Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B
Blackburn / Hawker Siddeley · UK · first flew 1963 · bomber
The S.2B is the RAF Buccaneer configured for overland strike, adding a wing hardpoint for the Martel anti-radiation missile and later the Pave Spike laser designator. It is the mark that went to war in the Gulf in 1991 as a designator aircraft for Tornados.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | Mid-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 19.33 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Rotating bomb bay door that forms a flat underside fairing — unique semi-circular bomb door arrangement
- Buddy-buddy refuelling pod often carried on centreline — the RAF Buccaneer frequently refuelled Phantoms
- Pave Spike targeting pod on starboard wing pylon — the standard Gulf War configuration
The Buccaneer's wide, slab-sided fuselage with the distinctive rotating bomb-bay door is unique. No other Western jet has the same circular-section rotary door arrangement. The high-set shoulder intakes and two-crew canopy with individual hinged panels are also distinctive. The S.2B specifically is identified by the outboard wing hardpoint (a small pylon not present on all S.2 variants) and associated Martel/Pave Spike stores.
Specifications
- The Blackburn Buccaneer S.2B 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.2B designation covers S.2 airframes modified to carry Martel from the late 1960s. The Buccaneer transferred from the Royal Navy to the RAF in 1969 when the Navy's carrier force was abandoned. Gulf War service in 1991 demonstrated that the elderly Buccaneer was the only RAF aircraft able to deliver precision laser-guided bombs effectively — a considerable embarrassment to the Tornado programme.
Variants
The S.2 is the basic RAF variant; S.2A was for the Royal Navy. The S.50 was the South African export variant. Sub-variant differences are primarily in avionics and weapons clearances.
Where you'll see it
RAF Strike Command and Germany 1969-1994. South African Air Force until 1991. Static examples at Bruntingthorpe, East Fortune, Cosford, and several gate positions.
Related aircraft
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