Blackburn Buccaneer developments

The same person I got the article from has also now posted a picture of a Buc on the deck of the Lady Lex. Enjoy.

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I know a certain story that could greatly benefit from this development :cool:
Well, it'll definitely be mentioned. Lol. Once I actually get the time to work on it again. Lol
 
The same person I got the article from has also now posted a picture of a Buc on the deck of the Lady Lex. Enjoy.

FB-IMG-1621527522501.jpg
I came across this post and this photo struck me as it is not one I have seen before. My father was "back seat" on these trails during his time with C Squadron at Boscombe Down. Are there any more where this came from (as opposed to the usual ones that can readily be found online)?
 
The same person I got the article from has also now posted a picture of a Buc on the deck of the Lady Lex. Enjoy.

FB-IMG-1621527522501.jpg
I came across this post and this photo struck me as it is not one I have seen before. My father was "back seat" on these trails during his time with C Squadron at Boscombe Down. Are there any more where this came from (as opposed to the usual ones that can readily be found online)?
Not that I know of. This was posted by someone on a USS Lexington Facebook group
 
The same person I got the article from has also now posted a picture of a Buc on the deck of the Lady Lex. Enjoy.

FB-IMG-1621527522501.jpg
I came across this post and this photo struck me as it is not one I have seen before. My father was "back seat" on these trails during his time with C Squadron at Boscombe Down. Are there any more where this came from (as opposed to the usual ones that can readily be found online)?
I think tere was a video in the Buccaneer associention
my memory was correct
There is the link. you can donwload. I do it.
 
(This is from half-a-century ago, so be forgiving). FRG had offered F-104Gs as MRCA avionics test beds, rejected by Panavia as 2 sorties would be needed to produce the same data haul as a single Bucc flight. The work was led by EASAMS, so that must now be explained.

The Air Vehicle defined 5/70 was to be (the very first?) digital data bus-led type. The 4 Nations then in MRCA (Neths shortly left) judged their airframe firms (BAC/FIAT/Fokker/MBB) had no clue on any of that and that specialist (to be) Systems Houses must lead. The BAC/Weybridge TSR.2 Systems team had broken away to form EASAMS (names inc. Howard Surtees, Frank Bond...) so were disparaged, as opportunists and as detractors, by BAC/Preston, who resented the Buyer, NAMMA's imposition of Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Avionica GmbH (EASAMS+FRG/Italy clones ESG and SIA, all owned by black box vendors). BAC caused Panavia GmbH (the SPV Prime for MRCA) to pursuade NAMMA to remove the Avionica layer, Panavia as true Prime, EASAMS as sub-contractor, ESG+SIA as sub-subs. Thus began the titanic conflict between GEC and BAC that would lead, i.a, to Nimrod AEW3, to GEC challenging UK's worst-managed Co, and ultimately, the destruction of GEC/Defence, rise of BAES as Integrator disinterested in mere touch labour.

Panavia assigned No.4 MRCA prototype to FIAT as the first with Mission avionics. EASAMS' approach to System flight test was (IIRC) :
* laboratory breadboard (electrically representative);
* fit/form/function representative Units to be flown in the 2 Buccs;
* flight models in PO4.
BAC sub-contracted Marshalls to design the Bucc installation of EASAMS System, to be flown by BAC, "advised" by EASAMS. All while FIAT pressed on with designing the PO4 installation.

You may not be surprised that none-of-the-above recurred on (to be) Typhoon.

You may also not be surprised that at no point during Bucc operation was any meaningful thought given to turning the Marshalls lash-up into a weapon. There would have been no mileage there for BAC/Preston until BAe. was formed in 1977, by when MRCA was safe.
 
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Most enlightening Ken, as ever.

That EASAMS/Preston animus continues to this day, as I discovered when accused of being a Warton stooge a couple of years ago.

Southerners, eh?

Chris
 
... it piss me to no end that the "pointy, supersonic at low level" trend screwed both Buccaneer and Vautour long term development

Things like "Vautour as ECM jammer / tanker / trainer for Mirage IVA, but not as THE bomber itself" (it had more range !!!!) or "Buccaneers as avionic testbeds for AFVG / Jaguar / TSR-2 / F-111K / Tornado" (IT HAD MORE RANGE YOU DUMMY !!!) - that's frustrating if not infuriating.

At least on US side A-6 and A-7 thrived, so maybe there was karma in the end ?

The A-7E and Buccaneer S.2 were vibrant proofs of what could a "subsonic-with-a-Spey-turbofan " ground pounder could achieve. Shame the Vautours never got massive upgrades and turbofans. A pity the A-6 never got turbofans in place of antiquated J52s.
 
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... it piss me to no end that the "pointy, supersonic at low level" trend screwed both Buccaneer and Vautour long term development

Things like "Vautour as ECM jammer / tanker / trainer for Mirage IVA, but not as THE bomber itself" (it had more range !!!!) or "Buccaneers as avionic testbeds for AFVG / Jaguar / TSR-2 / F-111K / Tornado" (IT HAD MORE RANGE !!!) - that's frustrating if not infuriating.

At least on US side A-6 and A-7 thrived, so maybe there was karma in the end ?

The A-7E and Buccaneer S.2 were vibrant proofs of what could a "subsonic-with-a-Spey-turbofan " ground pounder could achieve. Shame the Vautours never got massive upgrades and turbofans. A pity the A-6 never got turbofans in place of antiquated J52s.
The TSR.2 thought polis will be coming around to see you directly.

Chris
 
... it piss me to no end that the "pointy, supersonic at low level" trend screwed both Buccaneer and Vautour long term development

Things like "Vautour as ECM jammer / tanker / trainer for Mirage IVA, but not as THE bomber itself" (it had more range !!!!) or "Buccaneers as avionic testbeds for AFVG / Jaguar / TSR-2 / F-111K / Tornado" (IT HAD MORE RANGE !!!) - that's frustrating if not infuriating.

At least on US side A-6 and A-7 thrived, so maybe there was karma in the end ?

The A-7E and Buccaneer S.2 were vibrant proofs of what could a "subsonic-with-a-Spey-turbofan " ground pounder could achieve. Shame the Vautours never got massive upgrades and turbofans. A pity the A-6 never got turbofans in place of antiquated J52s.
The TSR.2 thought polis will be coming around to see you directly.

Chris
Well they would but they also got cancelled….
 
... it piss me to no end that the "pointy, supersonic at low level" trend screwed both Buccaneer and Vautour long term development

Things like "Vautour as ECM jammer / tanker / trainer for Mirage IVA, but not as THE bomber itself" (it had more range !!!!) or "Buccaneers as avionic testbeds for AFVG / Jaguar / TSR-2 / F-111K / Tornado" (IT HAD MORE RANGE !!!) - that's frustrating if not infuriating.

At least on US side A-6 and A-7 thrived, so maybe there was karma in the end ?

The A-7E and Buccaneer S.2 were vibrant proofs of what could a "subsonic-with-a-Spey-turbofan " ground pounder could achieve. Shame the Vautours never got massive upgrades and turbofans. A pity the A-6 never got turbofans in place of antiquated J52s.
The TSR.2 thought polis will be coming around to see you directly.

Chris
Well they would but they also got cancelled….
The thought polis got cancelled? Woo and indeed hoot.
 

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