RAFG Classic Buccaneer

[Enzo the Magnificent]

This will be an RAF Buccaneer S.2B based in Germany, in the classic RAF tactical camouflage.

 

I will be using the new tool Airfix kit for this conversion.

 

 

An S.2B cannot be built directly from the kit, so there will need to be some resin conversion bits.  Air Graphics have released sets for the bulged bomb bay and RAF style slipper tanks.  I have them on order but Air Graphics tell me they could take a little while to arrive due to the global situation at the moment.

 

If they don't arrive by the time I need them, then I will use the relevant parts from the old tool Airfix release:

 

 

Strictly speaking, the bomb bay door does not fit the new tool kit, but using my usual mix of brute force and ignorance, I reckon I can get it in there! 

 

 

Another big difference is the tailplane, which has an enlarged rear fairing.  I will be using the tailplane from an Odds And Ordnance / Alley Cat set intended for the old tool Airfix kit.  This will requite a modicum of surgery to the new tool kit's fin.

 

 

 

I now have to decide between XV or 16 Sqn.

 

Incidentally, I wouldn't have to do all this if I simply waited for the new Airfix S.2B boxing.  But I've never been very patient!      

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The kit parts:

 

 

 

 

The lower sprue in this shot is specific to the FAA S.2C.  I think it will be replaced by a different sprue in the forthcoming S.2B boxing.

 

[Col.]

In the absence of patience there's always innovation  

I'm voting for XV but only due to its association with the MacRobert family and the local connection for me. Which reminds me, I really must try to source decals for the Bucc that was marked as a MacRobert's Reply...

[Hewy]

Hello enzo, i was considering using the parts out of the old 2.b boxing myself to make an early hi vis roundel, shiny camo example, i built up the slipper tanks and offered them up and they just didn't look right, they look too wide, deep,and a touch too long , i am right in thinking that the tanks were the same (apart from the saaf ones)  and it was just the aerodynamic fairing that was different aren't i, hence my decision not to put up a fight and surrender to the edsg

[Enzo the Magnificent]

7 hours ago, Hewy said:

i built up the slipper tanks and offered them up and they just didn't look right, they look too wide, deep,and a touch too long , i am right in thinking that the tanks were the same (apart from the saaf ones)  and it was just the aerodynamic fairing that was different

I believe that is correct.  I've done a bit of research and compared the Airfix tanks to the resin ones from the CMR S.2B kit.  They seem to match quite well. with the exception of length, as you pointed out.  However, the length discrepancy is right at the rear, so it should be relatively easy to deal with or simply hidden.

 

To my eye the Airfix tank is also a teensy bit too pointy at the front. 

 

I will take some photos over the weekend and post them up for comparison.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

To follow up on @Hewy's comments, here are the promised photos.

 

The old tool Airfix tank.

 

 

The equivalent tank from the CMR kit

 

 

I think the shape of the Airfix tank is pretty good.  It just needs reducing in length by 3.4mm.  Or, as that is less than a foot in 1/72 scale and the discrepancy is in a relatively inaccessible place, it could probably be safely neglected. 

 

Here is a shot of all the different tanks I have available.

 

Top left:   CMR FAA tank

Bottom left:  Airfix new tool FAA tank

 

Top right:  CMR RAF tank

Bottom right:  Airfix old tool tank

 

 

I'm disturbed to find that the new tool Airfix tank bears no similarities to any of the others.  It is nowhere near deep enough and the nose is far too bulbous.  I've looked thrpough a lot of photos of FAA Buccaneers and cannot find a photos of any of them carrying a tank that looks like the Airfix offering.   In fact it seems as though FAA Bucaneers carried tanks very rarely.

 

However, I don't thnk it will be too difficult to modify the Airfix new tool tank to a reasonable shape.

[Hewy]

16 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

In fact it seems as though FAA Bucaneers carried tanks very 

 They dont look too bad in that picture enzo do they,but its the width that bothers me most, and didn't airfix use lidar?, the aftermarket tanks all look very similar from that angle , thanks for posting those enzo

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The resin components from Air-Graphics arrived today.  I'm very pleased with them.

 

The bulged bomb bay fits very nicely.  The RAF tanks look very good indeed and match the CMR ones well.   With a few strokes of a sanding stick, they could be easily converted into the FAA tanks, thereby avoiding the need to build up the skinny Airfix tanks. 

 

Photos at the weekend. 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

In my defence, the photos were taken at the weekend!  

 

 

These sets are for the tanks, weapons bay and CBLS.

