Buccaneer time (again)

[Ian M]

Well having seen a few Buccaneers here in the very popular Desert storm camo., I thought it was about time I did one. However this one is going to be the Navy version as found on HMS Eagle In 1966. The 800 naval air sq's XVi156.

Odd choice realy as I hate painting white!!!

So call me an Airfix masocist!

Spent last night doing the seats added a few straps and made the face guard ejectors handels from a bit of 0,5 wire as the ones on the kit were rather flashed and would need a lot of cleaning up.

This evenings part was the cock pit. What a load of fiddeling decals!!! Looks OK though, If I say so myself.

A few questions that some may be able to help with.

The screen in front of the navigator; Erm why? never seen that in any thing so I am a bit puzzled as to why its there.

Simple one; Wings folded or down. I belive the normal parked position was up. Being a carrier aircraft I can imagine why.

Last question. The white underside. Would that be RN white or anti flash white, RN white was a touch off white and correct me if I am wronge but Anti flash was totally matt and very white? The provided paint no points to a WHITE satin finnish. (Humbrol130)

Here a few photos of the office!

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[PJP]

The few Navy Buccs I've seen had a white white with a slight sheen on the underside.

Folded or extended wings? It's your model although I like the idea of folded.

Isn't the back seaters screen for radar or similar?

Note: I am by no means particularly knowledgeable about aircraft without propellors and not much better about those with....

Peter

Peter

[Guest]

Peter's on the nose with this one - the orange looking screen is the radar operator's display.

Looking good so far Ian - I know how much of a $%&!£@~#{%$£ this kit is, so I can offer good luck and godspeed with her!!

Stuart

[Ian M]

No I did not mean the little radar screen, I mean the bloody great windsceen that sits between the navigator and the pilot. It is fixed to the inside of the cockpit at the navigators bulkhead.

Never seen one like it before.

I just did a test fit of the upper and lower fuselage!!!! This is going to be fun. I dont think there are two opposing faces the actually touch, so loads of clamps and sticky tape for this one I think.

Ian M

[Guest]

Hi Ian, my RN Phantom had the same type of windscreen must be a navy thing. Is this the Airfix 1/48 you are building? The September issue of 'Model Airplane International' features the build of one of these but with normal camo. Seems to be a swine to build but the result is well worth the effort. I fancy doing one of these some time, scarce to get though. I have a lot of B&W photos taken around 1967/69 of Buccaneer's will look them out and if they are any good will post them, always useful I think to have as many ref as possible. When I did my Phantom I undercoated with Tamiya white fine surface primer and used Xtracrylic XA1141 White (FS17875) it was the best white I ever used, not as brilliant white as Tamiya's, more low key. Cockpit looks excellent, look forward to seeing this build. Cheers Derek

[Guest]

Oh right, yeah that's something to do with the ejection or canopy jettison system or summit like that...!

Watch out for the intake and outlet fit as well, they're a pain, airbrakes need some patience, and fit terribly if made closed (that's why I did mine open) and I would recommend folding the wings, as the joint between outer and inner is very poor as well.

Stuart

[Ian M]

He He was thinking more practical I'm folding the wings so I can get it in the Display case!!!

The Slipper tanks where fun .....

Ian M

[Guest]

Ian, some Buccaneer shots fron 1967-69 at RNAS Lossiemouth, may be some use. Cheers Derek

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[yak face]

Hi ian , the cockpit looks great coming on nicely. The screen you mention is to shield the navigator in the event of an ejection--after the canopy has been blown off,without the screen the airflow is too powerful for him to raise his hands to the firing handles to eject, no probs for the pilot hes still got the windscreen protecting him. Ive still got one of these in the stash after i got one of the mythical 2 in one box airfix cock ups! I dids the first one in gulf colours so intend to do the second in blue white RN colours like yourself with everything folded. As the others have said its an impressive model when done but takes a bit of bashing, especially round the intakes and exhausts. Im sure itll look super, cheers tony

[Ian M]

Been surfing the net most of the day for pictures of my victim. Not an easy bird to find.

The Grey white RN is solved. The internal paint work; doors, UC, wheels, inside the folds and air brake are swinging between light grey or sand. Is sort of 50/50, but I think the sand was more the mk1

Ian M

[yak face]

Try this site ian , there are loads of superb reference pics for the bucc and loads of other classic british jets, cheers tony THUNDER AND LIGHTNINGS

[Guest]

The S.2 A/B/D pics I found when looking for UC bays were all greyish in colour, if this helps...

[colin m]

Don't be scared of lots of filling and sanding, it can be sort of fun.........................does anyone believe me when I say this ?? But anyway, really great cockpit, I'm looking forward to seeing the rest.

Regards

Colin m.........

[Guest]

Ian, try this website Blackburn Buccaneer - The Last British Bomber (Individual Aircraft Histories & Colour Schemes) Cheers Derek

[Ian M]

Right then. All those big nasty bits of blue plastic have been glued together in sub assemblies. They are no longer blue and there is a hint of airbrush reamer in the air. Things could not be better.

The slipper tanks were by far the worst. Their odd shape and the lack of places to hold it together was an interesting challenge. The Wings went together surprisingly easy. Looking at them after primer I can see that the tips of the wings need a touch more filler on a long sink mark! The Airbrake rods got the chop as they were well off and the clean up was not worht the time spent so they where replaced with some 0.5mm wire.

The fuselage. Well that went together really well actually. On the photos below I have not used any filler yet, just smoothed off the join. There will be filling but not as much as I had thought there would be.

I hear that the canopy can be held in place with Klear and can then be poppped off after painting. I want to pose the cockpit open, so this will be by far the easiest solution. If the klear trick is wronge please let me know befor I do it.

I need to make a channel for the canopy guide so that should be fun. Also looking at the wing fold parts in the kit, it looks like I will need to give that a good bit of attention. As it is its quite boring! Needs a bit of detail.

The huge UC bays are also rather empty so I might look at those a bit more to.

Here are the pictures.

Ian M

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