XV352 - S.Mk.2 Production

Aircraft History

XV352 - Buccaneer S.Mk.2B

208 Sqn. RAF Lossiemouth, on exercise at
Ælborg, Denmark, 17^th August 1993

Note: Smaller wingtips fitted to extend airframe flying hours by reducing wing-loading

XV352 - Buccaneer S.Mk.2B

208 Sqn. RAF Lossiemouth, February 1994

This aircraft was painted in the markings of 237 OCU for a final photo-call prior to the
Buccaneer's retirement from operational flying on 31st March 1994

Serial - XV352C/n - B3-02-67
First Flown	-----	RAF Driffield - because of runway repairs at Holme-on-Spalding Moor
Date Delivered	30/04/1968	To MoD(PE)
	-----	To A&AEE Boscombe Down - 'Weapons Trials' as the first 'New Build' Martel missile capable Buccaneer
	1976	Returned to BAe at Brough and converted to S.Mk.2B standard
Date Delivered	Mar. 1977	To Royal Air Force
	-----	Issued to 208 Sqn., RAF Honington
	Aug. 1977	Exercise 'Red Flag 77' - Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA Main fuselage temporarily over-painted with 'Dark Earth and 'Light Stone' wraparound scheme (Temporary scheme removed on return to UK)
	1979	208 Sqn., RAF Honington - coded 'N'
	Apr. 1979	Deployed to Canada for Exercise 'Maple Flag III', at CFB Cold Lake - coded 'N'
	Feb. 1980	Buccaneer fleet grounded for six months following crash of XV345 at Nellis AFB, Nevada, USA during Exercise 'Red Flag 80'
	Jul. 1983	208 Sqn. relocated to RAF Lossiemouth
	Mar. 1984	Re-coded 'TS', 208 Sqn., RAF Lossiemouth
	1985	To No.19 MU St. Athan for major overhaul
	May 1986	Issued to 237 OCU, RAF Lossiemouth - coded 'FC'
	1987	237 OCU, RAF Lossiemouth - coded '352'
Date Received	07/08/1987	To BAe Woodford - ASR1012 (Set No.013) Avionics Upgrade Programme (AUP) - 34wks cycle
Date Delivered	29/03/1988	'AUP' completed - returned to 'Operational Status' — Sea Eagle 'Anti-Ship' missile capability
	30/03/1988	To 'Station Flight', RAF Lossiemouth
	Apr. 1988	Re-issued to 237 OCU, RAF Lossiemouth - coded '352'
	Oct. 1989	By now transferred to 208 Sqn., RAF Lossiemouth - coded '352'
Date (exact) Between	(unknown) Aug.1989 Jan. 1991	*Mod.1736 'Modified'* - Smaller Wingtips** — Fitted to extend airframe flying hours by reducing wing-loading. Result of fatigue testing of XN982 at HS Brough, to determine cause of the crash of XV345 while participating in 'Red Flag 80' on 07/02/1980 - (Fatigue testing commenced Jun. 1982 - solution implimented to specific airframes from Aug.1989-onwards)
	Mid.1990	'Medium Sea Grey/Camouflage Grey' colour scheme, 12in. low-viz. 'Pink/Pale Blue' roundels applied (208 Sqn., insignia not applied)
	Jan. 1991	Prepared for Operation 'Granby' - painted Desert 'ARTF' (Alkali Removable Temporary Finish) - coded 'U'
	10/02/1991	Direct Transit to Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain - with In-Flight Re-Fuelling 2^nd six aircraft: XX863/ S XX885/ L XX894/ O XX895/ G XV352/ U XX901/ N No 'Nose Art' added during the campaign, but named - 'Tamdhu' By the end of campaign, ten mission symbols displayed on starboard nose below cockpit canopy
	17/03/1991	Returned to RAF Lossiemouth form the Gulf
	Mar. 1991	Re-joined 208 Sqn., RAF Lossiemouth
	Aug. 1992	By this date 'Desert Pink' ARTF removed, revealing 'Medium Sea Grey/Camouflage Grey' previous finish
	Aug. 1993	Noted in full 208 Sqn. markings
	Feb. 1994	Received 237 OCU markings as one of Six aircraft to carry the markings of all previous RAF Squadrons to operate the Buccaneer: XV352 — 237 OCU (Medium Sea Grey/Camouflage Grey - late scheme) XV359 — 12 Sqn. (Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey - wraparound scheme) XV361 — 15 Sqn. (Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey - wraparound scheme) XW527 — 16 Sqn. (Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey - wraparound scheme) XX889 — 208 Sqn. (Medium Sea Grey/Camouflage Grey - late scheme) XX901 — 216 Sqn. (Dark Green/Dark Sea Grey - wraparound scheme) plus the last Naval Air Squadron to operate the Buccaneer: XX894 — 809 NAS (Extra Dark Sea Grey - overall) for a final photo-call prior to the Buccaneer's retirement from operational flying on 31st March 1994
	07/04/1994	To No.19 MU St. Athan store
	1994	Scrapped - Hanningfield Metals, Stock, Essex (nose section saved)
	Sep. 1994	Nose section 'Privately Owned' by John Hume, Maldon, Essex Current position: On display inside the Manston History Museum, Kent (date currency at 15/12/2006)

