Designed for the Royal Navy as a carrier-based strike aircraft to counter Soviet naval buildup, the Blackburn Buccaneer would fly fast and low under the radar to deliver nuclear or conventional weapons. After the navy retired its large aircraft carriers, most Buccaneers were transferred to Royal Air Force squadrons and flew until 1994.
Airfix has had two previous kits of the Buccaneer, one first produced in 1960, and then a new kit in 1989. Come forward another 30 years, and the company has once again released a completely new tool kit of the strike fighter.
This kit features crisply molded parts with little flash and fine recessed panel details. Build options include straight or folded wings, and open or closed air brake and bomb bay. A wheels-up version is not mentioned but I don’t think it would be difficult to do. Two crew figures are included. A couple of unused parts indicate future variants will follow.
Underwing stores include tanks, bombs, and rocket pods but no ordnance provided for the bomb bay if it is posed open.
Markings for two aircraft are provided on the beautifully printed Cartograf sheet.
The airframe is divided into three sections for assembly: The cockpit and tail are each split vertically and join the center split horizontally.
There is some sidewall detail molded inside the fuselage but otherwise, the cockpit detail relies on decals. Belts are molded into the seats, but I would probably add aftermarket belts if building another.
There’s ample room in the nose for the recommended 15 grams of weight to keep the front wheel on the ground. Everything fit together well with only light sanding required to smooth the glue joint.
If you planning to fold the wings, you will need to cut away the outer portion of the wings. Also, remember to open the holes for the slipper tanks and pylons if desired.
I recommend test fitting all the pieces for the main gear wells before painting and gluing as they are a bit of a puzzle box. It’s actually quite clever how it all fits together but careful planning of the sequence will minimize any paint or assembly issues.
I needed only a little filler to smooth the seams of the intake trunks; be sure to get the orientation correct when attaching them to the internal bulkhead and fans (Part C8) as there should be a slight downward drop. It might be better not to glue Part C8 in place so the ends of the intakes can float slightly; mine fought me a bit when I attached the outer panels.
Next came the tail section, featuring the Buccaneers’ characteristic air brake. I opted to pose them closed to preserve the fighter’s lines, but all the parts are included to pose them open.
Mating the three sections at this point proved trouble-free.
After painting, I applied the decals. Be prepared to spend a couple of sessions on this step as there are scores of tiny stencils. Some border on microscopic, so you’ll have to decide how far you want to go.
A flat coat sealed the finish in preparation for underwing stores, landing gear, and antennas. The instructions don’t mention the landing light for the nose gear but it’s on the clear tree.
Airfix Buccaneer epitomizes what it has been doing lately, with kits that offer excellent engineering with great fit, good detail, and excellent pricing. I’m really looking forward to the new Avro Vulcan scheduled for later this year and hoping that maybe a Gloster Javelin isn’t too far behind.
Definitely recommended!
Note: A version of this review appeared in the September 2020 issue.