A Signed Limited Edition Print that captures, in print,
probably the finest moment in the history of the magnificent
Blackburn Buccaneer!
Sent
to War to do a job at the twilight of service! A job that the
aircraft that replaced her couldn't yet do on its own! All in
a role that was at the opposite end of the scale to what she
was designed for! That's why the Buccaneer was loved by all
that flew her, stood the test of time (and still is in South
Africa) and was a 'thoroghbred, through and through'! |
The
job the Buccaneer Force was tasked to do during the first Gulf
War in 1991 was to laser designate targets for the Tornado!
These included Bridges, Runways, HAS (Hardened Aircraft Shelters),
Ammunition and Fuel Dumps etc.
However, as the war progressed and Air Superiorority was accomplished,
they also went on to 'spike' and drop their own
Laser Guided Bomb's onto targets of opportunity! |
Our print captures one such moment on 27th February 1991
This
is our tribute to one of the finest British Aircraft Ever made!
We trust you think it fitting as we do?
'Sky
Pirate'
Sky Pirate
27th
February 1991, Wg Cdr Bill Cope (the Commanding Officer of the
Buccaneer Gulf War Detachment) rams the Buccaneer's throttles
through the gate following a 50 degree dive attack to gain maximum
power to escape the 'Triple A' bursts which recklessly fire
into the sky. Behind Wg Cdr Cope and Flt Lt Carl Wilson, an
Iraqi An-12 cub burns, totally destroyed by their daring and
tenacious self designated Laser Guided Bomb attack on the Shayka
Mazhar Air Base just South of Baghdad |
On
27th February 1991 2 Buccaneers took off from
Al-Muharraq, Bahrain to attack the Shayka Mazhar
Air Base south of Baghdad. One was XX901 flown
by Flt Lt Glenn Mason and Sqn Ldr Norman Browne
and the other, XX894 flown by Wg Cdr Bill Cope
and Flt Lt Carl Wilson. (This aircraft was always
believed to be XX885 but it wasn't and we have
the Pilots log books and auth sheets that confirm
this!)
Following a successful attack with Tornados on
the runway intersections, Flt Lt Glenn Mason in
a second Buccaneer, noted a number of aircraft
on the ground. (watch
the video below)
At
this very late stage of the War, due to air superiority,
the Buccaneers left their usual sidewinder fit
at base and carried an extra 1000lb LGB increasing
their load to two. One on the Port outer and the
other on the Starboard inner pylon. The other
pylons being
taken up by the Pave Spike Laser Designator (always
on the Port inner) and the Jammer.
With
frantic calls giving positions and headings, clearly
aware that the longer they stayed in the area,
the more the possibility they could be hit by
the keen Triple A batteries below! And, without
really the time to have a chat about it! Both
aircraft quickly took the opportunity to self
designate their own weapons and attack their newly
acquired ground targets.
Whilst keeping constant look out for SAM's both
aircraft pulled around hard to get to into a position
to release their weapons. Energised familair voices
over the R/T continued as the radios relayed compass
bearings and running in headings! Both aircraft
finally got into a position to attack!

Flt
Lt Glenn Mason and Sqn Ldr Norman Browne DFC,
went in first. The attack was a direct hit! However,
the bomb which hit the aircraft did'nt explode!
The disappointment in Norman Browne's voice is
overwhelming, when he confirmed it had hit its
intended target but had not gone off!
(It was originally thought that the a/c was an
Iraqi An-12 Cub.
We now know it was a C-130 that was captured from
the Kuwait AF)
Wg
Cdr Bill Cope (the Buccaneer Detachment Commander
during the Gulf War) and Flt Lt Carl Wilson, went
in second from approx 290 pointing the nose at
the targeted Antonov 12 in a dive of 45 - 50 degrees.
Bill Cope hears through his head set over the
intercom, the total frustration of Carl's voice
as he beckons the Pave Spike to aquire its target
faster then it can! "Come around, come around..."
Then, within a millisecond, the frustration turns
to concentration as the Nav's black and white
TV screen is zoomed and then fills with a four
engined An-12!
At
approximately 16000ft as Carl Wilson transmitted
to his Pilot, "Happy" (the target
was 'spiked') the 1000lb Laser Guided Bomb was
released. 20 seconds later the bomb found its
mark!
The result was a 'direct hit' on the starboard
inner wing with a huge explosion probably due
to full fuel tanks. This most daring and tenacious
attack was seen by millions on the television
on news reels around the World! Some even suggested
it was dropped by a F-117A Stealth Bomber!
(The
whole attack can be seen in our YouTube video
below!) |
|
|
|
Sequence
images taken from the Pave Spike video show the
moment of impact and the total destruction of
the An-12 |
|
Shayka
Mazhar Air Base taken in 1995 by satellite. |
|
The
exact spot where the An-12 was hit can be seen at the
point of the arrow. As you can see, the once taxi way
is no more and is the same colour as the surrounding
area! What's left of the Hardened Aircraft Shelters
(HAS) can still be seen also!
|
'Sky
Pirate' has been released not only to
commemorate the Buccaneer's from Lossiemouth that
were called upon to 'support' the Tornado force
during the Gulf War!!! But also as a final tribute
to the Banana Jet that once again did 'The
Business' in an environment totally at the
opposite end of the spectrum to what it was originally
designed to do!! So, to make each one complete,
they have also signed by the Aircrew who carried
out this mission, Group Captain Bill Cope and
Flt Lt Carl Wilson |
Each
limited edition print has been personally signed
and numbered by the artist, and countersigned
by both Aircrew who flew this mission.
