to help destroy a two-seat, twin-engined naval strike bombs, 24 air-to-surface rockets, four a tanker. Service entry was slated for perhaps, has not been covered in versions for the Royal Navy, RAF and three damaged oil tankers, two in aircraft whose primary targets were mines, two 2,000lb (907kg) armour- 1960 and six designs were submitted published works quite as much as it South Africa – the only successful South Africa and the infamous Torrey T Former to be both shore installations and piercing or four 1,000lb (454kg) by industry. First Gulf should have been. Echoing most of export customer – and then reviews Canyon in the English Channel. The War veteran major warships, such as the Soviet standard medium capacity bombs, or the previous volumes in the series, of a long and successful service and text contains new information and XX885/L Hello Union’s Sverdlov-class cruisers. The a four-gun 30mm Aden pack (though B.103 nuances this work on Blackburn’s splendid combat career with all three air arms. the opportunity has been taken to Sailor/Caroline/ all-up-weight and dimensions of the in the end the Buccaneer would never Blackburn's design team led by Barry Buccaneer is timed to accompany the Additional chapters examine the present many previously unpublished Famous Grouse aircraft were dictated by the size of carry guns). The avionics included a Laight and Roy Boot proposed the goes vertical release of a new plastic model kit from extensive selection of weaponry used or rarely seen photographs. These over the the deck lifts in Royal Navy carriers. search radar and a lightweight Doppler. B.103, which introduced several Airfix, but the book stands as a fine by the aircraft, airframes employed will be of inestimable value to both rugged Scottish The jet was to be 51ft (15.54m) long A high proportion of strike new or unorthodox features. One reference for aviation enthusiasts. The in trials and research programmes, modellers and diehard Buccaneer landscape in and 20ft (6.10m) wide when folded; operations was to be conducted at was area rule, which resulted in the 1993. Its nose author’s sections have been boosted production and squadron listings, fans alike. art has faded an extensive array of weaponry/stores low level and so the maximum possible Buccaneer’s characteristic waisted by major contributions from two and a personal account of life in the almost to non- bulges in the rear fuselage, and Buccaneer specialists, Gp Capt Tom aircraft’s cockpit. The Buccaneer was Tony Buttler AMRAeS existence, but which also provided more space for Eeles and Air Cdre Graham Pitchfork. a tough, reliable and dependable Author the mission stowing equipment. tally is still clear. X The first Note the CBLS Blackburn B.103 Another new trait was integral Authors: Tony Buttler, Graham Pitchfork, Air Arm by Ray Sturtivant and Theo Ballance. Production Manager: Janet Watkins 100 practice layout of 1953 construction, where many of the Tom Eeles One particularly good published source is Head of Circulation: Ann Saundry bomb carrier had no area loads experienced in flight would be rule, but that Series Editor: Chris Clifford Dennis Calvert’s extensive article in Wings of Group CEO and Publisher: Adrian Cox under the absorbed by the skinning. Also, the starboard wing. changed as the Acknowledgements: The primary Fame Volume 14 published in 1999. My thanks Key Publishing Ltd: PO Box 100, Stamford, (Key Collection) design matured structure would use possibly the most references used for this work included Avia go to Adrian Balch, Terry Panopalis, Graham Lincolnshire, PE9 1XQ, United Kingdom. in readiness for massive steel forgings yet seen in an and Air files in the National Archives at Pitchfork and Mark Thomson for their help official proposal. aircraft design. These spars inside the Though clearly Kew and various reports and documents with photographs. Distributed by: Seymour Distribution Ltd, inner wing would provide structural held by the BAE Systems Archive at Colour artwork: Andy Hay – Flying Art 2 Poultry Avenue, London, EC1A 9PP. a Buccaneer ancestor, this strength, but their production to the Brough. Unit data was accessed mainly Designer: Tom Bagley Tel: 020 7429 4000. Fax: 020 7429 4001. was some necessary close tolerances created from Air-Britain’s The Squadrons of the Royal Chief Designer: Steve Donovan Printed by: Precision Colour Print, Telford way from the new problems in aircraft manufacture, Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988 by Chief Content and Commercial Officer: Printed in England finished article. James Halley and The Squadrons of the Fleet Mark Elliott ISBN: 9781-912205-332 (BAe Brough and questions of supply and machining Heritage Centre) capacity within the entire UK industry www.keypublishing.com BLACKBURN BUCCANEER 3 4 BLACKBURN BUCCANEER www.keypublishing.com DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT W The first DB wing leading edges, and the lower X Drawings aircraft, XK486 surfaces of the tailplane leading edge. showing the painted in subtle variations yellow primer, On the Buccaneer S.1 with its pair of in the shape and undergoes initial de Havilland Gyron Junior engines, the fittings of the engine runs at a BLC tapped approximately 10% of the various NA.39 snowy Brough Development in February engine mass flow from the final stage Batch aircraft. 1958, prior to of the compressor. There was an (BAe Brough being moved to appreciable loss of thrust as a result Heritage Centre) Bedford for its maiden flight. – in fact also around 10% – but about A Beverley 70% of that was recovered by the transport thrust produced by the blown slits, development aircraft stands leaving a net loss of just 3%. However, behind. (BAe the Gyron Junior’s fuel system was Brough via G also arranged to supply additional fuel T Painted in a Pitchfork) when BLC was operating, with the handsome blue and white break-away of the airstream, and The B.103 as result that the engine thrust was about W scheme, XK486 proposed to providing more lift. The advantages the same blown as unblown, and the performs taxi Specification of BLC for a naval aeroplane were combined thrust from both engines trials at Brough M.148T. Several in early April clear, since it offered lower approach modifications and slits was about 3% higher with BLC 1958. Note the and take-off speeds, a reduced wing were still than when unblown. nose boom required to turn area and span, and possibly the use Thus, BLC superseded all other high- pitot static this into the of smaller, lower thrust engines. lift devices and the B.103 became the system, the Buccaneer S.1. airbrake strakes Exhaustive wind tunnel tests began (BAe Brough first aircraft to incorporate the concept and the original in April 1954 and it was ultimately Heritage Centre) from the start. Its use transformed fin/tailplane decided that the blow supply should the design, and flight testing showed design. (BAe come from ‘bleeding’ jet air from the that BLC gave an approximate 25kts Brough via G engine compressors. (46km/h) reduction in stall speed when Pitchfork) During the design process there was the problem of provid ing sufficient tailplane power for flight at low speeds, but the solution was to use a plain flap on the all-moving tailplane T A line-up of in the opposite sense to normal – in Buccaneer had to be addressed.