Blackburn Buccaneer S2B, XW987 / B3-02-72, Royal Air Force
This picture is © Martin Laycock and may not be used or published without permission.
Registration: XW987
Construction Number: B3-02-72
Military Unit: A&AEE
Model Blackburn Buccaneer S2B
Operator: Royal Air Force
Airport: RAF Fairford (FFD / EGVA), UK - England
Airshow: Fairford - IAT - 1994
Photographer: Martin Laycock
Date Taken: 29/07/1994
Date Submitted: 01/09/2009
One of the last operational Bucanneers, this Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment aircraft was photographed arriving at IAT 94. One of a trio built in 1973 specifically for weapons development with the Royal Aircraft Establishment, she spent her entire career as a trials aircraft before being withdrawn from service in October 1994. Of note are the primer painted panels on the intake and vertical stabiliser. She was the last Bucanneer to fly in UK airspace when she departed for South Africa on 1 April 1997 bound for Mike Beachyhead's Thunder City operation in Cape Town. She continues to be regularly flown, and now wears an overall gloss black scheme as ZU-BCR along her two sister Buccs ZU-AVI (ex-XW988) and ZU-NIP (owned by Ian Pringle ex-XW986).
Picture ID:1190221