Love the Buccaneers , and living not far from Yeovilton, used to see them regularly in the 70s & 80s. The one with Fly Navy painted on its underside “exercising” over the airfield often comes to mind as I pass by. The 2 pilots of them, that I knew well, would always extol its stability and low level virtues.
The Buccaneer has all the best nicknames and one liners! Such a magnificent aircraft. “Take off, pull up the wheels and descend to operating altitude” 😀 “The banana bomber” “The underground attackers” I read the book “Phoenix Squadron” by Rolland White in 2011, so many hilarious moments in that book, well worth a read.
Thanks for the heads up on that book I did read the Haynes Buccaneer Manual not long ago, loads of detailed detail (but the timeline ... urgh) Interesting & lots of photos, NOT a 'How to Spanner a Buc' though.
@@Farweasel the book is well worth the time. It covers a record. Breaking long mission (no bombs dropped, but lots of sabre rattling) to prevent Belize from being invaded. The story of how they achieved it and their encounters with US star fighters on the way home is hilarious.
As a general note - I love the way the interviewer asks a question - then actually listens to the reply. As a secondary note, I've watched a few of these videos and - this is my perception, I might be wrong - I just don't think this lad realises how ready we were for the 'Big One'. I joined the Territorial Army in 1979 and 'going nuclear' was seen as the normal end game. It's amazing that the young folk don't realise how near we were to the edge. Thank (whatever your invisible Sky Person is) that the Soviet economy was unable to keep up with the West and thank your Invisible Sky Person that even if they could - the corruption would negate their output. In one of the big NATO exercises in Germany we had to do three days in total NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) kit, trying to sleep with a respirator on is pretty shit. And talking of shit - well, let's not go there. The Big Option - 99 Red Balloons - dominated the subconscious, even the Fat Slags (of Viz fame) knew there was death in the air.
I was at Honington when the first repaired Bucc came back from the main spar problems, we were sat on the bus waiting to cross the runway to go to the bomb dump and in the distance saw something low coming in with much dirty smoke.........it screamed down the runway at max chat and at about twenty foot, also remember one, 431? breaking the sound barrier at Lossie.
Great interview per usual. I also didn’t know there there were so many RAF crew flying on carriers. Brilliant aircraft, beautiful in many ways. Back in the 70s read in my father’s copy of Air Clues about the Buccaneer’s wonderful performance at Red Flag. Noticed one of the photographs was of a XV squadron aircraft, my father’s old old squadron.
Actually, I flew in a Buccaneer (ZU-BCR) in Aug 2009 at Thunder City through the mountains and along the valley floor then over to the south tip of the cape low level over the sea...then 2 days later experienced 60,000ft in a lightning T5 in the exact same plane that crashed later in Nov with the same pilot Dave Stock...An experience that sadly cannot be repeated now by a civi.
From what I can gather, the Fleet Air Arm weren't really keen on the Buccaneer, and neither were the RAF at first & I believe the Fleet Air Arm were glad to see the back of them, odd thing is, the RAF grew to love the Buccaneer. The RAF turned it into a beast of an aircraft.
The bucc, was brilliant at what it did, and really should have been updated during its life, but it was always about to be replaced or retired. It's lovely coke bottle lines really have to be seen to be appreciated. Sadly THAT red flag video has not survived, but is legendary. Had a bucc MK2 been made Tornado would not have been needed. Bucc Lightening, Phantom, Harrier, Jaguar, Tornado. It's some line up.
@@davewolfy2906 Traditionally a bloke who smoke dries meat in the Carribean - The bucanier who killed jungle game & smoked it in boucans (a smoke hut .... well, you did ask). There's another Buc at York Air museum & one at Cosford. Plus there's a group who maintain (or maybe used to) Bucs capable of taxiing I *think* at Bruntingthorpe?
Fascinating talk. The Buc has never really had any replacement in my opinion.
Love the Buccaneers , and living not far from Yeovilton, used to see them regularly in the 70s & 80s. The one with Fly Navy painted on its underside “exercising” over the airfield often comes to mind as I pass by. The 2 pilots of them, that I knew well, would always extol its stability and low level virtues.
The Buccaneer has all the best nicknames and one liners! Such a magnificent aircraft.
“Take off, pull up the wheels and descend to operating altitude” 😀
“The banana bomber”
“The underground attackers”
I read the book “Phoenix Squadron” by Rolland White in 2011, so many hilarious moments in that book, well worth a read.
Thanks for the heads up on that book
I did read the Haynes Buccaneer Manual not long ago, loads of detailed detail (but the timeline ... urgh)
Interesting & lots of photos, NOT a 'How to Spanner a Buc' though.
@@Farweasel the book is well worth the time. It covers a record. Breaking long mission (no bombs dropped, but lots of sabre rattling) to prevent Belize from being invaded. The story of how they achieved it and their encounters with US star fighters on the way home is hilarious.
