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+++Finished+++ Tim's 1/72 Frog Buccaneer S2 - Britain's last bomber


Tim Moff

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In the 1950s the Royal Navy was looking for a fast low-level bomber, capable of delivering a free-fall nuclear weapon, for its Fleet Air Arm squadrons. Blackburn’s had traditionally been a supplier of naval/maritime aircraft since World War One (e.g. the Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo maritime patrol aircraft) and they jumped at the chance to build a fast, carrier-borne jet. The N.A 39 design which emerged from the design process was rather disappointing in some ways. The angle at which the aircraft was launched from the steam catapults on the British fleet carriers was critical at certain gross weights, and the 7,100 lb st de Havilland DGJ.1 Gyron Junior engines were both underpowered and ‘thirsty’. For these reasons, the Buccaneer S.1 got mixed reviews.

Whilst all this was going on, the RAF had shown absolutely no interest in the Buccaneer. They were going to have the superb BAC TSR.2 (an aircraft so advanced that it would still be in service today as an ELINT or photographic platform). Unfortunately, the politics that killed the TSR.2 also killed the RAF’s American replacement for it, the General Dynamics F-111K. Suddenly, the RAF needed a fast bomber – fast – and there was the Buccaneer! The Royal Navy was retiring their fleet carriers, and the RAF ‘inherited’ their McDonell Phantom FG.1 (F4K) aircraft, as well as the ‘Buccs’. A new version of the Buccaneer, the S.2B, was developed specifically for the RAF, with the superb Rolls-Royce Spey 101 turbofan engine of 11,100 lb st (Speys were also in the Phantom FG.1) and this gave a massive boost to the Blackburn design. The RAF inherited an aircraft with very useful characteristics; a heavy-duty undercarriage (designed for carrier landings), folding wings (easy on hangar space), split speed brake in the tail, arrestor gear (useful for battlefield short-field ops.), and buddy-buddy refuelling capability. More importantly, the ‘Bucc’ could go places – in a hurry – like 540 knots at 100 feet a.g.l. or LESS! Its ride – on the deck – was nothing short of superb. I have seen film of a pair of Buccaneers ‘attacking’ a US-manned ‘threat site’, at 500 knots plus, in a Thatch weave, at below 100 feet. The site operators were unable to maintain lock on the incoming pair and just gave up! The first time the RAF sent Buccaneers to Exercise Red Flag in Nevada, the F-15 pilots and AWACS crews were gleeful at what they assumed were easy kills ahead. At the end of two weeks there were red faces at Red Flag – not one single ‘Bucc’ kill, and lots of targets eliminated. The Buccaneer’s last hurrah came with the 1991 Gulf War. A detachment was hastily refinished in ARTF (Alkali Removable Temporary Finish) Desert Pink and flown out to Bahrain. Providing laser targeting facilities (via their ‘Pave Spike’ pods) for the RAF’s Tornado GR.1 strike aircraft, they also joined in bombing raids, carrying their share of 1,000 lb TI Paveway II laser guided bombs.

Sadly, the end came due to metal fatigue. Two aircraft (and their crews) were lost due to structural failures in flight, and many were found to have cracked main spars, at the end of a long and hard life. There were those who say that the Buccaneer should have been re-spared (not just repaired), ‘zero-timed’ and updated, but it was not to be. It was replaced by the Panavia Tornado GR.1 – which could not carry as much, or as far, or as fast at low level, and was just not as manoeuverable as a ‘Bucc’.

The former Thunder City (South Africa) Buccaneers, which used to be available for display flying were forced to be sold when the company was wound up, following a fatal English Electric Lightning crash.

You've just gotta love the 'Banana'!!

For this GB I have an old Frog S2 kit (I know not the best but has the S2 flat belly), hoping to get some extras by way of a C Scale White metal set with slipper tanks etc (martels not in service I think?).

I will use the Model alliance MA-72177 sheet to build an HS Buccaneer S.2 XN980/233 of 801 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, operating from HMS Victorious in 1966.

Sprue shots:

8A1278CD-2FB1-4819-94CA-5440FD0701A7_zps

3E47EA73-85EA-4DF5-AB88-AEA42E79D366_zps

AB8945A9-F0D6-457A-9B33-5DC481A4BA99_zps

604CC9C0-84C6-41BB-85AB-D839DEDCA5D9_zps

C0AD3DE7-F9F1-4031-87AA-631942E86A88_zps

F96ACFCC-DE65-4A00-A8D5-273D863FF4A3_zps

Now I do have a 1/72 older RAF Airfix boxing, tempted to do an S2B as well....I also have an Airfix 1/48 boxing. again an S2B, to be done as per the Gulf War...tempted!

