AIRFIX 1:72 BLACKBURN BUCCANEER S.2B

 

Reviewer: Mark B (SMAKR Webmaster)  (smakr@bigpond.com)
Kit Built early->late 2002 + Review Submitted:  19 October 2002

Aircraft:
 The Buccaneer started life as the Blackburn B-103 design and in many ways has been a far superior aircraft than many believed.  It was the world's first two-seat carrier-based low-level strike aircraft to be built for high-speed under-the-radar penetration.  It also incorporated new design features such as a tail-cone that was split in half to open out as airbrakes and a rotary bomb bay so that it avoided the high drag penalty of conventional bomb bay doors that open into a high-speed airstream.  It also had a distinctive coke bottle shape incorporating a design of an area-ruled fuselage. The prototype Blackburn NA.39 first flew in April 1958.

The S.2 version replaced the underpowered S.1 version  and 84 examples were built and started entering service in late 1965.  Royal Navy Buccaneer S.2s were not retired when progressive depletion of the UK's carrier force brought their withdrawal from FAA service - from 1969 they were transferred to the RAF and No.12 Sqn was the first to be equipped in 1970.  To meet RAF modification requirements they were redesignated S.2A and then received a subsequent update and modification and emerged as the S.2B Buccaneer.  After a wing fatigue problem caused the fatal crash of an S.2B in early 1980 it was clear the Buccaneer days were numbered and during the following years were gradually disbanded.  In the early 90's the last remaining Buccaneers still equipped squadrons at RAF Lossiemouth although the type was officially retired from service in 1994.

The Kit:
 I picked this up as a starter kit for a price which, including the paint, glue and brush was very reasonable.  I used the small paint 'plastic containers' supplied in the kit, and basically all of the Sea Grey, since I used that also as a primer.  I have written an INBOX review on this kit already, so feel free to read that for some further information. In a quick summary, there are four bagged sprues with large lugs, of typical Airfix slightly brittle plastic, of about 78 parts.  Surface detail is reasonable and all panel lines are raised and there are three clear parts (initially missing a part, but later found in the box).  

Instructions:
 A large A4 pages sized fold out sheet in typical Airfix style, containing brief history overview; symbol usage explanation; 18 easy to follow construction steps; Humbrol numbers (only) quoted for painting advice throughout construction; and four-view diagrams for decal and painting information.  Commentary through the construction phase includes summary of part numbers used in each step and reference to previous sub assembly steps used in any current step.  There was some vagueness in precise positioning of parts due to Airfix's large arrow heads but these still were not a problem since locating holes assist.

Construction:
 Two seats, a pair of pilot figures and a panel placed between the two cockpit sections essentially make up both cockpits - although part 5 (control column?) is attached underneath the pilot's dashboard but I couldn't get it to fit (particularly with a pilot sitting there), so left it off (can't see it anyway).  The fuselage halves are split horizontally with the cockpit section already "boxed in" making it both difficult to detail and paint.  The interior was given a black wash as recommended by the instructions, and that was about the extent of detailing I did; other than painting up the pilot figures as realistically as possible.  The intake fans and bomb bay fairing are added to the lower fuselage half (it might also be best to add the jet pipes at this stage, see later).  Two bomb bay fairings are provided - the slim-line or pot belly version, as we used to know them by!  Sadly there is no bomb bay, and these fairings do not rotate with bombs or anything.  I've never completely understood the reasons or differences between the sizes of the two bomb bay fairings*, so will leave it up to the modeller to check references.  The photos I have of these aircraft all suggest larger fairing.  There is a 1/100 scale kit out there by some manufacturer which includes rotating bomb bay and bombs (which I still have in my collection!).  The instructions suggest 5g noseweight, but I suggest a little more, if you can cram it in there somewhere since the boxed-in nosewheel and canopy sections make it difficult - although the nose cone is separate, so a little bit can go in there.

* My thanks to Andre van der Hoek who verified the larger bomb bay door, as retrofitted to most of the Buccaneer fleet held an internal fuel tank. 


Photo Credit:  Unknown 

This picture shows the rotary bomb bay of the Buccaneer

The fuselage halves are pretty complete minus the T-shaped fin, outer wing sections, rear airbrake cone and nose; and as stated are split horizontally.  The complex shape means that you have to be spot on when affixing them together and damn patient!  Rubber bands, pegs and bulldog clips were all used in various locations to keep the halves flush together while drying.  Once dry there is a fair bit of sanding along the seam lines required which in turn ruin some of the raised panel line detail, so rescribing is also suggested. 

