bar side Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 I have been building RAF grey / green jets for a while now and one kits continually eluded me. The Airfix Buccaneer. The kit is getting on & has been out of production for some time. I has a reputation for warped body parts and poor fit - a banana kit to got with the Buccaneer nickname of the Banana jet. I finally got a decent condition kit from eBay and then promptly added it to the stash and left it. Finally dug it out a few weeks ago and got started. The cockpit was a bit bare so added the Airwaves etch but stuck with the kit seats. Other than that I decided to light her up, adding wing tip navigation lights, tail light, nose wheel taxi light and top & bottom flashing anti collision lights. I left the bomb bay removable with ‘penny’ 3v lithium batteries and switches inside. The ladder is a very fine 3D print from eBay. She is finished as XW530 of 12 Sqn RAF Lossiemouth. She has the later short wingtips, so dates from around 88 to 92 although I am sure others can be more accurate on that. If I am honest I wanted to do a Honnington jet, but couldn’t seem to find the right decals. I live not that far from Honnington and sometimes see the last remaining Bucc there on gate guard duties. Anyway, here she is And here she is in the HAS And with lights on How she looks Thanks for looking 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Brilliant looking Bucc! Love the nighttime shots of it with your HAS. Would look even better on our club table in Bury St Edmunds if you're not too far away near Honington! Especially with our lights out! 😉 That gate guard at Honington still doesn't look too bad either! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 A lovely build that is, I like the lights as well.. A job well done and especially given the age of the kit! cheers, Jan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Riot Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Brilliant Brick! Love that in the diorama too, very realistic. I made exactly the same aircraft, XW530 though I used the longer wingtips and underwing serials so probably from the mid-80s. Didn’t turn out as tidy as yours though. I’m looking forward to Airfix bringing out an RAF version of their new tool Bucc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 12 minutes ago, Lightningboy2000 said: Brilliant looking Bucc! Love the nighttime shots of it with your HAS. Would look even better on our club table in Bury St Edmunds if you're not too far away near Honington! Especially with our lights out! 😉 That gate guard at Honington still doesn't look too bad either! Martin Just down the road in Stow. You will have to let me know details on the club. The HAS & bits haven’t left home before & they are not small! 11 minutes ago, janneman36 said: A lovely build that is, I like the lights as well.. A job well done and especially given the age of the kit! cheers, Jan Cheers Jan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 9 minutes ago, Lord Riot said: Brilliant Brick! Love that in the diorama too, very realistic. I made exactly the same aircraft, XW530 though I used the longer wingtips and underwing serials so probably from the mid-80s. Didn’t turn out as tidy as yours though. I’m looking forward to Airfix bringing out an RAF version of their new tool Bucc. I seem to remember it looking pretty tidy. Would have done a Honnington jet with large under wing serials and the outline letter large tail codes but I couldn’t see any aftermarket available. Maybe with the new Airfix release? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Squadron Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Excellent built and a nice diorama. I also like the Tornado in the background. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 Just now, 112 Squadron said: Excellent built and a nice diorama. I also like the Tornado in the background. Cheers. That’s a very old ESCI GR1. Not the finest. Must backdate a Revell GR4 and do another one at some point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 IPMS West Suffolk. We meet up second Wednesday of the month 19:00 at the Southgate community center in Bury St Edmunds. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spruecutter Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 Very nice. I like the lighting effects. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Great job. I've been looking into adding lights to a future build. Did you use LEDs everywhere, or perhaps some fiber-optics as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maginot Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Looks excellent! Like the creative photography. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 6 hours ago, billn53 said: Great job. I've been looking into adding lights to a future build. Did you use LEDs everywhere, or perhaps some fiber-optics as well? Cheers. They are all micro leds which are tiny. And the anti collision lights have built in flashing function 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billn53 Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Thanks for answering. Very cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 @billn53 this is the test fit of one in the tail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 You got a great result here. Inhale one in the stash but keep postponing given the bad reputation with fuselage warping. How did you find that part of the build? And how did you overcome the fit issues? