Nocturnal Pioneet

摘要

Buccaneer S.2C XV344 sits inside the headquarters complex of defence firm QinetiQ at Farnborough, Hampshire. The colourful aircraft, resplendent in its 'raspberry ripple' livery, serves as an internal gate guard - hut also celebrates its IS years of extensive and highly valuable research Hying. This 'Brick', as the type was often known, began its life with I lawker Siddeley Aviation (I ISA) at Brough, in the Easl Riding of Yorkshire, as an S.2. It made its maiden Ilight from nearby Holme-on-Spalding-Moor on May 20, 1967, before delivery to the Aircraft Holding Unit at Royal Naval Air Station Lossiemouth, Moray, on June 9 that year. On May 3, 1968, it was issued to 809 Naval Air Squadron (NAS), being subsequently coded 325/LM, then passed to the Naval Aircraft Support Unit, followed liy 800 NAS on October 8,1970, where it became 105/LM, 105/E, and 113/E over the following IS months. Being lightered, possibly direct from HMS Eagle (RO5), to Royal Naval Air Yard (RNAY) Fleetlands, 1 lampshire, on January 28,1972, it was then shipped by sea to Hull and transported hy road to HISA Brough for conversion to S.2C status. Flown to KNAY Belfast on May 16, 1973, after its conversion, it was duly issued to 809 NAS on August 8,1973, and coded 034/R. During September 1974, it had a mainplane change and was returned to 809 NAS, at the navy's detachment at RAT Honington, Suffolk, where it was re coded as 035/R. In January 1978, its identity changed to 027/R and it stayed this way until the end of its operational service.