Buccaneer box artwork at the double
Welcome to this latest edition of our Workbench blog and all the news, updates and modelling exclusives from the fascinating world of Airfix.
As the Airfix team will be joining the Airshow throngs at this weekend's Royal International Air Tattoo, the latest edition of our Workbench blog is unashamedly dedicated to our latest aviation model related updates. Before we get on to this though, if you are heading down to Fairford over the coming weekend, please do drop by and say hello to the team and perhaps seek a little respite from all that sunshine we are expecting. Our display marquee will be situated in the RED Zone at the eastern end of the Fairford crowdline and in addition to having model displays and items for sale, our make and paint tables will also be in operation over the course of the weekend. Please do come along and see if you recognise any of the team members from the telly!
For this week's blog, we again revert to our dual post format, with two subjects in need of their own webpage identities for web search purposes. Our first subject is the latest development update from the highly anticipated first release of our new 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D tooling and one where we will be looking at the beautiful box artwork produced in support of its initial release. In addition to admiring the artwork itself, we also have a fascinating insight into the invaluable work of our talented Senior Graphic Designer and how he has incorporated a few subtle changes into the presentation of this new box artwork.
We follow this with a second blog which marks the welcome re-issue of the hugely popular RAF BAe Harrier in GR7A/GR9 Harrier II guise, an aircraft which we are certain many Workbench readers still lament the passing of. Soon to be available again in 1/72nd scale, we will be taking a look at the latest Adam Tooby artwork classic which will be gracing the box of this kit, before moving on to feature details behind the two scheme options which will accompany the summer release of this kit. As previously stated, these will be posted as separate blogs, so please head for our Workbench hub to access these and all previous blog posts.
Naval strike prowess, Blackburn style
An aircraft boasting the reputation of the Buccaneer is certainly deserving of some spectacular artwork to be produced, when making its transition into 1/48th scale Airfix kit form and this is what Airfix fans have to look forward to.
As one of the most exciting new tooling projects of recent times, we have been following the development of our 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D kit closely this year and are therefore delighted to confirm that it is on track for its scheduled summer 2022 release. By way of our latest update, we are bringing you a first Workbench look at the striking artwork which has been produced in support of this release, but with something of a difference - for this high profile addition to the range, we have not one, but two different versions of the artwork to bring you and that's not all. A close look at the full box artwork layout highlights some subtle changes to this product presentation, with the new Buccaneer being the highest profile release to benefit from this style change. We will be looking at the story behind this change and the thinking behind it.
Although it can be rather difficult to find a well-stocked model shop to visit these days, anyone who has enjoyed such a treat recently will no doubt recall admiring the branded presentation of the Airfix kit section, something which is colloquially referred to as the 'Red Wall' by modelling enthusiasts. With this presentation styling being familiar to millions of people and with our distinctive logo having such a position of prominence within this presentation, you would be right in thinking that both our brand teams and sales professionals are fiercely protective of this branding and the hard work it has taken to give Airfix such a position of prominence within the hobby. With that being said, you might expect suggesting a change to this branding presentation could be met with some concerted resistance and you would be right, but don't they always say that a change is as good as a rest?
These were the issues facing our Senior Graphic Designer Mark Holihan when he proposed some subtle changes to this box presentation, a change which would be different enough to catch the eye, whilst at the same time retaining the iconic Airfix branding which is now such a familiar part of our heritage. Mark told us that as part of the regular Airfix Team meetings, he would discuss the subject of box presentation and how it might be time to think about some changes. This had been the case for the past couple of years, but for one reason or another, it was never progressed past the discussion stage, that is until earlier this year.
With our Development Manager thinking that the time might be right for such a change to take place, Mark was asked to come up with some concepts, both to show the team what he was proposing and if it would meet with the approval of our sales team. An exciting time for Mark, he had been thinking about these changes for quite some time and was desperate to show the rest of the team how the changes would be beneficial to the overall presentation of our products. Accepting the fact that some might be resistant to change, his idea embraced the heritage of our brand's presentation, whilst at the same time changing the emphasis of the box design slightly, nothing too radical, but cleverly incorporating his design refresh.
The old and the new. A comparison between the box presentation styles of the recently released Avro Vulcan B.2 kit and the forthcoming Buccaneer, featuring Mark's new design. A subtle design difference, but one which brings a more contemporary, yet impactful style - what are your thoughts?
Mark knew that perhaps the best loved aspect of being an Airfix modeller and certainly something which always serves as an attention grabber is the stunning artwork which is produced to support each model kit release and he wanted this to be the main focus of his design. Removing the red sidebar and reducing the size of the Airfix logo allowed him to give more emphasis to the artwork, giving it an uninterrupted platform on the box design, but cleverly introducing much greater visual impact, with just a few subtle changes. Importantly, when it came to the 'Red Wall' and existing Airfix product displays, this new style of box presentation retained enough of the established Airfix styling that it would seamlessly blend in with these displays, without looking strange in any way. He told us that whilst the design was different, it was still 'comfortably Airfix' - we liked that line and asked if we could use it!
As you can see from the images included, Mark not only managed to convince the Airfix team about the changes, but also the wider business and future releases will all benefit from these presentation changes. This styling may be a subtle variation on a much-loved theme, but it does give the boxes a more contemporary feel to them, perhaps a little more understated from a branding perspective, whilst at the same time being impactful and appealing. For those of us who like to collect the box artwork after completing their latest build, Mark has certainly made our lives a little easier, with this now showing much more of the artwork in all its glory.
