1/72 - Blackburn Buccaneer S.Mk.2 by Airfix - S.2C & S.2B released - new S.2B boxing

[Wez]

1 hour ago, GMK said:

Wouldn’t have had it at all were it not for the RN. 

Correct, all that RN squabbling, meddling and inter-service rivalry, TSR.2 and F-111K cancelled, yep thanks RN.

 

Still, it doesnt take away from the facts, the RAF used it for longer, in greater numbers and particularly something the RN didn't do, take it to war.

 

I shall be getting a couple to do in FAA schemes, they do have some quite colourful ones albeit based on a theme of ESDG mostly.

Edited September 28, 2019 by Wez

[Robertone139]

How muck work is needed to make this release into an Operation Granby one?

Although a RN Bucc zipping at low level with Sea Eagles under the wings seems very attractive.

Edited September 28, 2019 by Robertone139

[Hook]

1 minute ago, Robertone139 said:

How muck work is needed to make this release into an Operation Granby one?

Quite a lot, with the bulged bomb bay being the main issue.

 

A Granby-suitable issue is sure to follow, I'll wait for that one.

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Mr T]

Given that the Navy bits are all more or less on one runner, my guess is that an RAF version will be along soon. I thought patience and ingenuity were modelling virtues. 

My reading of the history around RAF use of the Buccaneer is that it was never wanted, even in developed form until there was nothing else left on offer. 

[593jones]

3 hours ago, Mr T said:

My reading of the history around RAF use of the Buccaneer is that it was never wanted, even in developed form until there was nothing else left on offer. 

Would that be classed as scraping the barrel?  Still, the RAF did make good use of it.  I want to do one in the Red Flag scheme, but I may get the RN one for now 

[Rickoshea52]

Sure the Navy flew it but the RAF flew it. 

[71chally]

Just picked mine up from the local in Llantwit.

First look of the plastic, it really looks to be a superb state of the art kit, the molding is very fine and can't see any obvious flaws.  It is far superior to the Phantom kit, and possibly just finer than the Victor.

 

Can post pics later if there is interest.

[Harry Lime]

36 minutes ago, 71chally said:

if there is interest.

😆 Surely this is a contender for 'Understatement of The Year'?  And yes, for those of us who will have to wait until Monday to get our sweaty paws on one, any pics will be welcome!

 

Mark.

[RichG]

4 hours ago, Robertone139 said:

Although a RN Bucc zipping at low level with Sea Eagles under the wings seems very attractive.

Would have to be Martel missiles under those wings; the Buccaneer was long out of RN service by the time of Sea Eagle entry into service in 1985. Although the Sea Eagle looked very similar to the Martel, almost all components differed, with a longer body, larger wings and, of course, totally different internal components. OK for RAF Buccaneers though as they were the first aircraft to carry a Sea Eagle in active service.

 

Rich

[Julien]

On 26/09/2019 at 15:05, TEXANTOMCAT said:

Didnt know you were allowed to post traders but as you are -

You are not, nor are people allowed to link to ebay sales so can this please stop. This is a tread about the Airfix Bucc and can link to Airfix as the manufacturer. 

 

Other traders who have a forum on here can place the links to buy in there own forums.

 

Julien

[GMK]

2 hours ago, Rickoshea52 said:

Sure the Navy flew it but the RAF flew it. 

I guess landing on a carrier, day or night, fair weather or foul, isn’t flying. Nor, I suppose, is flying 2,800 nautical miles to deter an invasion. 

 

Its not a zero-sum game. The Buccaneer served well, as did its crews and maintainers. It’s not on the aircraft or service that there was (thankfully) no war to fight when it was being operated by the RN. 

 

Personally, I’d have preferred an S.1, then the RN S.2, then the RAF S.2. It’s good business to release the less popular version first, but I really wish the S.1 would get some IM love. 

[71chally]

... here you go,

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

Airfix Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C by James Thomas, on Flickr

 

 

Note, there appears to be a landing/taxy lamp included (part 2 on the clear sprue) for the RAF versions, and both the short and long wingtips are included on the clear sprue, there's not a lot to stop me building non pregnant RAF Buccs here.

As you can see the detail is superb, even down to the insides of the undercarriage doors.

Really hope aftermarket produce a decent S.1 conversion set for this kit

 

 

Apologies for the pics quality, short on space here at the mo.

Edited September 28, 2019 by 71chally

[Mountain goat]

9 hours ago, 71chally said:

... here you go,

Thank you!!! The pics are great! So much so they're the direct cause of me becoming even poorer in the near future. 😉

 

Jay

[Wez]

Nice to see the separate flaps, I was chatting to a mate of mine, a fellow modeller who had been on 237OCU at Honington before being posted to 16 Sqn at Laarbruch.  He said that at that time (mid to late 1970's), the OCU always parked their jets with the flaps up but some of the squadrons parked theirs with the flaps down.  He found this out the hard way shortly after his posting to 16 Sqn when he ducked under the wing straight into the lowered flap, waking up in the med centre.

 

He also mentioned something about the engine compressor blades, he said there'd been a few uncontained failures until a mod was introduced to overcome this, I don't know if this is the ring you can see behind the first stage compressor blades.

 

I shall definitely be getting some of these, I've got the older Airfix kit and a salvaged fuselage from a Matchbox kit that I could use to make an RAF jet, but then again I could wait...

[Truro Model Builder]

20 hours ago, Mr T said:

 

My reading of the history around RAF use of the Buccaneer is that it was never wanted, even in developed form until there was nothing else left on offer. 

The RAF were going to get firstly the TSR.2, the the F-111K, then the AFVG, and ended up with Buccaneer because, as you say, it was the only option left. Didn't they do well with it though? 

