Hockeyboy76 Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Not sure if you have seen this before, it’s probably best watched behind a cushion 19 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Nice well worth watching again many years ago I saw film on tv of Buccaneers at Red Flag in the USA. What was unusual was it was tv video in black and white as I recall and it was from the view of the targeting Sam system with the audio of the US operators. They were amazed at how low the Buccs were. Try as I might I’ve never managed to find it again 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham T Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 1 hour ago, JohnT said: Nice well worth watching again many years ago I saw film on tv of Buccaneers at Red Flag in the USA. What was unusual was it was tv video in black and white as I recall and it was from the view of the targeting Sam system with the audio of the US operators. They were amazed at how low the Buccs were. Try as I might I’ve never managed to find it again I remember that clip too! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 1 hour ago, JohnT said: Nice well worth watching again many years ago I saw film on tv of Buccaneers at Red Flag in the USA. What was unusual was it was tv video in black and white as I recall and it was from the view of the targeting Sam system with the audio of the US operators. They were amazed at how low the Buccs were. Try as I might I’ve never managed to find it again I've remember seeing that video too! The way the pilot was reefing the aircraft around at such a low level was something to behold. It also serves as a reminder of the tragic loss of a crew and aircraft at Red Flag when the wing came off owing to fatigue. I'm tempted to say 1980? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Not the same Red Flag video as mentioned but has the view from the cockpit at '100 feet and 540 knots' - 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Oooooh! Those videos, especially the first one with the excellent music, brought tears to my eyes and almost a sob to my throat. Thanks for posting them. The Buccs were hugely popular at GooseBay/Happy Valley in Labrador. Every year they would stop over for a night on the way to the Red Flag exercises, and every year they would be formally requested by the Mayor to beat up the town and the airfield as low as possible. Who could refuse? In 1978 (or 9?) I was able to watch the flying from the roof of our hangar. It was a tall, big building but shook like a tent when a Buccaneer went past as we looked DOWN on it! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 There is also a clip somewhere showing American Intruders at low level and the next Bucc's flying below them 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 57 minutes ago, Beermonster1958 said: I recall seeing a similar, possibly the same film and, you could clearly hear an obviously very impressed :"Jeez! These guys are good" comment from someone monitoring the cameras. I would suspect that the somewhat minimum altitude flown by those Buccaneer actually represented the height an actual combat mission might be flown at? John That’s the one - wish I could find it 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 42 minutes ago, colin said: There is also a clip somewhere showing American Intruders at low level and the next Bucc's flying below them Almost a similar one is a story that I have heard when serving on Nimrod R1s from an Air Eng who came to us from the Kipper Fleet. Whilst on detachment at Gib a Kipper Fleet Nimrod was happily flying around at lowish level when one of the pilots said 2 Buccs off our STBD side, when the other pilot said 1 Bucc on our Port side. The first pilot then said don't Buccs usually fly around in 4s, to which a reply came 4th one just flown underneath us. Whether this story is true or not I am not sure, but seeing that first film and how low the aircraft are when they fly close to the ship, I can quite believe it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 Watching these excellent videos makes me wish they'd had HD cameras to really capture the detail. Still grateful that someone did film it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orso Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redstaff Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 I remember years ago (late 80s?) on holiday down Cornwall with my now wife, looking down from a cliff top (Tintagel I think) and seeing a pair of Buccs hurtling along the coast throwing up a plume of water behind them like a jet ski Happy days Ian 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 6 hours ago, Hockeyboy76 said: Insult upon injury! Pesky Crabs nicking aeroplanes and using them against their former masters! Despicable 😂 1 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Francis Macnaughton Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 25 minutes ago, Alan P said: Insult upon injury! Pesky Crabs nicking aeroplanes and using them against their former masters! Despicable 😂 Is this the other way round - FRADU Hunter doing passes under the bow of HMS Ghurka during training courses off Gib in early 1980? 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 1, 2022 Share Posted January 1, 2022 19 minutes ago, Francis Macnaughton said: Is this the other way round - FRADU Hunter doing passes under the bow of HMS Ghurka during training courses off Gib in early 1980? Still the poor ship getting buzzed with no comeback 😔 That's a fantastic photo by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Latinbear Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 19 hours ago, Orso said: Fascinating video with some great footage. Thanks very much for posting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted January 2, 2022 Share Posted January 2, 2022 20 hours ago, Orso said: Fascinating snapshot of Swedish low-flying procedures. Some years ago in Aircraft Illustrated magazine an RAF Jaguar Pilot (possibly Michael Rondot but I am not certain) wrote about the away leg of a squadron exchange with a Swedish Viggen squadron and flying a routine low-level training sortie in the backseat of one. As an experienced Jaguar pilot he rated the RAF's low-level capabilities very highly but his Swedish experience was an eye-opener with the aircraft dropping after cleaning up from take-off and remaining there between trees rather than over them for the entirety of the flight only climbing again to position itself for landing upon return to the airfield. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 I know this is flight sim (DCS World) but these two chaps tried to emulate the ultra-low-level, firewall speed tactic of the Buccaneer and found it's virtually impossible to intercept: The 'target' is using an AV-8B Harrier II, the period interceptor is an F-14A Tomcat with AIM-7s and gun. Might not be to everyone's style but makes the point well! 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 7 hours ago, Beermonster1958 said: I've been trying to find a couple of film clips from the 1990 Gulf War One was filmed from an F-15E bumbling along over the desert at 500 ft. Suddenly, they are overtaken by a pair of RAF Tornadoes flying about 350 - 400 ft below them! The other was a simulated attack by RAF Jaguars on an American task group. The aircraft whizzed between the lines of ships below deck level!! Judging by the ccomment on the soundtrack, the US Navy was impressed!! John Somehow sounds like that if you do not have the numbers (quantity) you need to be massively better in order to generate effect.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnT Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 7 hours ago, Alan P said: I know this is flight sim (DCS World) but these two chaps tried to emulate the ultra-low-level, firewall speed tactic of the Buccaneer and found it's virtually impossible to intercept: The 'target' is using an AV-8B Harrier II, the period interceptor is an F-14A Tomcat with AIM-7s and gun. Might not be to everyone's style but makes the point well! I recall reading in Buccaneer Boys that a flight of four would would split if intercepted at Red Flag with the result that three at least would hit target on time without fail. That was the plan and I think they defenders got one Buccaneer once 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sammy da fish Posted January 3, 2022 Share Posted January 3, 2022 I have seen two Buccs at about 15’ going along a shallow almost flat valley before kicking some dust and turning right to disappearing around a hill. When I served at St Athan back in 80’s it was common to see a Bucc go between the local power station chimneys aberporth? it would have go through on its side though. Further to this I can now remember more, it seem to be great fun to fly a Phantom between the hangars on west camp at say 20’. Oh what fantastic times back then. And great to reminisce. sammy 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Brilliant videos! Those lads could fly couldn't they! Love the Buccaneer, probably my all time favourite fast jet. Wish they were still in service, low level in the Mach loop or scaring the baddies in the hot dusty places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Believe it was Operation PULSATOR over Beirut in the back end of 1983/early 1984 that coined the 'T' Shirt 'Real men Fly Through Beirut Not Over It'. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted January 5, 2022 Share Posted January 5, 2022 Some very interesting stuff about Pulsator on this website. http://www.naval8-208-association.com/Buccaneer1981-84Page06.html Page 7 of lists what ordnance the Buccs carried too, if anyone makes one to represent that operation. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvel Onkey Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Forgive the stupid question- was there anything about the Buccaneer that made it particularly suited to flying at very low level? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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