The nose cone comes in two parts split horizontally and are numbered in the instructions and on the sprue as parts 16&17.  Curiously on the inside of each part they are stamped 22&23.  The nose has a lump/fairing on it as well, which is not included in the assembly sketch and a quick check of reference photos reveals this should be on the underside.  The locating pins on the fuselage are larger than the respective holes in the nosecone.  I simply carved them off and butt joined the nose cone into position, carefully aligning it so it would all look flush.  In spite of a fairly successful attempt here, the area still needed a small bit of filler and sanding to blend in the whole nose section.  The nose is too sharp in terms of its downward slant from the cockpit, it should be slightly more rounded/bulbous.

A lot of small sub assemblies were completed at this point, the missiles were all affixed together and these are a bit problematic with fit, and require pegs for clamping.  The tailfin and tailplane sections all affix together quite well but the underside fairing (part 19) leaves a small gap in the rear of the tailfin cone section.  Airfix provide a good range of underwing stores including a pair of Sea Eagle (actually two pairs are possible), TV Martel and Radar Martel missiles, all using the same missile body assembly with different seeker heads (and a fairing for the first named); a D Link (data link acquisition pod, and note that it almost looks like it faces backwards) and a pair of those distinctive slipper tanks which hold a shy under 2000 litres.  There are a vast range of combinations which you can determine from useful reference sources (such as Warplane) which show ordnance loads.  If you prefer something different from your spares, the type can carry tube-launched rocket pods, ECM pods and sidewinders.  I went with the boxart depiction of a slipper tank and Radar Martel under each wing.

The wings are made up of upper/lower halves for essentially the outer wing portion, as a "stub section" is already moulded onto the fuselage.  These wing halves affixed together okay but needed sanding at their mating section to remove a bit of rough surface flash.  Unfortunately they did not affix to the stub wings very well at all, it is easy to have a step and resultant gaps needed filling and sanding - again it's very easy to remove raised surface detail here so you have to be very careful.  There is no option to have the wings folded, but it looks like the stubs extend to the folding point, so those with the appropriate modelling and scratchbuilding skills might be able to work their magic here.

The undercarriage is all integrally moulded to each be one-piece components which makes assembly easy but detail basic.  There's no wheel well detail as such and the main gear doors fit quite well, providing you make slight trimming adjustments after a dry run.  The nosewheel door is difficult to put in place because it is easy to 'push into' the bay, so a dab of filler still wet (or blu tak) into the centre of the nose-well acts as a good 'support' for the door.  

The reasonably deep but very basic jet pipes are installed into the rear of the engine part and worried they might get 'pushed through' I added some glue at the point where they meet the rim of the fuselage hole.  I was a bit disappointed with this whole area, they might be best installed prior to the fuselage halves going together, because they jut out too far to be an accurate replication.  I'm not sure if this a fault of the kit or just the way they could only be installed at this point in construction.  Then comes the distinctive rear speedbrake cone, which although the instructions do not suggest, I am pretty sure one can display open.  The halves go together very well but the same cannot be said for the closed cone option installation onto the back of the fuselage.  It is much wider than the fuselage and requires a great deal of work to blend it into the fuselage rear, I emphasise a great deal of work here.  Unfortunately, it has to be admitted that I wasn't completely successful and one side has a bump/step.  

In the final construction phase as such, the various antennae masts, two-part canopy and refuelling probe were added.  Everything fitted without any real problems except the small ILS aerials near the fin which needed a fair amount of coaxing (and holding) to stay in place, seemingly wanting to droop down every time they were put in their locating hole, which was obviously a bit large.  The ordnance was left off til after painting and there are a number of holes in the underwing, mainly in the "first pylon area" to allow you to fit a combination of stores types there, so obviously the ones you don't use need filling in.  Obviously do a dry run of attaching your stores, so you don't fill in the wrong holes!

There were good and bad fitting parts in the whole construction process.  It is certainly not as easy as some other Airfix kits, and particularly the rear airbrake cone was most frustrating.