[tony.t]

On the basis of the pics James kindly posted, procurement here has been doubled to two — a very serious decision given that, as a consequence, October stocks of Monkey Shoulder might run perilously low. 

 

Will now look out for a recce pallet. Tempted to get an extra Airfix F-4K for the stash, too, before the 892 NAS boxing disappears.

 

Tony 

 

No! She won't let you paint the coffee table to look like the deck of the Ark, so 5-6 Tooms and Buccs isa plenty! 

[junglierating]

On 9/28/2019 at 7:15 PM, RichG said:

Would have to be Martel missiles under those wings; the Buccaneer was long out of RN service by the time of Sea Eagle entry into service in 1985. Although the Sea Eagle looked very similar to the Martel, almost all components differed, with a longer body, larger wings and, of course, totally different internal components. OK for RAF Buccaneers though as they were the first aircraft to carry a Sea Eagle in active service.

 

Rich

Not the Shar? 

[Geoff_B]

19 hours ago, tony.t said:

On the basis of the pics James kindly posted, procurement here has been doubled to two — a very serious decision given that, as a consequence, October stocks of Monkey Shoulder might run perilously low. 

 

Will now look out for a recce pallet. Tempted to get an extra Airfix F-4K for the stash, too, before the 892 NAS boxing disappears.

 

Tony 

 

No! She won't let you paint the coffee table to look like the deck of the Ark, so 5-6 Tooms and Buccs isa plenty! 

Alley Cat do the Photo Pallet in their Odds & Ordnance range however that design is for the older Airfix kit and the new kit has the Bomb bay molded open so some work would be required to cut out the bay or adapt the resin lump to fit the bomb bay.

[RichG]

10 hours ago, junglierating said:

Not the Shar? 

Yes, Sea Harrier was equipped for Sea Eagle, but as far as I am aware it was RAF Buccaneers that were the first to carry it in service; but I may be wrong...  The point was Royal Navy Buccaneers were out of service before Sea Eagle's arrival on the scene... 

 

Rich

Edited September 30, 2019 by RichG

[junglierating]

9 hours ago, RichG said:

Yes, Sea Harrier was equipped for Sea Eagle, but as far as I am aware it was RAF Buccaneers that were the first to carry it in service; but I may be wrong...  The point was Royal Navy Buccaneers were out of service before Sea Eagle's arrival on the scene... 

 

Rich

Oh crumbs yes long gone I'm afraid....thinking about it probably correct buccs were first,sure I've seen trial phots somewhere 

[wadeocu]

On 9/28/2019 at 8:15 AM, Robertone139 said:

How muck work is needed to make this release into an Operation Granby one?

This sort of question is popping up a lot!  Here is a reprint of what I said elsewhere but should give you an idea of what all needs to be done to cover some of the upgrades you will need.  A Granby Bucc will also need different pylons, some flare/ECM equipment and the different wing tips although those are provided in the current release of the kit.  I think the easiest thing would be to wait until next year and you are almost sure to have a release with everything in the box.  Here is the reprint in response to a question about building a wrap around camo S.2A:

 

You will need to address some more differences due to upgrades over the years.  The S2.A/C designation was to note non-Martel capable airframes for the RAF and RN (respectively).  The pylons and vortex generator arrangement are suitable as is in this kit for an RAF S.2A of any time period.  A wrap around scheme would be post 1978.  There were S.2As that served long enough to get a wrap around scheme.  This is XT271, an S.2A as it appeared in the early 80s:

 

 

The trouble for you is that there were also a number of upgrades over the years resulting in other external differences that were made to both S.2Bs and S.2As.  You will need a bulged bomb bay door, antennas for either side of the fin, the wide spade antenna on the spine, blunt RWR tips for the tail fin and you’ll need to swap the light and blade aerial on the belly.  Oh yes, also for RAF Buccs you will need the headlight on the nose gear too; that was an RAF upgrade.  I don't know if there is one on the clear runner already that is marked not for use; perhaps there is.  Most difficult to deal with would be the MDC in the canopy.  I’m not sure if XT271 has one at this point or not.

 

You could manage most of the changes with bits from the old Airfix kit and some minimal sanding and scratch building.  There’s not too much to it.  I am sure however that an RAF kit will be out next year with all the parts needed for a later version.  It seems that they have recognized and provided options for each of these differences in the kit but only the early Mk.2 specific parts are provided in this release.  The access door for the electronics bay behind the bomb bay and the panel in front of the bomb bay are separate parts which is good news; they fudged that difference in the 90s with the 1/48 model.  I have a feeling though that we will have to sort out an MDC on our own if we want one.  Also note that you will need to use the later version of the slipper tanks if you want to use those.

  

[Dave Fleming]

Re Martels, the Fujimi Harrier kits provide a pair of AR Martels 

[Hook]

2 hours ago, Dave Fleming said:

Re Martels, the Fujimi Harrier kits provide a pair of AR Martels 

As did the old tool Airfix Bucc S.2 - four shapes with optional antiradar (4) and TV seeker (3) heads, plus TV guidance pod (as well as air intakes to create a sort-of Sea Eagle).

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

[Enzo the Magnificent]

There is something odd going on with Buccaneer deliveries.  Hannants don't have any in stock yet - they are usually the first to get them.  I ordered one off an evilbay trader on Wednesday, paid extra for 1st class postage and was told it was despatched on Thursday.  That should have been with me over the weekend, but as yet no sign.

 

I wonder if evilbay people have started taking orders before receiving the kits and are fibbing about the despatch times...

[Jb65rams]

I have the Buccaneer on backorder with Hannants, just received the email saying it is now in stock.