Pirates of the Mediterranean - a Buccaneer special

[stevenbenjamincole]

This is a simply sensational video. Who are the people that clicked "dislike"?

[barfoneandonly]

The boys are being a bit shy here, they can go lower than that. When we went on exercise in the Skagerrak some of them would come back with seaweed wrapped round the pylons.

[juandeherat]

Right title: "pirates". Taken off from an airport built upon Spanish soil, flying through Spanish air space... According to the Treaty of Utrecht, Gibraltar´s airport runway is by no means British.

[89Sunbird]

Beautifully quirky looking aircraft. Far better looking than the F-35 that might someday get into service.

[WindyMillarUK]

when I first started watching this, I thought the soundtrack choice was a bit odd, but yes, its a perfect fit as you keep watching.

great footage, great flying, and an even greater video !

Never really knew this aircraft very well, like most I expect, but yes, another great British aircraft lost , as they have all been lost one by one, still amazed and can't believe Harriers been sacked !!!! outrageous !!

Anyway, another characterful British plane etched in British combat aviation history !

[ToonandBBfan]

@lexus5011

Gibraltar

[ja06360]

@lexus5011 Gibraltar

[ynda20]

I knew an RAF squadron leader that thought the Buccaneer was the best bomber in service for the last few decades (this was in 1992). I was rather surprised: Tornado? (no - no range etc), Vulcan? (no - not fast at low level) TSR-2 (yeah well, it was not put into service) - in the end, I had to agree with him! Fantastic video - shows why it was such a classy aircraft...

[TheRikMail]

I am not keen on Kings of leon but this video makes it a superb track - great footage!

[crotchboots]

those buccs were every bit as good as the a6 intruder.

[pianoman2121]

At 2:34 - the guys on the ship are probably thinking "I'm glad these guys are on our side!"

[ja06360]

@pianoman2121 I don't know the Type 42 had a pretty good record against low level bombers in the Falklands it could have held its own

[dklearjet]

I'm a Yank and damn this is one awesome aircraft and video! Thanks for posting.

[jimbo99ful]

Bleeding hell. What skill and balls it must take to fly that low, in formation, over water, at speed, with ships above you!

[MrTomRobs]

Gotta love that low level! I remember i got a back seat trip in a hawk around the mach loop at valley and the instructor i was with was ex Bucc. Totally different kettle of fish he said and he'd have brought them back without a second thought. After seeing this and experiencing that i'm inclined to agree with him! Great video!

[AndykSuper2]

This is the best aircraft video I have ever seen.

[blackswan78]

Great aircraft, probably better than the Intruder. The real strike bomber. I've posted it in my blog: kestrel-aviation-videos.blogsp­ot.com

[ArcturanMegadonkey]

Thumps up if parts of this video gave you goosebumps like it did me.

[JollyRodders]

If the Ryal Navy still had the old Ark Royal with these and other aircaft on board I don't suppose the Argentinians would have dared to invade the Falkland Islands.

[bradhimself69]

Cracking aircraft The Mighty Bucc!!! over engineered as proper British A/C used to be :(

Getting one airworthy in the UK is still a small possibility HHA Engineering at RAF Scampton have had their one in the pipeline for the last few years would love to see one fly again.

Disappointed I missed the last one being test flown in 2002 at Kemble before departing to join the others at Thunder City in South Africa oh well ... If all else fails I'll have to make a holiday out of it :)

[smeato09]

great video!! i really hate that song though

[AVMamfortas]

A Bucc is better than a fucc. :)

[ianhzzz]

Absolutely brilliant, thank you. Had the privilege of seeing these guys from the ATC tower in Gibraltar where I worked 85-86. Scary watching them land though!!

[townclose]

That period. Buccs, Harriers, Vulcans and Jags. Great British aircraft.

[navnig]

i was gonna reply to the twat below me but i'm not gonna give a troll the satisfaction.