 

CBLS (Carrier Bomb Light Store) were parctice bomb carriers.  They were pretty much ubiquitous on RAF aircraft in day to day use in the 70s and 80s.  The standard "seebly" was redesignated to CBLS 100 when the Torndao came along using a longer version called the CBLS 200.

 

Here is the weapons bay component.

 

 

Flip it over and you get some nice interior detail.

 

 

And it fits nicely into the Airfix bomb bay.  A tiny bit of shimming or filling might be needed at the front (or back...    )

 

 

The Air-Graphics tanks are the lighter coloured ones in the middle, compared to the CMR tanks.   I've very pleased with the shape of the Air-Graphics ones.   As I mentioned above, it would be a simply matter to sand down the aerodynamic fairing slightly to match the shape of the earlier FAA tanks.

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Okay, enough faffing around.

 

The cockpit assembly built up.

 

 

And installed, together with some liquid gravity.

 

 

The centre fuselage components ready for assembly.  The intake interiors have been painted RAF Dark Green.

 

There is plenty of room for extra ballast in here.  Don't forget to open up the relevant holes for the tanks or inboard pylons, if you are using them.

 

 

Centre fuselage assembled.  this is actually the one from my concurrent SAAF build, as denoted by the brown intake interiors.

 

 

Forward fuselage fitted. 

 

 

The wing bracing parts are interesting.  They work well to support the outer wing uppersurface, but there is an interesting bit of detail.  The RAF commonly left the wing hinge covers off their aircraft. There are two sets of braces to deal with this.  As you can see, these are the ones with no covers, exposing some of the hinge detail.  Compare them with the braces in the previous picture, which have the covers fitted.

 

There is no mention of this in the kit instructions, but I imagine the forthcoming RAF version will give the builder the option of an early or late jet. 

 

 

 

[Jabba]

Good spot with the bracing part and no covers. Yet again a good start.

[Col.]

15 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

In my defence, the photos were taken at the weekend!  

You've clearly been busy so we'll let you off  

[Colin W]

Bit of de ja vous with this but interesting note on the wing fold. 

 

Colin 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Main assembly completed and starting to clean up the joint lines.   The areas on the outer wings are where I have removed the fifth vortex generator over the location for the universal pylons.  Just added a dab of paint to show if I had cleaned everything up correctly.

 

 

Intakes and exhausts painted and ready for fitment.

 

 

Intakes and exhausts filled and sanded.  Windscreen fitted and masked.

 

[CliffB]

It's looking very colourful at the moment Enzo 

 

Cheers

[Enzo the Magnificent]

10 hours ago, CliffB said:

It's looking very colourful at the moment Enzo 

We'll soon sort that out! 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

On 09/06/2020 at 07:18, CliffB said:

It's looking very colourful at the moment Enzo 

 

Cheers

 

On 09/06/2020 at 17:25, Enzo Matrix said:

We'll soon sort that out! 

 

Told ya!   

 

 

This is promied with my usual grey plastic auto primer.

 

Now here's the problem.  This aircraft needs an overall coat of Dark Sea Grey.  I usually use Xtracrylix XA1004.  I was convinced I had enough of this but I hadn't taken into account the 1/48 Hunter I built a few months ago.  I have dregs in a bottle and wouldn't you know it, Hannants are currently out of stock.

 

Does anyone know of an alternative acrylic match for Dark Sea Grey? 

[Phone Phixer]

Humbrol 164 is a pretty accurate match. Depends on your opinion of Humbrol paints though.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

I took Phone Pixer's advice and got some Humbrol 164.  It's slightly lighter than Xtracrylix XA1004 but is a very good match for faded Dark Sea Grey.  The downside is that I'll have to learn to spray enamel again.  I haven't sprayed enamel in literally decades!    Luckily the Xtracrylix came back into stock at Hannants, so I grabbed four bottles.

 

 

Part way through masking with my usual technique of Blutax worms, masking tape squares and Copydex.

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Disruptive camouflage sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1001 Dark Green,  Some detail painting with various shades of Alclad.

 

 

And then decals were applied. 

 

The roundels were from an Xtradecal sheet.  The red panels were from a Kits World sheet. The yellow walkway lines are from a general stripe sheet.   Squadron insignia and serials were from a CMR kit sheet.  Other stencils from the kit sheet.

 

 

[Hewy]

oh yes, that looks great enzo ,👍

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Up on its own gear and posing with some (but not all) of the greeblies which will be fitted shortly.

 

 

The long chord pylons are taken from the previous Airfix kit.