Airfix Buccaneer S2 converted to NA39 Prototype

[Colin W]

Airfix 1/48 scale Buccaneer MK 2

 

Hi All,

Here is my 3rd Airfix Buccaneer converted back into the 1st prototype XK486. I started thinking this was a simple nose job and a reduction in fuselage length made easier by removal of the intakes. However modifications were more extensive than expected and a lot of additional time was spent smoothing and blending the modifications.  Changes were eventually made to all panels of the kit and include the following .......

Removed jet intakes and replaced with Heritage Aviation S1 Resin versions.

Removed the nose at the first panel from the windscreen and replaced with a flattened Tornado GR3 nose, faired in with plastic card and Milliput. A large lump of Milliput being put into the tip of the nose to support the probe later.

Cut upper fuselage behind rear cockpit to removed 7mm. Cut lower fuselage between nose wheel and weapons bay and removed 7mm while leaving a staggered join to the top half.

Assembled speed brake and attached to rear fuselage with additional 5mm extension to restore fuselage length. 

Changed the design of the airbrake fins to an earlier representation as per the first flight.

Rear walls of wheel wells removed as these are not evident on the real machines.

Fin shortened and bullet fairings removed. New rear fairing made from an old bomb.

Tail planes widened to meet new fin profile,

Extended jet pipes with 20mm tube and Milliput then faired into fuselage

Pin inserted into brass tube and drilled into the extreme nose to make extra long nose probe.

Wing vortex generators removed.

Bulges and protrusions on weapons bay door removed.

Aerials relocated to spine from later position on fin fillet.

2 Scoops made and added to fin fillet.

Pitot probe replaced with carbon fibre rod superglued to the original pylon.

Paint from Mr Colour, Blue 5, white 316, Aerials 19.

Decals from Xtradec and lettering from Modeldecal.

 

I have wanted to do this for many years as the prototype has more gracefull lines than the final production versions. The blue scheme is also much more attractive but harder to photograph.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More pictures and a build thread can be found here in the Buccaneer STGB.

Colin W NA39 modification

 

Thanks to @David Womby for the thread about the Buccaneer prototypes which helped a lot in planning the modifications for this model.

 

 

Colin

Edited May 28, 2020 by Colin W
spelling

[SAT69]

Sounds like a ton of work but the end result is quite good.

[Spitfire31]

Beautiful model, and the last photo is very evocative.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

 

 

[David Womby]

Excellent conversion work.   It's amazing how different the first few prototypes were from the final production machines (and from each other!)

 

I love the airfield diorama pic but I don't think that XK486 itself was actually carrier tested although it looks great posed there. 😉

 

I've read the build article - a great tutorial and log of your work.  Very  well done.

 

David

[Wulfman]

A beautiful looking Buccaneer, great work !

 

Wulfman

[RMCS]

Fantastic 

[exdraken]

Very  nice!

And quickly built!

I am at the pot with mine..

 

 

[cngaero]

What a result. That's a fine piece of modelling. It certainly looks good in that rather fetching colour scheme. 

[busnproplinerfan]

Always a strange looking plane. This one has a lot of work done obviously, looks good. What's the reason for the big bulge in the fuselage?

[Colin W]

Many thanks for the comments. 

4 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said:

What's the reason for the big bulge in the fuselage?

The big bulge was due to the discovery of the aerodynamic effect known as the 'area rule'. A smooth change cross section of the aeroplane lead to an improved air flow and less drag hence a faster aircraft. 

 

Colin 

[busnproplinerfan]

50 minutes ago, Colin W said:

Many thanks for the comments. 

The big bulge was due to the discovery of the aerodynamic effect known as the 'area rule'. A smooth change cross section of the aeroplane lead to an improved air flow and less drag hence a faster aircraft. 

 

Colin 

Almost like the coke bottle effect? interesting.

Edited May 29, 2020 by busnproplinerfan

[Graham Boak]

Not almost like but the same thing.  It took a little while to come up with aircraft shapes that incorporated area rule without being quite so dramatically obvious about it.  Given that this is primarily a transonic effect it is perhaps open to question how much the Buccaneer benefited from it, except perhaps from additional storage space.  But if they ever had fitted reheat to a variant...

Edited May 29, 2020 by Graham Boak

[phildagreek]

Like it, nice result.

[Lord Riot]

Amazing amount of work there, especially given the foibles of the Airfix Bucc. It looks fantastic, very well made. I particularly like the photo with the countryside in the background.

 

 

[F-32]

Superb work

[busnproplinerfan]

8 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Not almost like but the same thing.  It took a little while to come up with aircraft shapes that incorporated area rule without being quite so dramatically obvious about it.  Given that this is primarily a transonic effect it is perhaps open to question how much the Buccaneer benefited from it, except perhaps from additional storage space.  But if they ever had fitted reheat to a variant...

Something I have to look into. Heard of area rule but never quite understood it.

[Orion]

Hello Colin,

Lots of work, but the end result is stunning.

Thanks also for the in depth link that I just visited.

The Airfix models are not the most easiest items to construct, but that did not hinder you at all.

Regards, Orion.