Airframes
Benevolens Magister
User name: Airframes.
Name: Terry.
Category: Judge, non-competing.
Kit: Airfix H.S. Buccaneer S2B.
Scale: 1/48th.
Accessories: None. Some scratch-built bits and bobs.
Here's my second entry for the 'Cold War' GB. I got this kit in 1994, and started on the cockpit about six years ago, and it's been sitting gathering dust ever since! There's a bit of a story behind the reason for getting this kit, which I'll briefly relate later. But first, a bit of information on the kit, and the aircraft itself.
This was one of the 'new generation' of Airfix 1/48th scale kits, following on from their success with the introduction of the 1/48th scale range in the late 1970's to early 80's, with kits which then, were state of the art, and very well accepted. At the time the Buccaneer was released, Airfix also announced a pair of E.E. (BAC) Lightning kits, and a Canberra. The former appeared to great reviews, whilst the latter eventually made an appearance, as a series of four kits (!) after many changes in the fortunes of Airfix, just over a year ago. The Buccaneer in particular employed some new techniques in injection moulding tools and production, including, I believe, spark erosion. The general response to the kit was one of satisfaction, although there were, and are, a few issues which can't be ignored, the main one being the method of assembling the fuselage. Unlike 'traditional' kits, where the fuselage halves are split vertically, this kit is split horizontally, with the whole fuselage being moulded in two halves, with the exception of the tail speed brake. This can, and does, lead to some problems of assembly. There are a few other small problems, and the overall design and parts moulding is somewhat mixed, with sharply defined areas, and some rather soft, vague components. However, this is a big and impressive model, so it's probably fortunate that it can be built with the wings folded, and, with care and attention, it can be made into a superb replica of the big and chunky 'Banana Bomber'.
Hopefully, I'll be able to illustrate those areas which need careful attention during the course of the build, and I'll start in the next post, with the cockpit.
Now a little of the aircraft itself, and the reason for obtaining the kit.
The Buccaneer was designed in the 1950's for a Royal Navy requirement, first entering service as the S1 in 1962 and was followed by themuch improved, and more powerful, Rolls Royce 'Spey'-powered S2 in 1965. As a consequence, it was big, heavy, and very capable. Everything about the aircraft is big, with some major structural components being machined from the solid!
The RAF also had a requirement for a low-level strike, and maritime strike aircraft and, in the late 1960's, around 62 Royal Navy aircraft were transferred to the RAF as the S2A, being followed by a further 51 new aircraft, built to RAF specification, as the S2B.
The Buccaneer equipped two sqaudrons in RAF Germany, in the low-level strike role, and three squadrons in the UK in the maritime srtike role, plus an OTU for crew training and conversion.
During the 1991 Gulf War, 'Bucs' operated from Muharraq, Bahrain, using laser target designation for Tornado GR1's, as well as carrying out their own bombing sorties, using LGB's.
Although I'd often seen Buccaneers at air shows, and flying at very low-level over the north-east coast of England, the first time I saw one up close was in the summer of 1985, when I visted a friend who was on 12 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth, in the North of Scotland. The sheer size of the beast, and what seemed like a long, steep climb up to the cockpit was, to say the least, very impressive!
At that time, the 'Buc', and 12 Squadron, were operating in the maritime strike role, where potential targets would have been vessels of the Soviet Northern Fleet, either making incursions into the North Sea off the British coastline, or much further afield, off northern Norway and beyond.
Ten years later, I was to come into contact with a 'Buc' again, when a wealthy friend, with whom I was involved in a business venture, actually bought an operational Buccaneer, the markings for which are included in the Airfix kit, and hence the reason for obtaining it!
Briefly, the plan was to display the 'Buc' on the air show 'circuit' in the UK and Europe, and some provisional bookings had already been aranged for the following year. Meanwhile, my friend, who had a PPL and some hours on jets, including MiG's(!), would get 'converted to type', and I would do the 'back seater's' job, as the Buc needs a two-man crew. This would be done on the ex-RAF simulator, and some slots were actually completed on this. But, there was a snag moving the aircraft, as it couldn't be flown from it's location, due to a runway closure since it arrived there. A problem, with a bridge over a railway, caused major problems if the aircraft was to be dismantled and moved by road. So, the plans never happened, the 'Buc' remained where it was and, as far as I know, is still part of that particular (large) museum!
Sorry for the long introduction, but hopefully it's given a bit of background info on this remarkable aircraft. I'll post some pics very soon, showing the cockpit as it was when the build was 'shelved'.
