Walk Around the Blackburn Buccaneer

The Blackburn Buccaneer was a British naval strike aircraft that was developed in the late 1950s and saw service with the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy during the Cold War. The type entered service in 1962 and was designed as a low-level strike aircraft. The Buccaneer was capable of carrying a wide range of weapons such as conventional bombs, nuclear bombs, missiles and torpedoes and remained in service with the RAF until its retirement in 1994.

The Buccaneer was a large twin engine jet that featured a distinct swept-wing. It was operated by a crew of 2 with the pilot sitting in the front cockpit and the navigator or weapons systems officer sitting in the rear cockpit. The aircraft was optimised for low-level flying and was capable of flying at extremely low altitudes. The type was flown from Royal Navy aircraft carriers and had a considerable range, allowing it to carry-out long-range strikes. Alongside the famous Vulcan, Valiant and Victor V bombers, the Buccaneer played a significant role in Britain’s arsenal of nuclear deterrents.

The Buccaneer was exported to the South African Air Force, who used the type in the maritime strike, ground attack and reconnaissance roles.