The former Commanding Officer of 208 Squadron,
Grp Cpt Bill Cope, who led the Buccaneer Gulf
War detachment at Al-Muharraq, Bahrain and Flt
Lt Carl Wilson the Navigator who 'Spiked' the
An-12
|
Grp
Cpt Bill Cope signing the Prints
(photograph included) |
|
3 EDITIONS TO CHOOSE FROM
OPEN
(unsigned)
SIGNED AND NUMBERED EDITION OF 1000 PRINTS
(signed by Bill Cope and Carl Wilson)
AIRCREW EDITION OF 100 PRINTS
(signed by 27 Distinguished Buccaneer Aircrew)
|
27
Signatories make up our Aircrew Edition |
The
Signatories span the entire history of the Buccaneer!
From the original Test Flights to the Royal Navy,
The Royal Air Force
and of course, the Gulf War in 1991
The Aircrew Edition surely must be the ultimate
Buccaneer Collectors piece! |
Air
Chief Marshall Sir Michael Knight KCB
AFC BA DLitt FRAeS |
Vice-Admiral
Sir Edward Anson KCB FRAeS (RN) |
Air
Commodore Graham Pitchfork MBE BA FRAeS
(RN & RAF)
|
|
Grp
Cpt Bill Cope (G) |
Wg
Cdr Roger Hyslop (G) |
|
Wg
Cdr John Sullivan (G) |
Sqn
Ldr Pete Beckett |
|
Sqn
Ldr Norman Browne DFC (G) |
Sqn
Ldr Dick Catterall |
|
Sqn
Ldr Tim Couston (G)(ex
Red Arrows) |
Sqn
Ldr Damian D'Lima |
|
Sqn
Ldr Gary Davies |
Sqn
Ldr John Fraser (G) |
|
Sqn
Ldr Dave Gallie (G) |
Sqn
Ldr John Green (ex Red Arrows) |
|
Sqn
Ldr Paul Harrison (G) |
Sqn
Ldr Phil O'Dell |
|
Sqn
Ldr Jon Parsons |
Sqn
Ldr Rick Phillips (G, RN & RAF) |
|
Sqn
Ldr Mike Scarffe (G) |
Sqn
Ldr Steve Tait (G) |
|
Flt
Lt Neil Devine |
Flt
Lt John Parker |
|
Flt Lt Mark Rodden |
Flt
Lt Carl Wilson (G) |
|
Flt Lt Phil Walters (G,
RN & RAF) |
Mr
Mike Addley (Test Flights) |
|
G =
Gulf War
Sir
Edward during his illustrious career was promoted
Lieutenant Commander in 1959 when on loan to
Blackburn Aircraft Limited as a Test Pilot.
During this appointment he was closely associated
with the development of the Buccaneer strike
aircraft. On his return to the Royal Navy he
was chosen to command the first RN Buccaneer
Squadron – No 801 Naval Air Squadron –
in 1962 and served with the Squadron embarked
in HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious.
|
Vice-Admiral
Sir Edward Anson signs our 'Aircrew
Edition'
(Photograph included with this edition) |
|
Sqn
Ldr Rick Phillips signs the 'Aircrew
Edition'
|
|
Rick, an ex Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and Gulf
War Pilot, flew the last ever Buccaneer off HMS
Ark Royal.
(This was also the LAST EVER steam catapult launch
from a RN Aircraft Carrier!) He has just under
3500 hours on the Mighty Buccaneer! |
For
33 years the Buccaneer served us admirably!
From the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the
South African Air Force.
AND
at the very twilight of her years she went out to
the Gulf and did the Business!
'Sky Pirate'
is my tribute to this amazing aircraft
This
painting took 3 years to plan! Interviews with
many Aircrew that took part! Access to log books,
photographs and satellite
imagary
for technical accuracy and then, and only when
the draught sketches and drawings where given
the 'OK' by the Aircrew who took the 'Bucc' to
War, did we go ahead!
Then
many many miles were covered in collecting the
Signatures by these most distinguished Buccaneer
Mafia! I am proud and honoured to have produced
this painting and equally that 'Sky Pirate' was
endorsed by all who saw it!
I
would like to think that you shall agree with
me, that this message is conveyed well within
the title, which not only represents the Buccaneer's
finest hour in the Gulf, but equally pays homage
to the Navy and the Air Force eras! 'Sky
Pirate'
|
'Sky
Pirate'
Buccaneer XX894 on full power and climbing away
after totally destroying an Iraqi An-12 cub
on 27th February 1991
Flown by Bill Cope and Carl Wilson
Print
size: 29
x 22 ins
Open |
Edition size: |
Price:
£25.00 |
Signed
and Numbered
|
Edition size: 1000 |
Price:
£75.00 |
Aircrew
Edition
|
Edition size: 100 |
Price:
£150.00 |
|
|
If YOU have ever been connected with the Buccaneer
or have anything to contribute to the site in way of
tales, stories etc then
PLEASE email
me, Andrew
Also
if you are ex aircrew, we can put you in touch with
the BAA
(Buccaneer Aircrew Association)
Enjoy
your tour and please, if you have any questions at all,
PLEASE just ask away!
We are here to help you find what you are looking for!
e-mail:info@avcollect.com
www.blackburnbuccaneer.co.uk |
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