[jimmytheblaze]

Buccaneers all the way. Untouchable, come in below radar and hit em hard.

[theguitarsmith]

Oh. My God. What a take off at 0.45. Awesome aircraft, superb video. Many thanks for posting!

[Vulcanboy607]

@TSR1989RN I believe the CAA have granted an aerodrome permission to restore their Bucc to flight status, but that was in 2004, so I don't know if something has changed. Having never had the pleasure of seeing one of these flying, I'd love one to be back again-preferably in EDSG over white :)

[rzbrzotrzBGD]

British aircraft industry ruled, till your politicians sold your souls to USA. Buccaneer is my favorite western plane of all times, but Lightning, Vulcan, Nimrod, Victor, Sea Vixen... are also great machines. Great video

[FoxCommander101]

I love the buccaneer, but the RAF got rid of them, shame, great vid by the way!! :)

[Newelginloon]

Great Vid. Grew up in Moray, a stones throw from Lossie. My late father told me how the Buccs roasted the yanks in an aero competition in the States. They were simply not up to the job.

[AndykSuper2]

The best aircraft vid ever.

[bgibb101]

Fantastic!

[unclebazwold]

Excellent video.

[racoonhaas]

Brilliant vid, my old man worked for SAAF 24 Squadron. Per Noctom Per Diem!

[torin312]

I love this aircraft!!!

[12guageheadwound]

Awesome footage of an awesome plane! where the fuck did it all go so wrong in this country???????????????

[will1988a]

@12guageheadwound Im asking the same question!!

[stubbostubbs]

Awesome. B4 the British Aircraft industry was wrecked by the USELESS politicians.

[Vulcanboy607]

@TSR1989RN However he phrased it, he was bloody right! :D

[doffincodger]

Apparently, pilots can select wheels up whilst on the ground run. Once airborne, the u/c will quickly retract.

Another example of an excellent all British designed aircraft!

 Harriers and Nimrods have been hastily scrapped- were they that bad?

[ja06360]

@doffincodger Feature from the carrier days (that is what is was designed for) when these were catapult launched straight into the air, the undercarriage was probably only on the deck for a few seconds

[TSR1989RN]

@stalinvlad Much to learn... you still have

(about a great many things ; )

[redbaroniii]

There was nothing in its catagory. The A5 was to be the US navy version but was used for Photo work. The gear up was exciting but sometimes the plane would settle back on the runway and then your skipper would have a talk with you. Great vid Thanks.

[Vulcanboy607]

This is genuine: When an RAF Buccaneer pilot was asked what aircraft could best replace the Buccaneer, he stopped and thought for a moment and then replied: "The only thing that could ever replace a Buccaneer, is the Buccaneer." A truely phenominal aircraft :D

[TSR1989RN]

@Vulcanboy607 I think he phrased it as...

"the only replacement for the Buccaneer... would be... Another Buccaneer".

Either way he was Bang On, she was/still is a incredible Aircraft, and the finest ever to fly with the Fleet Air Arm.

[AusJackal]

I worked on these many decades ago and this footage is impressive but I've seen lower.... =D

[stalinvlad]

Why would anyone commission a bomber after building an ICBM beats the fuck out of me, too much money not enough brains? This is like those steam trains us brits built in the 50's

Never look at the big picture just look at someone else genitals

[micktagg]

@stalinvlad Well thank God you are not in charge of foriegn policy where you would have only 2 choices nuke the enemy or do nothing, TWIT

[stalinvlad]

@micktagg Yeah, once you have calmed down and moped your mess up do nothing seems to sum it up, explain nuke, you cannot. Just so many twats in a hat

[micktagg]

@stalinvlad Well you are the one who thinks conventional aircraft were totally superceded by ICBM's which as I said would give you only 2 responses; attack your enemy with nuclear missiles (ICBM's are not accurate enough to use conventional weapons). When the Buccaneer was in service missiles did not have good enough guidance systems. Aircraft give you flexibility of response, hence the reason everyone has them -TWIT

[DougS1979]

Brilliant video!