Some great tips on modelling any Buccaneer and plenty of info:

http://www.blackburn-buccaneer.co.uk/Pages3_files/Model_Directory_Index.html?

Edited by Tim Moff
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  • 4 weeks later...

Getting started on this (bben busy with work and the F5F build).

Got some bits together and the main parts off the sprues...gonna be interesting getting it to fit, plus its see through from the intakes to jet pipes....may try to replicated the Airfix engine blanking piece....or not!

Cockpit is as sparse as they come....just hope the FAA old sty;le paint job can make up for it!!

Will get to start on the Sea Jet tomorrow too....

1614C4B6-5DBC-445B-A731-438152E1E6D9_zps

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Started on the painting, used the 1/48 Bucc instructions for colour guidance.

Need to finish off the two FAA pilots. Fraid the pit in general is a bit sparse, there you go, is an old Frog kit.

0E7A16D8-636D-454C-9EDF-809C1B51DA30_zps

9B7C8BCC-DD14-4EE2-946E-7379C3FAA298_zps

Will get the crew finished off, not wasting too much time on it....will need to look if I am going to try to replicate the airfix style compressor blade blanking or leave it see through!!

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Good luck, love the Buccaneer! :-)

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  • 2 weeks later...

OK got the pilots painted in 1960's dress and into the very very very basic Frog Pit....

Also got the Airfix Bucc intake plate out - it fits the Frog mould....so I have traced around it and cut it out of a plasti sheet. Also the bulkhead behind the navigator.

Have primed and will paint on a compressor blade on each intake as best I can - at least its not see through!!

Used the 1/48 Airfix ref and painted the intake insides HUM 127 Grey.

Next will be closing the undercarriage with the doors and hopefully closing up the fuselage.

F4853831-5D7D-4D84-9D65-22C1FE330E1B_zps539F9931-D123-4DDE-BD55-583932D98E8F_zps

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I have to praise your bravery. As a teenager I gave up after two attemps at Frog kits (1/72 Harrier and Javelin). It seemed I kept running out of filler.....and sanding files working on these.

Very eager to see how this one will come out. I'm not a fan of jets but I always liked the tortured look of the Banana jet.

Cheers.

Edited by PattheCat
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I have to praise your bravery. As a teenager I gave up after two attemps at Frog kits (1/72 Harrier and Javelin). It seemed I kept running out of filler.....and sanding files working on these.

Very eager to see how this one will come out. I'm not a fan of jets but I always liked the tortured look of the Banana jet.

Cheers.

Thanks - first Frog Kit - well it is the Made In Britain build!

Yes it is very basic and there will be some filler and bodging....hoping the nice RN paint scheme will help the rest of the kits failings...all for fun!

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Some filling using Perfect Plastic Putty:

7C6EC34F-674F-4ACB-9A9E-B3C07CA994EE_zps

Also scraped off the inner ordnance fairings,sanded in prep for the Heritage Slipper tanks

007A2589-FB9C-4567-8AB4-98BF76DC45D3_zps

186569F7-CA59-4CC6-B904-DAC5C6D3EA63_zps

The canopy is quite possibly the worst for transparency I have seen!!

I got the Q Tips and Colgate out initially, now drying having had a dip in the Klear polish..... Even the edges of the frames are dodgy!!

Will mask up and attach. Any advice on the frame colour? I have seen bright yellow, light yellow, white, beige...!?

9B87F8B6-0B2B-431B-A25C-5F28C8361085_zps

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Hi Tim, this brings back memories!

I think it can be really fun delving into these older kits, it takes me back to more simple times! Good work with the PPP, it is good stuff I find.

All the best,

Ray

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Not a great job or pics, but the plastic blanking plate with painted on compressor blade can be seen - not the best but better than being see through!!

121ACA29-15ED-4646-A07D-DC07B9957697_zps

2CE3E48A-52BD-4F88-A83F-25A2AD433ED5_zps83415678-251A-4375-A9C1-821154A9276C_zps

Canopy dipped, masked as best as possible and on...