@@StoccTube Sounds like I need to track a copy down
As a general note - I love the way the interviewer asks a question - then actually listens to the reply.
As a secondary note, I've watched a few of these videos and - this is my perception, I might be wrong - I just don't think this lad realises how ready we were for the 'Big One'.
I joined the Territorial Army in 1979 and 'going nuclear' was seen as the normal end game. It's amazing that the young folk don't realise how near we were to the edge.
Thank (whatever your invisible Sky Person is) that the Soviet economy was unable to keep up with the West and thank your Invisible Sky Person that even if they could - the corruption would negate their output.
In one of the big NATO exercises in Germany we had to do three days in total NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) kit, trying to sleep with a respirator on is pretty shit. And talking of shit - well, let's not go there.
The Big Option - 99 Red Balloons - dominated the subconscious, even the Fat Slags (of Viz fame) knew there was death in the air.
Cheers. I feel it’s important to take a “backseat” as it were and let the guest speak.
Ace! What a guy & what an aircraft!
Glad you enjoyed it.
I was at Honington when the first repaired Bucc came back from the main spar problems, we were sat on the bus waiting to cross the runway to go to the bomb dump and in the distance saw something low coming in with much dirty smoke.........it screamed down the runway at max chat and at about twenty foot, also remember one, 431? breaking the sound barrier at Lossie.
I was at Honington when my pal wrote his Westfield off on the Bury road. 😂
"Underground attackers"! 🤣
Probably the most interesting yet - I have seen all of yours.
Fsscinating.
Thank you
Great interview, lovely bloke.
Cheers
Love the Bucc and the aircrew thereof. Also Mike….over 3k likes in just 2 hours of posting video. Superb stuff.
I’ve been reading a lot about the Buccaneer recently, so this is perfect!
Great interview per usual. I also didn’t know there there were so many RAF crew flying on carriers. Brilliant aircraft, beautiful in many ways. Back in the 70s read in my father’s copy of Air Clues about the Buccaneer’s wonderful performance at Red Flag. Noticed one of the photographs was of a XV squadron aircraft, my father’s old old squadron.
Cheers
Another great interview Mike - roll on part 2!
Cheers!
Actually, I flew in a Buccaneer (ZU-BCR) in Aug 2009 at Thunder City through the mountains and along the valley floor then over to the south tip of the cape low level over the sea...then 2 days later experienced 60,000ft in a lightning T5 in the exact same plane that crashed later in Nov with the same pilot Dave Stock...An experience that sadly cannot be repeated now by a civi.
I had to re-read that to figure it out 🙄
Initial thought was *'WHY would anyone want to repeat the experience of crashing a T5 Lightning'* ?
@@Farweasel I see your point..but it was just a reference not being able to fly in a T5 or Buccaneer these days.
Fantastic interview amazing piece of history
Glad you enjoyed it
The brick was a beast
Sure was.
Brilliant British Bomber.
Remember the Buccaneers being grounded in 81 at RAF Laarbruch.
Fantastic!
Many thanks!
The Underground Attackers 🤣
Such a strange looking bird… I love it.
Nothing strange.
The RN version of the Chieftain tank - just - purpose.
@@davewolfy2906 Extremely strange.. looks like a banana with a smaller banana sticking out its ass.
Love it!
Cheers
The RAF acting in the Fleet Air Arm was a really unknown thing to me - I’d be interested to know more
From what I can gather, the Fleet Air Arm weren't really keen on the Buccaneer, and neither were the RAF at first & I believe the Fleet Air Arm were glad to see the back of them, odd thing is, the RAF grew to love the Buccaneer. The RAF turned it into a beast of an aircraft.
The bucc, was brilliant at what it did, and really should have been updated during its life, but it was always about to be replaced or retired.
It's lovely coke bottle lines really have to be seen to be appreciated.
Sadly THAT red flag video has not survived, but is legendary.
Had a bucc MK2 been made Tornado would not have been needed.
Bucc Lightening, Phantom, Harrier, Jaguar, Tornado.
It's some line up.
John McCray went to the Buccaneer BBC fame.
Brilliant thanks for sharing .
Btw your voice sounds like Matt Baker from the country file 😊
Regards
Dave from Scotland
Cheers and I’m happy with that!
At last
Nuclear bucaneer! For many reasons that sounds very unsafe. Nice looking airplane it's on display at Hnedon and you can see right into the cockpit.
" For many reasons that sounds very unsafe" ... Why?
@@theoccupier1652 what is a buccaneer?
@@davewolfy2906 Oh Ok ... Got it :)
Nuclear strike was unlikely to be a return journey@@theoccupier1652
@@davewolfy2906 Traditionally a bloke who smoke dries meat in the Carribean - The bucanier who killed jungle game & smoked it in boucans (a smoke hut .... well, you did ask).
There's another Buc at York Air museum & one at Cosford.
Plus there's a group who maintain (or maybe used to) Bucs capable of taxiing I *think* at Bruntingthorpe?