Sailor series. HMS Ark Royal. Buccaneer landings and bolters

Sailor, The 1976 BBC series set on HMS Ark Royal. Blackburn Buccaneer landings and bolters.
The Buccaneer in question 030/R XV333 is currently enjoying retirement on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum, Yeovilton.

[@JollyRodders]

I remember this when it was first shown on TV. The Ark Royal was broken up in about 1980 and of course the RN could have done with her, and her aircraft, in the fleet during the Falklands conflict in 1982.

[@Opel314]

This is the best clip on the entire site. Just love to watch it. Great stuff and I remember when it was on tv the first time round.

[@georgebuller1914]

When the cameras departed, the bollockings started! LOL

[@denisthornton2489]

Not so George! No need for that and never happened!

[@beagle7622]

Been looking for this . One of the best documentary series I have ever seen

[@granskare]

great video! superb aircraft - I have a high school class mate who flew from carriers in the Viet Nam war so it does take a certain type of guy to handle that...I flew a desk in the USAF so that was suitable for me...I admire these guys who fly on and off carriers !! thanks for posting this vid!

[@englishelectric]

Nice to see this, having just read Pheonix Squadron.... I said goodbye to the current Ark today at Portsmouth. What a que! Worth it though.

[@ToonandBBfan]

The good old Bucc was a great airplane

[@patdunphy4714]

I was a clubswinger on he 72-76. Love it

[@SkarnDeBrax]

This job is crazy, but, I understand that they love it !

[@waffoorn]

The aircraft is moving forward, brakes are applied and the nose dips and compresses the front shock. This then recovers and lifts the nose. Seldom very high but there is a tail skid at the rear.

[@beagle7622]

I flew over HMAS Melbourne when she was in Melbourne in the 70’s at 1000 ft . I just couldn’t believe how small that landing deck was. I know the Ark Royal was a much bigger ship, but flying Buccaneers onto her must have been really hairy.

[@Ukiwi]

Landing on a "postage stamp" ...Respect.

[@Popeetog]

Real pressure as he was seconded from the RAF - a shock move from acres of concrete runway to a pitching, tossing grey postage stamp surrounded by lots of ocean!

[@Popeetog]

This got me thinking. Having nothing better to do this a.m. i've trawled though numerous shots of Buccaneers there appears to be two shapes of air intakes. The S1 appears to have the smaller circular intakes while S2's eliptical - I can't believe the FAA were still using underpowered S1 in 1976/7

[@ToonandBBfan]

This is a proper aircraft carrier

[@sketchy74]

So glad you keep posting these! Thanks again!

[@fillyerboots1]

What many people don't realise is that it's not the aircraft that's going up and down as it comes in to land but the ship pitching up and down.

[@Grahampk73]

I bought the DVD boxset this year from the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovelton. Great to watch but sad that we have this capability for ten years.

[@waffoorn]

What I find strange is the air intakes appear round. I worked on and aroung the Mk 2 for some years and I remember them being eliptical.

[@Popeetog]

Top man sir! I knew an answer would be forthcoming!

[@Popeetog]

@dom86juve good luck on searching the dvd set out. They're as rare as rocking horse sh*t at moment and fetching silly prices. Glad I got mine when I did

[@pascaljh]

@palmersperry Thank you. Never knew about that one. Interesting aircraft with a unique look.

[@donmacleod1233]

A trial was carried out on 021 022 and I think 027 on the round intakes similar to the S1 but on the S2 engine,this was for power trials

[@allgood6760]

Awesome 👍

[@THEkendarkness]

Would be great if you could post the whole series!

[@SM-dt1pr]

On that final successful approach - the puffs of smoke - is that the boundary layer control cutting in and out?

[@JDJLalor]

@Popeetog I get the impression that this video is 'flattened' vertically. Seeing the apparently round intakes I searched for the small intakes at the wing-root leading edge, and didn't see any. I guess the Buccaneers in this film were actually S2s.

[@DougieMClark]

Yes, Spey engined S.2s.

[@guillermoalvaradoflores8698]

How good was the bucaneer ? because britain quits to build the TRS 2 for this aircraft.

[@BlueonGoldZ]

@dru4m in a manner of speaking, yes, we could've afforded not to do it considering our strongest ally typically has 10 or more mega carriers patroling the waters. Yes, we did lose ships in the Falklands War and maybe a large carrier could've prevented that but overall the economy was really bad and we ruly didn't need them. Don't get me wrong, I'm the kinda guy that would love to see large carriers and cruisers in the RN just for the sake of saying we have them but it is what it is.

[@skysurferuk]

Totally British, and totally brilliant.

[@PlaneAF876]

I guess you're right, but let's hope the lessons of the past including the Falklands war were learnt and the new carriers escape the budget cuts which are coming, I desperately want to see them afloat and in operation sooner rather than later.

[@PlaneAF876]

@BlueonGoldZ I completely understand what you're saying, but sometimes, it's not a matter of whether you can afford to do something but whether you can afford not to do it.

[@KevinMeeds]

Good to see the GrpCpt deferring to the Cdr....

[@waffoorn]

The DVD set has been re issued and will be avaiable from the 1st of March from Amazon or pre ordered from this site. faaba.co.uk

[@douglasb5046]

Ace

[@Popeetog]

4:3 squeezing into widescreen! My fault

[@waffoorn]

They weren't Mk 2's, I was on the Ark then and that was 809 Sqd. Might be something to do with the picture ratio?

[@pramboy09]

@dru4m They are building large deck carriers again.

[@ChuckNorr13579]

Im watching the last sail of it right now its sad :(

[@pascaljh]

What is the propeller type aircraft on the deck next to the island?

[@douglasb5046]

Gannet

[@BlueonGoldZ]

@dru4m It wasn't a mistake. We couldn't afford them.

[@fillyerboots1]

That's Phil McCann, the 'Y' director.

[@Popeetog]

Possibly tug back on the arrestor wire while hook still engaged? Answers on a postcard to..................... :-)

[@Bitsforboats]

@dru4m Couldn`t agree more!

[@bazwalk]

I thought they were Sapphires, but I could be wrong.

[@DougieMClark]

Sapphires on S.1 aircraft and Speys on the S.2 variants (as seen here,)

[@Popeetog]

a/c serial number, carrier and or date would be a helpful clue?!

[@Bitsforboats]

@SkipSidekick I`m about 2/3rds of the way through. Great book, and I recommend the same authors book about the lone Vulcan Black Buck bombing raid in the Falklands!

[@fillyerboots1]

@SONOR4 he was a Crabfat - RAF - pilot.

[@lilee45]

LSO sounds like Charlie Brown's dad.

[@ChuckNorr13579]

Zeal Does Not Rest

[@PlaneAF876]

The brits made a big mistake getting rid of their large deck carriers.

[@fillyerboots1]

Lt Cdr Stanley - "No problem" in a toffee-nosed voice - yeah right. Not what he said after the cameras were turned orf, eh what old chap??

[@pramboy09]

@jers59 military equipment

[@palmersperry]

@pascaljh Fairy Gannet AEW3.

[@hughgordon9527]

palmersperry jock smellie was there

[@rivco5008]

Nothing against the A7, but the US Navy should've bought that Buccaneer.

[@ashleyphotog]

the A6 would have been a closer comparission.

[@Relax2437]

BS! A7 was an attack aircraft, BB was an Strategic bomber. Different roles!