A2C62FFB-3EC1-41B1-94F8-11AC9F5A1CBF_zps

27293782-747B-429B-B3DF-74D62A503E47_zps

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Plan is to cut down the Martel rails to look like the older ones that would have been on this jet.

Looking at the decal plans, the slippers and rails/pods/pitot will need to go on post decaling.

Any tips ref the best options to glue on the slippers? Do I need to seal in the decals with Klear, then use CA glue?

I have Zap CA Thin and Zap CA+ Med - would these do the job without ruining the decal? I have used it for bang seats and stuff, but nothing this big....?

Zap%20CA.preview.jpg

ZapAGap%20REV.preview.jpg

F96ACFCC-DE65-4A00-A8D5-273D863FF4A3_zps

Soon be ready to get that black primer on (if the temperature gets above freezing in my garage!!)

Edited by Tim Moff
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To add, the slippers are all white on my decal instructions - on the CMR very detailed kit instructions they are shown as EDSG and white.

Looking at these films below, they all appear to be white only?

Any Bucc experts out there?

Also on my decals there is no yellow line along the wing/flap area - CMR shows there being one, some video evidence also...

cmr72-238_09_s.jpg

cmr72-238_pld_c1.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46a-7N_13Sk#t=2480.495593

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Looking at the decal plans, the slippers and rails/pods/pitot will need to go on post decaling.

Any tips ref the best options to glue on the slippers? Do I need to seal in the decals with Klear, then use CA glue?

I have Zap CA Thin and Zap CA+ Med - would these do the job without ruining the decal? I have used it for bang seats and stuff, but nothing this big....?

Tim,

One way to fix the slippers would be to use pins to locate them on the wings. Take a slipper tank and once you have it the right position use a pencil to mark a line along the slipper and the wing roughly around the middle of the slipper. Use this as a reference point and a drill suitable size hole for a pin (this could be a panel pin), piece of wire or plastic rod to create a locating pin. Glue the pin into the tank with CA and drill a corresponding hole in the wing at the correct location. You can then use a smaller amount of the glue of your choice to fix the slipper tank after you have finished the decals and clear coats. HTH

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Great idea - trying to visualise it - so when tank positioned, make a mark on across the tank and wing on both sides of the tank. Find the middle of the marks on the wing and the middle of the tank - drill and pin as described.

Looks a safe bet!!

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The canopy is quite possibly the worst for transparency I have seen!!

I got the Q Tips and Colgate out initially, now drying having had a dip in the Klear polish..... Even the edges of the frames are dodgy!!

Toothpaste to polish canopies? Does that really work?

Craig

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You've got it bud. I would locate the tank with some blue tack or PVA before you mark out because you may run out of hands quickly, the PVA will clean off easily afterwards. If you make one of the holes a little bigger than the size of the pin it will give you some wriggle room to help line things up properly. I have included a sketch which I hope helps. The red mark would be your possible location.

buccaeer20slipper_zpskcddmiaj.jpg

Like I have said the locating pin could be as basic as a small panel pin trimmed to a suitable length. The other good thing is that a lot of this work can be carried out before you paint.

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The canopy is quite possibly the worst for transparency I have seen!!

I got the Q Tips and Colgate out initially, now drying having had a dip in the Klear polish..... Even the edges of the frames are dodgy!!

Toothpaste to polish canopies? Does that really work?

Craig

Hi Craig - yes it seems too - if it's really bad, looks a lot better their did. The dip in Klear just makes it that bit better.

Edited by Tim Moff
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You've got it bud. I would locate the tank with some blue tack or PVA before you mark out because you may run out of hands quickly, the PVA will clean off easily afterwards. If you make one of the holes a little bigger than the size of the pin it will give you some wriggle room to help line things up properly. I have included a sketch which I hope helps. The red mark would be your possible location.

buccaeer20slipper_zpskcddmiaj.jpg

Like I have said the locating pin could be as basic as a small panel pin trimmed to a suitable length. The other good thing is that a lot of this work can be carried out before you paint.

Great help, appreciate your time. Will give it a go!

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9B9E465E-F050-4593-925E-916A9459CDE6_zps

Tim just looking back at your photographs I see that there are a couple of slots underneath. You could use these as a location and drill some holes along the length of the tank to help create a slot for a plastic card tab which you would then superglue in place in the tank or maybe a section of sprue superglued to the tank and then shaped to a rough tab to fit the slot. Alternatively you could still go with the pin idea but fix one at each end of the slot.

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