Model Airplane International – August 2019

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XTRADECAL

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22 MODEL AIRPLANE INTERNATIONAL - August 2019

Many years ago, I built a pair of the then new Airfi x 1:48

Buccaneer kits and loved the end result but that kit was no match

for Airfi x’s current standards. That kit has been out of production

for a long time and I cannot be alone in wishing we had an up-to-

date Buccaneer in this scale. There have been teasing rumours

occasionally but we still await one to come into view.

We may be encouraged by the fact that Airfi x will be releasing

a newly-tooled Buccaneer in 1:72 later this year. Maybe the

research done in order to produce this kit will be translated into

one in 1:48, as has been the case with the Gnat and Defi ant in the

recent past. In the meantime, we have two great decal sheets for

the 1:72 Buccaneer from Xtradecal who are again ahead of the

release of the boxes of plastic.

HS BUCCANEER S.2 COLLECTION PT.1 (SHEET NO. X72307)

This is a sheet and a half, the half sheet is covered in the

different coloured large under-wing serial numbers. Each of the

ten schemes comes with full sets of insignia so all ten can be

produced from this sheet.

● Buccaneer S.2 XW550 ‘X’ with No. 16 Squadron when at

RAF Laarbruch in West Germany in 1977. This Buccaneer is in

the original RAF scheme of a Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green

camoufl age pattern with Light Aircraft Grey undersides.

● Buccaneer S.2 XV357 ‘612/LM with No. 803 NAS, Royal Navy

at RAF Lossiemouth in 1971. The scheme is overall Extra Dark

Sea Grey.

● Buccaneer S.2 XT287 with 237 OCU at RAF Honington in

1972. Again a pattern of Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey on the
      upper surfaces and Light Aircraft Grey undersides applied to this
      aircraft with full colour roundels and fi n fl ashes.
      ● Buccaneer S.2 XT277 ‘H’ with No. 809 NAS when embarked
      on HMS Hermes in the 1960s. The scheme is overall Squirrel
      Grey. I have never heard of this colour, some research needed!
      ● Buccaneer S.2 XT270 ‘C’ with No. 12 Squadron at RAF
      Honington in 1972. The scheme is again a pattern of Dark Green
      and Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces with Light Aircraft

Buccaneer XN974 preserved in ground running order at the

Yorkshire Aircraft Museum at Elvington near York gets a taxi

run in August 2018. The original Royal Navy Extra Dark Sea

Grey over White scheme looks great. Some of the museum’s

aircraft are started and taxied on their Thunder Days. See their

web site for dates