[TroyTempest9]

knellertron wrote "AMAZING Th FAA are truly the worlds best aviators"

Well knellertron, all the footage here is of RAF Buccs, namely 12 and 208 Sqns. Absolutely No Fleet Air Arm.

The RAF accepts your compliments with good grace.

[KO3MOHOT]

Awesome video! I worked on A-6s - we did excersises with some Buccs once - it was pretty cool - I liked them since I was a kid, but after hearing some of the stories our pilots told about flying with them, I liked them even more. I really liked the higher speed and the weapons bay.

[knellertron1]

AMAZING! The FAA are truly the worlds best aviators. Superb footage.

[Nelsonpk2000]

I worked on banana bombers between 1979 and 1982, best time of my life.The legend goes that the Buccaneer can actually ride on its own shock wave at low level, and naturally stays at the height where the pressure from the wave counteracts any tendency to drop lower

[iangough964]

Wow great video - thing looks great low level

[englishelectric]

Nice. :-)

[801SQNOEM]

Lower Faster Longer the best low level aircraft of all time period! My old man (no longer with us) worked on these with 801 sqn in late 60's thru early 70's.I grew up near lossie and one of my earliest memories is being buzzed on a regular basis by buccs.

On excersises with USS Forestall in the med my old man told me Yanks couldn't do anything against the mighty buccs too low, fast and both for too long.

We got the Vulcan back up we really really got get a bucc back up.

Thanks best bucc vid !!!!

[Sterlingjob]

@801SQNOEM I believe that there is a bucc ready to fly with de havilland aviation ( not sure of exact name) I also heard that the bucc was the fastest low level bomber around, could sit at 10 feet or so with hands of controls!

[TSR1989RN]

@801SQNOEM Couldn't agree more.

@Everyone Thumbs up if you want to see the formation of a "Cold War Memorial Flight"

(Comprising at the very least the Vulcan / Victor / TSR-2 / Sea Vixen / Lightning & Buccaneer ; )

[LordGeorgeRodney]

@TSR1989RN I would add the Mig Killer Hawker Sea Fury too to that..

[TSR1989RN]

@LordGeorgeRodney I agree, the Sea Fury is rarely given it's due credit for that

(out turning & downing multiple MIG-15 Interceptors, dispite being on paper at a disadvantage).

Plus if i remember right Sea Furies are still flying in private use (like the Spit's & Hurricanes it superceded).

[jpatt1000]

@TSR1989RN Sir Branson could fund the construction of a replica TSR2!

[TSR1989RN]

@jpatt1000 No Replica Required, we still have Two Complete Examples

(XR-220 & XR-222).

Although in the case of either being restored to Flyable Condition would require in the area of 2 million pounds

(that's what was needed/ raised to restore Vulcan XH-558).

[jpatt1000]

@TSR1989RN And the fact neither museum would let that happen (barring a zombie apocalypse, which then the survivors can do as they please!):-) It makes the choice of a replica more appealing. PLEASE MR. BRANSON!!!!!!!! I would love to see one fly though. Must've been loud!

[bgibb101]

@801SQNOEM - Thanks for the memories. I grew up in Strarer where the RAE station flew Canberras, Buccs, Hunters and Starfighters (Luftwaffe0 every summer. We had a lot of incredible UFO sightings there too for decades. My father worked there and siad that they tracked them all the time on radar. BTW, Thunder City in Cape Town, South Africa flew a Bucc, but the whole base shut down after one of their English Electric Lightnings crashed after complete hydraulics failure. tragic.

[raabgunner]

I luv this plane.

[gixxerjunkie5556]

Thanks for posting this up. Brings back fantastic childhood memories of living in Gib when my dad was based there. Cheers!

[SimonDolan]

Better than the Tornado

[gmtmelb]

designed to do a job and did it without equal, a truely great plane an icon. and one of the best vids on here superb........

