Blackburn Buccaneer S.1
Blackburn Aircraft · United Kingdom · first flew 1958 · bomber
The original Buccaneer S.1 was the Fleet Air Arm's first operational mark, powered by a pair of de Havilland Gyron Junior turbojets that proved chronically underpowered for carrier operations.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbojet, embedded-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Same area-ruled fuselage and mid-mounted swept wing as all Buccaneers |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Narrow circular engine intakes — the key recognition difference from the S.2's larger rectangular Spey intakes
- Same area-ruled fuselage and mid-mounted swept wing as all Buccaneers
- Smaller overall profile: de Havilland Gyron Junior engines give a slightly trimmer nacelle shape
Compared to the S.2, look for the circular, narrower engine intakes on each side of the fuselage rather than the S.2's larger, squarer Spey intake lips. Both marks share the deep belly and rotating bomb-bay door.
Specifications
- The Blackburn Buccaneer S.1 has a length of 19.33 m (63 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 13.41 m (44 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1040 km/h (646 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The S.1 entered FAA service in 1962 with 800 Naval Air Squadron, but its engines were so marginal that take-offs from HMS Ark Royal required full flap, full power and a catapult shot with minimum fuel and no weapons to reach flying speed. This led directly to the S.2 re-engine programme with the far more powerful Rolls-Royce Spey.
Variants
The S.1 was a short-lived operational mark; all surviving airframes were converted or replaced by the definitive S.2, which used the same airframe with new Spey turbofans and reshaped intakes.
Where you'll see it
The S.1 served with 800 and 801 NAS from HMS Ark Royal and Victorious from 1962 to 1966, and was quickly supplanted by the S.2. No S.1s survive in an airworthy condition, though static examples exist at Boscombe Down and the FAA Museum at Yeovilton.
Related aircraft
- Blackburn Botha
- Blackburn Roc
- Blackburn Skua
- Blackburn Shark
- Blackburn Buccaneer
- Fairey Gannet AEW.3
- North American A-5 Vigilante
- Tupolev Tu-22
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