Versions & Painting:
You have the choice of replicating a Buccaneer from 208 Sqn, 1988, XV359 with blue/yellow arrow squadron marking ahead of the forward fuselage roundel and sphinx on the fin; or one from 12 Sqn, 1985, XV361 with Fox head marking on intake just forward of the wing, symbolising the squadron's inter-war association with the Fairey Fox, and the corresponding FF code on the fin.  Both aircraft are from RAF Lossiemouth and wear the same Dark Green (Humbrol 30 or 163) and Sea Grey (Humbrol 27 or 164) wrap around disruptive camouflage, with silver leading wing and tailplane edges and also on the intake and exhaust rings.  I used the paints supplied with this starter kit which were Satin/semi-gloss 163/164; the other codes above are from Humbrol Matt range.  From my information most Buccaneers were painted in a gloss camouflage that through corrosion and other sea duties reduced to semi gloss.  Given that there were other weathering features which I decided not to replicate, mine was finished in gloss. 


Photo Credit:  Michael Klaver - see web site information below

XV869 from 12 Sqn, RAF Lossiemouth wearing the same camouflage scheme as the kit example

Decals:
The decal sheet is typical Airfix, being medium sized and separated into three sections, a section for each of the versions plus a section common to both.  Colour register is in the main very good, the smaller stencils cannot be read, and the white/red triangle ejection seat warning labels fitted beside the cockpit seemed a bit overly large, and too blurry.  Only the fin flash had any white edging (which is an improvement for Airfix as you usually have a few with this problem!), and of course be wary about affixing these to ensure you put them the correct way with the blue facing the rear.  I didn't on one, and had to turn it around.  There is a bit of stencilling provided but it is not complete and there is no decal to place inside the airbrake if you show it open (photos suggest code number is placed here).

The decals themselves are very thin and go onto the model well... but are very susceptible to wanting to stay put as soon as applied.  This could be a result of using decal setting solution (Mr Mark Softer in my case) so perhaps not using some might have better results.  Otherwise I found them to be pretty good.

Accuracy:
While this is regarded as the best Buccaneer in this scale, there are a number of flaws in the kit, albeit many minor ones.  The main criticism is that the kit is a revised tooling of the manufacturer's "NA.39" kit itself not supremely accurate, which is the Buccaneer prototype and many things were changed, altered and added to the production model.  Most of this has been fixed, but subtle profile differences of course haven't.  The measurements have the kit slightly underscale, which is still quite acceptable in this scale.  The sharpness of the tailplane shape is not quite captured on the kit, the leading edges of the wings are also too thick.  The exact contour of the wing folding is not in my opinion replicated properly, so some major work would be needed to get the exact angles etc right at the fold.  The nose cone is from the NA.39 which has a straighter downward slant to the the nose tip itself from the cockpit and as many others suggest, probably the biggest gripe of the kit.  Not sure what the small wing tip trailing edge bulbs are, but assume they are some sort of navigation light which stick out too far on the kit.  There is the lack of the fairing on the side of the rear airbrake cone as well as the pitot probe and camera housing detail on the underside of the forward fuselage.  In my case, not sure if it is assembly or the kit's fault but the jet pipes protrude too far out the rear.  All in all, some flaws, but still I think acceptable, if only the nose cone was better.

Overall:
Recommended to intermediate modellers and above, with good sanding skills!  Overall the fit on this kit in general was quite good, but it was seriously problematic in a couple of areas as noted in the construction above, and the airbrake tail cone really being the worst, which stopped work on this project for quite some time until I could get over the frustration of attempting to get it blended into the rear fuselage!  It certainly wasn't the easiest Airfix kit I have tackled and could be upgraded to Skill level 3. It has its flaws but is still really the best option in 1/72 at the moment.  

Addendum supplied by Ultan O Broin:  
 The infamous nose problem and a few other omissions are corrected by the just-released SAM resin upgraded kit (info available on their site at samnet.co.uk), however, as far as I know you need the magazine to order it (something individuals may wish to check via their site first - Ed)

 

Related Reviews:-  

Related INBOX reviews:-  

SMAKR Home  |  What's New  |  Submissions  |  News  |  Links  |  Reference Corner  |  Site Information 
1/72 Reviews  |  1/48 Reviews  |  INBOX Reviews  


Photo Credit:  Michael Klaver

One of my favourite shots of the Buccaneer, taken out of the newsgroup postings.
Michael has a great site too, with lots of images from a variety of air forces, the web address is in the image above