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RAF Buccaneer queries


DaveJL

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Hello all,

 

I'm looking for some information on the RAF Buccaneer force in the mid 80's. I'm planning on possibly doing a 1/48 one in the green/grey camouflage (though the desert pink is always popping out at me!)

 

For the green/grey scheme, what sort of weaponry would the jet have carried in the 80's?

Are there many options, decal wise for such a scheme? Any I've found only appear to be the 3 colour camouflage scheme.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

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A couple of options off the top of my head for you Dave:

 

  • One thousand pound bombs, both conventional and laser guided (Paveway) versions
  • WE177
  • Sea Eagle anti ship missiles (for 12 and 208) squadrons
  • Pave Spike laser designator pod
  • ALQ 101 ECM pod
  • CBLS 100 practice bomb carrier
  • Buddy Refuelling Pod
  • Slipper Tanks

 

The "Buccaneer Force" might be a misnomer as RAF Germany's 15 (XV) and 16 squadrons converted from the Bucc to the Tornado GR Mk.1 in the mid 1980s whilst 12 and 208 squadrons and 237 OCU operated the type from the UK in the maritime strike and conversion training roles throughout the 1980s before retiring the type in the early 1990s.

Edited by Richard E
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weaponry is pretty broad and varied,

 

Your best bet is to read through this recent thread with lots of tech info,

Basically options are the Martel and Sea Eagle missile equipped aircraft in the maritime strike role, or the Buccaneers that could carry 500Ib conventional bombs, WE177 nukes, practice bomb carriers, SNEB rocket pods, sidewinder missiles and laser guided Paveway bombs.

 

The era and squadron would be the deciding factor, and really you need to identify what you want to build.

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, DaveJL said:

Hello all,

 

I'm looking for some information on the RAF Buccaneer force in the mid 80's. I'm planning on possibly doing a 1/48 one in the green/grey camouflage (though the desert pink is always popping out at me!)

 

For the green/grey scheme, what sort of weaponry would the jet have carried in the 80's?

Are there many options, decal wise for such a scheme? Any I've found only appear to be the 3 colour camouflage scheme.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

Unfortunately it looks like most manufacturers concentrate on Operation Granby schemes in 1/48th scale: the only option appears to be Model Alliance's two RAF Germany sheets however these schemes date from the mid-seventies not the 1980s.

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Seems to be the way of it! 

 

There is an Xtradecal sheet for a 12 Squadron jet in the mid/late 70s, serial XX895. I could do that - was the underside colour Light Aircraft grey?

 

Or I could use my imagination and use those decals and just do the wraparound scheme anyway!

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Yes, the underside is Light Aircraft Grey. 

XX895 did go into the two colour wraparound scheme with 12 Sqn, so you can probably use the sqn motif, black serials and the roundels/fin flash (if they are the two tone tactical type).

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6 minutes ago, 71chally said:

Yes, the underside is Light Aircraft Grey. 

XX895 did go into the two colour wraparound scheme with 12 Sqn, so you can probably use the sqn motif, black serials and the roundels/fin flash (if they are the two tone tactical type).

Cheers. Did the wraparound scheme carry the large serials on the underside of the wings?

 

Heres the decals sheet I was having a look at: link 

 

Dave

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35 minutes ago, DaveJL said:

Cheers. Did the wraparound scheme carry the large serials on the underside of the wings?

 

Heres the decals sheet I was having a look at: link 

 

Dave

 

29 minutes ago, 71chally said:

No underwing serials.

 

With respect to James @71chally it might be a case of checking your references and the time period as it looks like the underwing serials were removed during the early 1980s - I've had a quick look in my references (Peter Jackson's and Peter Foster's Warpaint No.2 and Roger Chesneau's two Aeroguide books) which contain photographs of Buccaneers with and without underwing serials.

 

Although it's a 237 OCU aircraft, this picture from 1983 shows underwing serials which appear to have been removed by May 1984.

Edited by Richard E
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3 hours ago, Richard E said:

 

 

With respect to James @71chally it might be a case of checking your references and the time period as it looks like the underwing serials were removed during the early 1980s

Sorry I should have been more fullsome there, XX895 while in wraparound with 12 Sqn didn't have the underwing serials. 

I have a pic with its wings folded somewhere, will try and find it, unsure when it was taken though.

 

Generally speaking, I'm not sure when the serials were removed.

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Richard E is correct with his info on the underwing serials. They were on the wrap around camo jets up to the mid 80's, then were removed as they went through paint after scheduled servicing.

The first Sea Eagle capable airframes were modded in 85/6 and went to 208 Sqn. 12 Sqn carried on with Martel missiles for a bit, so if you are doing Sea Eagle equipped 12 Sqn aircraft, it's reasonably safe to assume no underwing serials.

From about 1987 onwards the Lossie Bucc fleet had the 3 numbers of their serial number in a pale blue on the fin as can be seen in Richard E's photo. Prior to that it was 2 letters the height of the fin flash.

 

Rob.

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Thanks chaps. 
 

4 hours ago, Shaun said:

Also don't forget the wingtip Mod on later Bucanners.

I’m not aware of this. Do the necessary parts come in the Airfix kit?

 

12 hours ago, Phone Phixer said:

Richard E is correct with his info on the underwing serials. They were on the wrap around camo jets up to the mid 80's, then were removed as they went through paint after scheduled servicing.

The first Sea Eagle capable airframes were modded in 85/6 and went to 208 Sqn. 12 Sqn carried on with Martel missiles for a bit, so if you are doing Sea Eagle equipped 12 Sqn aircraft, it's reasonably safe to assume no underwing serials.

From about 1987 onwards the Lossie Bucc fleet had the 3 numbers of their serial number in a pale blue on the fin as can be seen in Richard E's photo. Prior to that it was 2 letters the height of the fin flash.

 

Rob.

Thanks Rob.
 

So need to source some pale blue serials if I want to a 12 Sqn with Sea Eagles in the wraparound scheme.

 

Oh and will need to find a kit :lol:l

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The kit comes with both types of wing tip,  early ones are broader and look triangular shapes on the sprue, latter tips are long thin straight wing tip pieces.

The broader tips were removed after it was discovered they may of caused the wing fatigue issue suffered in the early 80's...

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1 minute ago, Shaun said:

The kit comes with both types of wing tip,  early ones are broader and look triangular shapes on the sprue, latter tips are long thin straight wing tip pieces.

The broader tips were removed after it was discovered they may of caused the wing fatigue issue suffered in the early 80's...

Thanks Shaun, at least the kit covers that part!

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37 minutes ago, DaveJL said:

So need to source some pale blue serials if I want to a 12 Sqn with Sea Eagles in the wraparound scheme.

 

9 minutes ago, DaveJL said:

Thanks Shaun, at least the kit covers that part!

You may find that at least one of the Airfix boxings of the Buccaneer includes 12 Squadron markings for XW530 including the tail codes.  Good luck in your search for a suitable kit :)

Edited by Richard E
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