[TheMaxelll]

This, in my opinion, is the best video on youtube.

And the Buccaneer S2, in my opinion, is the best aircraft ever made.

[xfire7]

Superb

[simmyvideo]

Fantastic.......

[c53204]

Sure at 00:45 the wheels start to come up before he leaves the ground!

[philpheasant]

@c53204 As soon as the WOG(weight on ground) switches open, up it comes

[TheophilusPWildbeest]

I have seen a lot of aircraft do a lot of things but that's the first time I've actually seen undercarriage start to retract while still in contact with the ground. Great. Thanks for posting.

[steveward205]

16 Sqn massive........."do a trip"

[JukeBoxHero991]

This is a keeper....Whoa...fantastic vid...:-)

[goldfishrocks]

I spent four years on 208..... great days, great aircraft... there will never be anything like it again

[dougie1991dd]

Awesome video. 12 squadron Buccs " leads The Field" My first posting in 1975 when I was 17.

[BillyTheFlid1]

208 .. Penetrate.

[efefia]

Seems apt, the Buccaneer is sex on wings. Best low level attack bomber ever flown.

[goonerfromjhb]

Long live the RAF...respect from SA

[airthreypark]

The early wheels up shot is one of the coolest things ever.....these guys were awesome!

[rebelwithoutaporsche]

Totally, totally awesome...makes me proud to be British!!

[stevenbenjamincole]

Sensational.

[lxgbmedia]

Top video, nice shots of Gibraltar......some 20 yrs years back though.

[rebelwithoutaporsche]

Absolute class!! Thanks for sharing.

[conniff44]

Ah the memories - couldn't happen now though, not through lack of aircraft but I don't think they are allowed to change out of first gear now, will cost too much in fuel.

[machpants]

Ah TANs that brings back some memories of a lot slower platform, went lower though. Also all the 6's through Gib, less than 60', more than 600kts and 67 winf ;)

[HighHopesBass]

Superb video. I remember being on an exchange visit to HMS Glasgow and watching a mock attack by 4 buccs when on the bridge... and they were at least level with my eye line, if not below it.

This is when we were good. Really good.

[flym0]

@HighHopesBass

On the Illiustrious berthing for sea training in '84. The Buccaneers were going out to play with the ships already under Sea Training. I was working on the fo'c'sle at the time as they flew down our flight deck under the level of the bridge. And how LOUD was that! :-)

[Buccaneers2b]

Trully awesome! Great video, thanks for posting.

[whylie74]

We used to make some damn fine aircraft. the only thing that flew lower were supermarine swifts doing reccon sweeps into east germany

[wanlockhead]

God go with you,

My beautiful cousin was killed in a Buck.

Take it easy.x

[richkingb01]

absolutely superb!! a fantastic jet that could still cut the mustard today given the chance.... i can't believe how low they could get.

if i we're in a rowing boat out there i would be proud to be capsized by the shockwave from a passing bucc!!

[octanejunkie454]

Nothing flys low level like the old Buccaneer, superb strike aircraft! Almost impossible to shoot down in its day.

[malteserabroad]

That kind of flying gave a whole new meaning to "Deck Level' !!!!

[screechjet1]

The Bucc rocks.

[hellcatjoe]

Thats my husband in one of those Thanks for posting Great memories of great times Still on Fire :)

[planejunky]

And below the bridge of Type 42 too, ha ha!!!

These guys were acting as anti-shipping missiles for a Royal Navy Principle Warfare Officers course aboard HMS Nottingham in the early 1990's.

If they were acting as attacking aircraft, they'd have released their weapons and turned for home before the ships radar would've even spotted them, so the training value would be nil. Apparently they did some mock LGB attacks too, though against a well armed warship I wouldn't recommend it!.

[planejunky]

Ah the trademark Buccaneer departure! Bloody superb!

[jamiemassetti]

nice1