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliGauld Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 A beautiful Bucc. Superb photos and as I spent many happy Sundays at Lossie when I was a Cadet that just makes me happy. Cheers, Alistair 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planes123 Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 This looks amazing! Hats of to you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 42 minutes ago, Marcello Rosa said: You got a great result here. Inhale one in the stash but keep postponing given the bad reputation with fuselage warping. How did you find that part of the build? And how did you overcome the fit issues? Fit in mine wasn’t as bad as I have seen. However blending in the intakes & exhausts takes quite a bit of time & filler. The seam down the side of the cockpit & nose isn’t too great either. So takes a bit of time & effort but not the worst I have ever built. Try a Lindbergh F8! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapouriser Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 What a wonderful build and you have certainly taken the term dioramas to a whole new level in my very naive understanding !! I’ve always adored the Bucaneer - being one of my first builds as a kid in the mid eighties - that was a 1:72 airfix and I loved it (even though it was almost certainly a glue bomb!!) I followed that up with a birthday blowout at Beaties in Brighton spending all my money on a Victor In 1:72 (after seeing them performing in the Falklands) which from memory was around £20 quid in the mid eighties ! And way beyond my 10 year old abilities. It put me off I think, and I moved into citadel miniatures after that. one day I must build it again - but a Buc is definitely one to be done - the new airfix tool looks lovely and I quite fancy doing it in the livery I recently saw at RAF Hendon ‘Guiness Girl’ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 Brilliant work.... Very realistic... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 1 hour ago, Vapouriser said: What a wonderful build and you have certainly taken the term dioramas to a whole new level in my very naive understanding !! I’ve always adored the Bucaneer - being one of my first builds as a kid in the mid eighties - that was a 1:72 airfix and I loved it (even though it was almost certainly a glue bomb!!) I followed that up with a birthday blowout at Beaties in Brighton spending all my money on a Victor In 1:72 (after seeing them performing in the Falklands) which from memory was around £20 quid in the mid eighties ! And way beyond my 10 year old abilities. It put me off I think, and I moved into citadel miniatures after that. one day I must build it again - but a Buc is definitely one to be done - the new airfix tool looks lovely and I quite fancy doing it in the livery I recently saw at RAF Hendon ‘Guiness Girl’ Arrrhhh Beauties happy memories.... Spent many an hour in the one in Liverpool back in the day.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapouriser Posted June 12, 2022 Share Posted June 12, 2022 1 minute ago, Hairtrigger said: Arrrhhh Beauties happy memories.... Spent many an hour in the one in Liverpool back in the day.. Up there in the Pantheon with Hamleys London - a veritable treasure trove for young eyes and minds !! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bar side Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 2 hours ago, Vapouriser said: What a wonderful build and you have certainly taken the term dioramas to a whole new level in my very naive understanding !! I’ve always adored the Bucaneer - being one of my first builds as a kid in the mid eighties - that was a 1:72 airfix and I loved it (even though it was almost certainly a glue bomb!!) I followed that up with a birthday blowout at Beaties in Brighton spending all my money on a Victor In 1:72 (after seeing them performing in the Falklands) which from memory was around £20 quid in the mid eighties ! And way beyond my 10 year old abilities. It put me off I think, and I moved into citadel miniatures after that. one day I must build it again - but a Buc is definitely one to be done - the new airfix tool looks lovely and I quite fancy doing it in the livery I recently saw at RAF Hendon ‘Guiness Girl’ Thanks. I have the remains of a couple of 1/72 dark sea grey & white with a gold rad dome in the Airfix Buccs in the loft somewhere. I think I got one of my first 1/48 kits from Beatties not long before they closed - an Airfix Canberra PR.9. Always a good place to go when I was a kid. After the Falklands I had a Matchbox Victor K2 in grey / green over white, refuelling an Airfix RAF Hercules with hurriedly scratch built refuelling probe added, flying across my bedroom ceiling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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