Bucc Off The Ark

An unchocked Buccaneer S.1 meets with a watery end.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• aircraft
• buccaneer
• arkroyal
• carrier
• accident

[dph524]

I would say that this is from a Royal Navy training film at aimed highlighting the dangers of mistakes on the flight deck.

The aircraft is a Buccaneer S.1 - the first version of this wonderful jet. It was underpowered, rather dangerous, and was quickly replaced by the S.2 version with more powerful engines. Consequently, the RN would have had a few surplus S.1 airframes available for disposal in such a manner. Many other airframes would have been burned for fire practice, or just cut-up.

[smurfette264]

You are correct, it was a surplus S.1 and used for Training purposes. As far as my Husband remembers, it was not recovered.

[sticky847]

this is rare where did you get it?

[smurfette264]

My partner runs the blackburn buccaneer society and has access to all sorts of material

[MeToobism]

This clip is now used as part of the Aircraft Carrier Experience at the Fleet Air Arm Museum at RNAS Yeovilton where it is presented as a 'real event' which the visitors observe. Reference is then made to a helicopter rescuing the crew although that is not seen. I'm surprised that the RN would wish to portray this less-than-flattering incident as part of life aboard an Aircraft Carrier.

[Grahampk73]

This is at the naval air museum in Yeovleton!

[Greataardvark]

Not all of the film is present in this clip. In the other part they launch a Westland whirlwind to recover the pilot. I have sat in the very same aircraft.

[stephenpprice]

Thought this was a genuine accident. was saying to myself "come on lads, we will leave the aircraft carrier crashes to the yanks!"

[jp3492]

I'm guessing it had no engines in the airframe either judging by the way its floating.

[foggydayinlondon]

This was a training film made around 1974-75 for the Aircraft Handlers 'flight deck cowboys' - so that they would not repeat an incident also in Ark Royal 1970 -71, when 'Buccaneer Billy H' managed to lose a real 809 sqdn. Mk2 over the side! Not his fault - an accumulation of bad drills really, so this film was made as a result to show what could happen during a 'bad drill.'

[lottie23xxx]

I would like to say I was on board the Ark when this happened i was a Stoker My name is James ( Dinger) Bell

[stormcruiser2]

my uncle was a electrical engineer on hms ark royal

[Nicoladrag]

I was on HMS exeter, and my boss, Les Smith told me that this film, is a training safety film, to show about unsecured aircraft. He said that it was re enacting an incident on 809, on the Ark, when the tug had been disconnected, and the chain lashings were not secured, and the aircraft rolled off the round down. He said , what the film does NOT show, was him, scrambling out of the cockpit, after trying to put the brakes on!

[paullytheplumber]

I was on R09 (Ark Royal) when this occured, what the film doesn't show is the dozens of us pushing it overboard with enough speed to build up momentum to make it look like an accident. it was around 1973 and I was a young bombhead (Aircraft armourer).