RAF Buccaneer at Red Flag

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8 years 9 months

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This interview sees ex RAF pilot, Ken Norman chat about his time flying the Buccaneer and Canberra. He chats about his time on 31, 16 and 208 squadron as well as flying the Buccaneer at Red Flag at Nellis and its surprising how well it did out there!

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8 years 9 months

Posts: 202

Kens last flight, low lever flyby.[ATTACH=CONFIG]250290[/ATTACH]

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Member for

17 years 7 months

Posts: 4,951

Always thought the Bucc was ugly as all sin, but beautiful in a special way.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/9d/d1/34/9dd1347810322e1867fc31190eecbd12.jpg
Modern smart weapons would have been a good fit for it's internal carriage and high-subsonic velocities down low on the deck.

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8 years 9 months

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I agree, its not the best looking aircraft but it certainly grows on you.

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18 years 7 months

Posts: 1,376

Don't have time to watch this all the way through at the mo, but I remember a story about a Buccaneer at Red Flag hitting a telegraph pole with its wingtip, and when they examined it they found it had been flying upwards/climbing when it did so. Vastly under-rated a/c IMHO. Can't help wondering if the RAF somehow resented it, because it was almost forced onto them in the wake of TSR-2.

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12 years 9 months

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Lovely aircraft to work on, if you didn't mind working in confined areas.

Like many aircraft of that era, most accesss were through small panels (except the engine bays), and required the use of nimble fingers, and almost double-jointed wrists.

Heaving LOX pots in and out of the rear fuselage opening was an art in itself, as long as the 'elf & safety brigade weren't watching.

More info can be provided if anyone's interested.

Cabbage

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17 years 7 months

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Would be happy to read more :)

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12 years 9 months

Posts: 331

Most difficult job for armourers, involved changing the cartridge in the externally operated canopy jettison /shattering mechanism. It involved entering the front cockpit head first, and crawling under the instrument panel. The mechanism was located in front of the left console, well hiddden out of site.

The installing of the Lox pot, involved using the top of ones head to push it up into the rear bay, and then sliding it onto its bracket. It had a single braided hose to attach to it using a bayonet type fitting. you were supposed to fix the pipe without pressurising the system (near impossible). Generally it could only be achieved by applying direct pressure to the coupling with a GS screwdriver, whilst turning the bayonet fitting, crude but effective.

Fitting and removing the bang-seats was a ballancing act for whoever had to stand on the fuselage, and guide the seat up or down the guide rails. You stood astride either the nav's blast screen, or the fuselage spine, leaning backwards, whilst the seat was winched in or out. Of course seat removal was a regular occurance when a pilot / jockey / growbag (delete as apprpriate HA HA) dropped his Parker Pen etc.

Regards Cabbage

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19 years 2 months

Posts: 1,159

I agree, its not the best looking aircraft but it certainly grows on you.

It looks well suited for its intended role. Like a brute that is always ready and willing to take you on face-to-face and kick your ass good and hard just once, because that's all it would take.

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17 years 7 months

Posts: 4,951

That's great information, cabbage!