Buccaneer Difrences

Originally Posted by sea vixen
apart from the fuel tank and 4 thousand pounders, could or did the buccs carry enything else internally… was there a reccie pack they could carry ????.

Yes, the Bucc could carry a ‘photographic equipment pallet’ fitted to the inside of the bomb door for the photo recon role.
A ‘plug in’ type role panel had also to be fitted to the observers left consol to operate it.

Plazz

apart from the fuel tank and 4 thousand pounders, could or did the buccs carry enything else internally… was there a reccie pack they could carry ????.

Nuclear weapon I do think

apart from the fuel tank and 4 thousand pounders, could or did the buccs carry enything else internally… was there a reccie pack they could carry ????.

The Bucc’s bomb door fuel tank and the bomb bay fuel tank were quite different things. The early new-build aircraft for the RAF (XW serials) were not built with the bomb door fuel tank, I recall having marshalled many of them in on their arrival at Honington in 1970/1971. The bomb bay fuel tank was used by both the FAA and the RAF. Do not have my Bucc notes to hand but I suspect that the bomb door fuel tank was not cleared for carrier operations. Confirmation anyone?

Yes my mistake! the first new build Buccaneers for the RAF did not have bomb door tanks, due to on going development they were incorporated in new build aircraft at a later date with existing aircraft being modified later.

Just to clear something else up. The Bucc could carry (instead of weapons) a removable fuel tank inside the bomb bay known as the ‘bomb bay tank’ which carried 440 gallons as well as having the integral bulged bomb door known as the ‘bomb door tank’ which could carry another 425 gallons.

Plazz

BOMB DOOR/BOMB BAY FUEL TANKS

The Bucc’s bomb door fuel tank and the bomb bay fuel tank were quite different things. The early new-build aircraft for the RAF (XW serials) were not built with the bomb door fuel tank, I recall having marshalled many of them in on their arrival at Honington in 1970/1971. The bomb bay fuel tank was used by both the FAA and the RAF. Do not have my Bucc notes to hand but I suspect that the bomb door fuel tank was not cleared for carrier operations. Confirmation anyone?

The most noticeable difference is that the RAF Buccaneers were all built with bulged bomb door fuel tanks. All the navy Buccs had bomb doors that were flush with the fuselage when in the closed position. I believe that some ex navy Buccs may have been converted to have a bomb bay fuel tank fitted after the RAF acquired them.

Plazz

Wing tips and RWR on the fin/Tailplane bullet and wings (late navy S2 aircraft may have had them, did the early navy S2 aircraft?).

The most noticeable difference is that the RAF Buccaneers were built with bulged bomb door fuel tanks. All the navy Buccs had bomb doors that were flush with the fuselage when in the closed position. I believe that some ex navy Buccs may have been converted to have a bomb door fuel tank fitted after the RAF acquired them.

Plazz

I would imagine that the main outward differences in the airframe were bewteen the S1 and S2. As the S1 had less powerful engines, the intakes had a smaller diameter. As the S2 progressed through its RAF use, it accumulated more lumps and bumps.

The original Airfix Buccaneer model was based on one of the S1 development aircraft (which shows you how old the basic mould was).

I think the navy version of a Buccaneer needs smaller engines, thats if your making an S.1 version.

James B

Gyron Juniors for the S1, Speys for the S2. Most of the Royal Navy S2’s ended up in RAF colours anyway (there were four sub versions of the S2, A to D).

I think the navy version of a Buccaneer needs smaller engines, thats if your making an S.1 version.

James B