Within the Airfix team, Mark is something of a deign powerhouse and is the one we always go to if we need an image to be brought to life, or indeed when creating the latest Airfix catalogue. His skills are so important to the Airfix brand and our products as a whole, that his work will be familiar to millions of people the world over, so rather than just show how the new box presentation differs from the styling of the recent past, we wanted to introduce Mark to Workbench readers and to give a little more background to the thinking behind the changes. We think that his subtle changes have resulted in a box presentation with real dynamic impact, but it isn't what we think that matters here, you will all be the judges of that. Please do let us know what you think of the changes and we will be sure to let Mark know.
Buccaneering for the Royal Navy
So good we had to picture it twice! The box artwork for the new 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D kit will actually feature two new pieces of artwork, both featuring Buccaneer XN981.
We are delighted to confirm that in support of the impending release of our new 1/48th scale Blackburn Buccaneer S.2C/D kit, two stunning artwork representations of the aircraft have been produced, the one depicting XN981 blasting off from its home carrier appearing on the box top, with the scene showing XN981 and XN988 banking high over a Royal Navy carrier printed on either end of the kit box. The aircraft depicted on this main box artwork is a representation of the lead scheme of four options to be included with the initial release of this impressive new kit, our large scale tribute to a post war British aviation classic.
On entering service, the Buccaneer provided the Royal Navy with a devastatingly effective strike weapon, however, its operation depended on the expertise of talented airmen and their deck handling crews who were not intimidated at the prospect of taming this aviation beast and taking it to sea. In true British fashion, the Royal Navy saw no benefit in producing a dual control training variant of the Buccaneer, so pilots selected to fly the new aircraft would take their first flight in the aircraft as an observer in the rear seat. The first flight as pilot would therefore be their first Buccaneer solo, although they did have the reassurance of a qualified instructor in the seat behind them, providing verbal encouragement as they came to terms with this huge and complicated aircraft.
Aware that this would be the case, the designers at Blackburn produced a roomy cockpit for the pilot and included many automated features, intended to reduce his workload. The two seats were also slightly offset, with the rear seat also being positioned slightly higher than the front one, allowing a better forward view for the rear observer, who may be guiding a pilot through his first Buccaneer flight. Despite all of this innovation, operating a Buccaneer from the decks of a British aircraft carrier would challenge the capabilities of even the most proficient pilot and would become a proud boast for anyone who had such an achievement in their flight log book.
This particular Buccaneer would be delivered as an S.2 Rolls Royce Spey powered variant on 4th February 1965, initially allocated to 700B Flight at RNAS Lossiemouth, before going on to serve with No.801 NAS, embarking on HMS Victorious during June 1966. This aircraft would go on to have a long and illustrious service career, seeing service with Nos.809 and 800 Squadrons during her Fleet Air Arm days, before being transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1971, after undergoing conversion to S.2A standard.
Newly built Buccaneers for service with the Royal Air Force were given an enhanced maritime strike capability, with the ability to carry both anti-radar and anti-shipping missiles, as the retirement of the Navy's large carriers meant that they would now be providing this anti-ship protection from shore bases. These new built Buccaneers could fire the Martel anti-radiation and Sea Eagle sea-skimming anti-shipping missiles, both of which were stand-off munitions, which could be fired at long range, thus increasing the survivability of the aircraft. These new build RAF Buccaneers carried the variant title S.2B, however, former Fleet Air Arm Buccaneers which went on to serve with the RAF underwent some limited rework and were referred to as Buccaneer S.2As. Some 36 Buccaneers were converted to this standard.
Full scheme details for the 809 NAS decal option for the new Buccaneer kit.
In her first period of RAF service, XN981 spent time with both No.237 Operational Conversion Unit and No.12 Squadron at RAF Honington, before returning to the Royal Navy once more at the beginning of 1973. She would be upgraded to S.2D standard around this time, which was basically an S.2B standard Buccaneer with the ability to carry the Martel missile and with the RAF standard bomb bay door additional fuel tank removed. Once again, she would serve with No.809 Naval Air Squadron and would actually be part of the squadron's final cruise aboard HMS Ark Royal, following the discission to decommission Britain's last large carrier in 1978. During the carrier's final Mediterranean cruise in November 1978, XN981 was one of the Buccaneers launched for the final time from the deck or Ark Royal, with the vessel finally being decommissioned in Devonport early the following year. At the time of the final Mediterranean cruise, Ark Royal had a complement of 14 Buccaneers, with air cover being provided by 12 Phantom FG.1s.
Having finally hung up her sea wings, Buccaneer XN981 underwent modification once again to full S.2B standard and would serve the rest of her days wearing the camouflage of the Royal Air Force, spending time with Nos 208 and 12 Squadrons until her retirement in 1994. Although currently in a semi-dismantled and rather dilapidated state, she does still survive, having so far managed to avoid the unwelcome attentions of the scrapman.
Ably representing the legacy of this magnificent aeroplane during her service life, XN981 even spent time as the RAF's Buccaneer Airshow display jet, when in the colours of No.12 Squadron, she performed to millions of spectators at events the length and breadth of the country.
Mark's full box design for the forthcoming Buccaneer kit release in 1/48th scale.
With just the fully decorated advanced sample model still to be featured in our blog as a final project update, it's time for Buccaneer fans to get a little excited, as the release of this stunning new model is now just a few weeks away. When we all get stuck into building it, we will definitely be left scratching our heads trying to understand how Fleet Air Arm pilots ever managed to land one of these aviation beasts on the deck of a relatively small British aircraft carrier - rather them than us!
That’s all we have for you in this latest edition, but we will be back with more project updates for you next week. As always, we are interested to hear your views on all things Airfix and particularly in relation to our Workbench blog, so if you ever feel like dropping us a quick line, please use our workbench@airfix.com contact e-mail address.
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