Britman Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 (edited) Shall we say 1978/9? This dropped in on us on day having blown the hood it landed wheels up on a nice foam carpet. it was then deposited into "our" hangar at Invicta Aircraft Engineering at Manston. A working party came down from I presume Honington to prepare it for a gear down ferry back home. It stayed with us for three or four days and before it left dad and I "zapped" it just below the port intake with the white horse of Invicta! Now I have tried everywhere on the net to get the serial number of this beastie and drawn a blank, can anybody help? Edited February 21, 2018 by Britman Er, spelling. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stringbag Posted February 15, 2018 Share Posted February 15, 2018 That looks pretty straight considering its ungainly arrival. Pity really, could have used an Airfix Buccaneer for a diorama. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 16, 2018 Author Share Posted February 16, 2018 The belly tank took the brunt of it with very little damage elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 Wasn't Manston a major diversion airfield? I imagine there were plenty of interesting unscheduled arrivals. I wonder if the Bucc was written off. Should be possible to trace the serial number, it will be recorded somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 Yes it was Smudge , and yes we had some interesting arrivals. I have been trying to find the Buccs serial but have had no luck so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 19, 2018 Share Posted February 19, 2018 The fire section at Manston had a “visitots’ book” of unscheduled arrivals which, IIRC, included a Dan-Air Comet with a collapsed nose undercarriage: I wonder if if still exists somewhere. Flying from Manston’s runway in a Chipmunk was slightly surreal; the smallest powered aircraft in the RAF inventory at the time operating from a runway wide enough that you couldn’t see one side from the other due to the curvature of the earth, let alone the ends. I can still remember looking out through the top of the forward section of the canopy late on one approach and being able to see nothing but runway and we were still definitely the right way up and a long way from going down vertically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 19, 2018 Author Share Posted February 19, 2018 Yes I remember the Comet Steve,I have a picture somewhere. The runway is definitely impressive with some wonderful undulations which will be smoothed out when Manston reopens hopefully in 2019/20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Anyone know this aircraft? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 1 hour ago, Britman said: Anyone know this aircraft? Stealth fighter/bomber/transport/MPA? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 12 hours ago, stever219 said: Stealth fighter/bomber/transport/MPA? What? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhoenixII Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 Morning, think the comment by stever219 was being cheeky, it's to do with your post #8, "anyone know this aircraft?" I assume you meant the Bucc. at the top of the page, but I think a lot of us expected another photo. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 3 hours ago, PhoenixII said: Morning, think the comment by stever219 was being cheeky, it's to do with your post #8, "anyone know this aircraft?" I assume you meant the Bucc. at the top of the page, but I think a lot of us expected another photo. Paul Thanks Paul: I was indeed being irreverent and facetious as well as expecting another photo. 😜 (I think)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 23, 2018 Author Share Posted February 23, 2018 Just trying my luck here lads,remember the thread? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 There is no listing of a Buccaneer written off at Manston in either 1978 or '79 so presume it was repaired. Have you tried asking here? www.pprune.org. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 24, 2018 Author Share Posted February 24, 2018 13 hours ago, Scimitar said: There is no listing of a Buccaneer written off at Manston in either 1978 or '79 so presume it was repaired. Have you tried asking here? www.pprune.org. Appreciate your interest, but as my introduction says it was flown gear down back to Honington. I will try pprune as you suggest. This is no big deal,but sometimes one just wonders as to the eventual fate of some aircraft of which more anon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 9 hours ago, Britman said: but as my introduction says On 19/02/2018 at 8:20 AM, Britman said: Yes it was Smudge This is where I got confused then. Your reply to @Smudge's comment about it being written off was what made me look for write offs in that year. Could your photo be as late as 1984? XV352 was involved in a catagory 3 accident on 14/2/84 whilst with 208. It was returned to the unit after repairs on 11/1/85 and was then coded 'TS' I have been unable to find anything on the accident. You know of course that the itch won't be satisfied until you identify it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 24, 2018 Author Share Posted February 24, 2018 56 minutes ago, Scimitar said: This is where I got confused then. Your Invictay to @Smudge's comment about it being written off was what made me look for write offs in that year. Could your photo be as late as 1984? XV352 was involved in a catagory 3 accident on 14/2/84 whilst with 208. It was returned to the unit after repairs on 11/1/85 and was then coded 'TS' I have been unable to find anything on the accident. You know of course that the itch won't be satisfied until you identify it Answer was to the question about Manston being a major diversion field. Invicta folded in 1980 , so had to be late 70,s as I had left in 79 and my dad was last man out in 1980. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 OK thanks I've exhausted my Buccaneer reference materials so sorry I haven't been able to help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted February 25, 2018 Share Posted February 25, 2018 How about trying to access the 208 Squadron ORB, either through the RAF Museum or the National Archive at Kew? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Britman Posted February 25, 2018 Author Share Posted February 25, 2018 Good suggestions, I looked over 208,s squadron site last night but drew a blank. I did find in one of my own books another view wich I will post later. Unfortunately I cannot see any individual identification but have nailed the year to 1977. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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