Gulf War History of XV352 - "U" Tamdu
Date:		Additional Information:
10/02/1991	Transit from RAF Lossiemouth to Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain	Direct flight - (9 hrs)
Date:	Target:	Additional Information:
11/02/1991	Ataq — Highway bridge	Duty Partly Carried Out - 1st bombs hit target, 2nd bombs missed (depite orbiting for re-attack)
11/02/1991	Al Amarah — Highway bridge	DNCO (Duty Not Carried Out) - Aircraft u/s
12/02/1991	*Wadi Al Khirr New Airfield — HAS sites**	*Hardened Aircraft Shelter
13/02/1991	Al Taqaddum Airfield — HAS sites Al Asad Airfield — HAS sites
13/02/1991	Al Fallujah — Highway bridge
14/02/1991	Al Taqaddum Airfield — HAS sites
15/02/1991	Jalibah South East Airfield — HAS sites
16/02/1991	Amara New Airfield — Runway
18/02/1991	Tallil Airfield — Runway & HAS sites	Duty Partly Carried Out - weather
19/02/1991	Shaibah Airfield
19/02/1991	Shaibah Airfield	DNCO - weather
20/02/1991	Qal'at Salih Airfield	DNCO - weather
21/02/1991	Ar Rumaylah South West Airfield	DNCO - weather
21/02/1991	Kut Al Hayy East Airfield	DNCO - weather
22/02/1991	Kut Al Hayy East Airfield
23/02/1991	Qal'at Salih Airfield
24/02/1991	Tallil Airfield	DNCO - black smoke
25/02/1991	Al Taqaddum Airfield	DNCO - weather
26/02/1991	Shayka Mazhar Airfield	DNCO - weather
27/02/1991	Habbaniyah Airfield — Hangars & Ammunition store
Date:		Additional Information:
17/03/1991	Transit from Muharraq Air Base, Bahrain to RAF Lossiemouth	Direct flight - (8 hrs 50 mins)

Note: Gulf War records obtained from photocopy entries of both the crews' logbooks and actual Authorisation Sheets
- by courtesy of the 'Buccaneer Aircrew Association'


Source -			Buccaneer: The story of the last all-British strike aircraft (Tim Laming) Hawker Siddeley/Blackburn Buccaneer (Paul Jackson & Peter Foster) RAF Buccaneer (Peter R. Foster) (see Reference Library page for full details) Survivor's current position - John Hume (current owner)
Additional Info. -			R. Kelley: Airframe C/n NJ. Roberson (Historian, Buccaneer Aircrew Association) for information on: ASR1012 'Avionics Upgrade Programme' + 'Modified'-Smaller 'Wingtip' Airframes British Aviation Review - Vol.36 No.4 'CHECK SIX' decal sheet - No.72005