colours and markings of the Blackburn Buccaneer

dick loh vervallen · Post by **dick loh vervallen** » 16 Jan 2016, 15:21

Going through my RAF/RN slide collection I noticed all the different kind of squadrons and markings of the Blackburn Buccaneer and thought it would be nice to scan them and share them. Of course it is far from complete but I guess it is still a nice selection. Were known the credit is given in the left hand lower corner. All squadron info comes from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackburn_Buccaneer

No. 12 Squadron RAF formed at RAF Honington on 1 October 1969, in an anti-shipping role. It moved to RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland in November 1980 and disbanded on 30 November 1993.

1. Buccaneer S.2A XV348 at Luqa in June 1973.
2. S.2B XV869/869 on 2 October 1987 at Twenthe during a squadron exchange with RNLAF 313 sqn.
3. XW543 in July 1991.
4. XX894/894 at St Mawgan on 8 August 1990.

No. 15 Squadron RAF formed at Honington on 1 October 1970, moving to RAF Laarbruch in Germany in January 1971, operating in the overland strike role. It disbanded on 1 July 1983, handing its aircraft to 16 Squadron.

5. Buccaneer S.2B XV341/D photographed during a visit to Leeuwarden on 2 September 1982.

No. 16 Squadron RAF re-equipped from the Canberra B(I)8 at Laarbruch in October 1972. It discarded its Buccaneers on 29 February 1984, re-equipping with the Panavia Tornado.

6. XW533/Q landing at Wildenrath in 1975.

dick loh vervallen · Post by **dick loh vervallen** » 16 Jan 2016, 15:25

No. 208 Squadron RAF reformed at Honington on 1 July 1974 in the strike role. It switched its primary mission to anti-shipping in 1983, moving to Lossiemouth in July that year. It disbanded on 31 March 1994, the last of the RAF's Buccaneer squadrons.

7. XZ430/DS is lining up at Gibraltar’s runway.
8. XV352/U painted for “Desert Storm” in 1991.
9. XN976 in the 75th Anniversary Scheme on 27 April 1991 at RAF Marham.

No. 216 Squadron RAF formed at Honington on 1 July 1979, with the intended role of anti-shipping operations. When the Buccaneer was grounded in 1980, the Squadron handed its aircraft to 12 Squadron without becoming operational.

10. XW542 on 22 October 1979.

No. 237 Operational Conversion Unit RAF formed at RAF Honington on 1 March 1971 as the Operational Conversion Unit for the Buccaneer. In 1984 it gained the additional role of laser designation support for Royal Air Force Germany, and moved north to Lossiemouth in October 1984. The OCU disbanded on 1 October 1991, with training duties for the Buccaneer being handled by 208 Squadron.

11. XV352/FC at Gibraltar.
12. XV352 in the latest grey c/s in March 1994.

dick loh vervallen · Post by **dick loh vervallen** » 16 Jan 2016, 15:28

The Aeroplane & Armament Experimental Establishment have used the Buccaneer in a variety of
testing roles.

13. XW529 went on 5 May 1988 to BAe Scampton - 'Communication Trials' as part of ASR1012 clearance Jointly undertaken with XW534 (operating out of A&AEE, Boscombe Down)
14. XW987 in the Raspberry Ripple c/s in the Summer of 92.
15. XW988 at the static of the open day at RAF Lyneham on 30 June 1990

Royal Navy.

16. Blackburn Buccaneer S Mk.1 XK531 guarding the gate at RAF Honnington n 1976.

809 Naval Air Squadron commissioned on 15 January 1963 as the Buccaneer headquarters and training squadron. It disbanded in March 1965 when it was renumbered as 736 Naval Air Squadron. It reformed in January 1966 as an operational squadron equipped with the Buccaneer S.2, deploying on HMS Hermes in 1967–68, and on HMS Ark Royal from 1970 until the carrier decommissioned in 1978. It disbanded on 15 December 1978.

17. 736 sqn Buccaneer S.2 XT275/R-021 at Culdrose on 26 July 1972.
18. XV868 is coming in at Greenham Common for the 1976 Air Tattoo edition.

dick loh vervallen · Post by **dick loh vervallen** » 16 Jan 2016, 15:29

South Africa had purchased 16 Spey-powered Buccaneers and was the only country other than the UK to operate the Buccaneer, where it was in service with the South African Air Force (SAAF) from 1965 to 1991.

24 Squadron SAAF formed at Lossiemouth in Scotland on 1 May 1965, training its crews before moving back to South Africa in November that year, being based at Waterkloof. It disbanded on 28 March 1991.

19. Buccaneer S.50 413.

Nilson · Post by **Nilson** » 17 Jan 2016, 09:35

Fabulous!!!

Wildpicture · Post by **Wildpicture** » 17 Jan 2016, 10:50

Wonderful pictures. Thanks !!!

I grew up living just over 15km from RAF Laarbruch and these Buccaneers were part of my teenage years. So many wednesday afternoons (when there was no school) I took my bike and spent the afternoon at the fences of Laarbruch watching those beautiful birds coming in for landing. Ah, those were the days......

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