Name: Terry.
Category: Judge, non-competing.
Kit: Airfix H.S. Buccaneer S2B.
Scale: 1/48th.
Accessories: None. Some scratch-built bits and bobs.
Here's my second entry for the 'Cold War' GB. I got this kit in 1994, and started on the cockpit about six years ago, and it's been sitting gathering dust ever since! There's a bit of a story behind the reason for getting this kit, which I'll briefly relate later. But first, a bit of information on the kit, and the aircraft itself.
This was one of the 'new generation' of Airfix 1/48th scale kits, following on from their success with the introduction of the 1/48th scale range in the late 1970's to early 80's, with kits which then, were state of the art, and very well accepted. At the time the Buccaneer was released, Airfix also announced a pair of E.E. (BAC) Lightning kits, and a Canberra. The former appeared to great reviews, whilst the latter eventually made an appearance, as a series of four kits (!) after many changes in the fortunes of Airfix, just over a year ago. The Buccaneer in particular employed some new techniques in injection moulding tools and production, including, I believe, spark erosion. The general response to the kit was one of satisfaction, although there were, and are, a few issues which can't be ignored, the main one being the method of assembling the fuselage. Unlike 'traditional' kits, where the fuselage halves are split vertically, this kit is split horizontally, with the whole fuselage being moulded in two halves, with the exception of the tail speed brake. This can, and does, lead to some problems of assembly. There are a few other small problems, and the overall design and parts moulding is somewhat mixed, with sharply defined areas, and some rather soft, vague components. However, this is a big and impressive model, so it's probably fortunate that it can be built with the wings folded, and, with care and attention, it can be made into a superb replica of the big and chunky 'Banana Bomber'.
Hopefully, I'll be able to illustrate those areas which need careful attention during the course of the build, and I'll start in the next post, with the cockpit.
Now a little of the aircraft itself, and the reason for obtaining the kit.
The Buccaneer was designed in the 1950's for a Royal Navy requirement, first entering service as the S1 in 1962 and was followed by themuch improved, and more powerful, Rolls Royce 'Spey'-powered S2 in 1965. As a consequence, it was big, heavy, and very capable. Everything about the aircraft is big, with some major structural components being machined from the solid!
The RAF also had a requirement for a low-level strike, and maritime strike aircraft and, in the late 1960's, around 62 Royal Navy aircraft were transferred to the RAF as the S2A, being followed by a further 51 new aircraft, built to RAF specification, as the S2B.
The Buccaneer equipped two sqaudrons in RAF Germany, in the low-level strike role, and three squadrons in the UK in the maritime srtike role, plus an OTU for crew training and conversion.
During the 1991 Gulf War, 'Bucs' operated from Muharraq, Bahrain, using laser target designation for Tornado GR1's, as well as carrying out their own bombing sorties, using LGB's.
Although I'd often seen Buccaneers at air shows, and flying at very low-level over the north-east coast of England, the first time I saw one up close was in the summer of 1985, when I visted a friend who was on 12 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth, in the North of Scotland. The sheer size of the beast, and what seemed like a long, steep climb up to the cockpit was, to say the least, very impressive!
At that time, the 'Buc', and 12 Squadron, were operating in the maritime strike role, where potential targets would have been vessels of the Soviet Northern Fleet, either making incursions into the North Sea off the British coastline, or much further afield, off northern Norway and beyond.
Ten years later, I was to come into contact with a 'Buc' again, when a wealthy friend, with whom I was involved in a business venture, actually bought an operational Buccaneer, the markings for which are included in the Airfix kit, and hence the reason for obtaining it!
Briefly, the plan was to display the 'Buc' on the air show 'circuit' in the UK and Europe, and some provisional bookings had already been aranged for the following year. Meanwhile, my friend, who had a PPL and some hours on jets, including MiG's(!), would get 'converted to type', and I would do the 'back seater's' job, as the Buc needs a two-man crew. This would be done on the ex-RAF simulator, and some slots were actually completed on this. But, there was a snag moving the aircraft, as it couldn't be flown from it's location, due to a runway closure since it arrived there. A problem, with a bridge over a railway, caused major problems if the aircraft was to be dismantled and moved by road. So, the plans never happened, the 'Buc' remained where it was and, as far as I know, is still part of that particular (large) museum!
Sorry for the long introduction, but hopefully it's given a bit of background info on this remarkable aircraft. I'll post some pics very soon, showing the cockpit as it was when the build was 'shelved'.
