Thunder City goes international

[CJS]

As brought up briefly in the Vulcan thread, the Thunder City Buccaneer and (garishly painted) Hunter have made their first appearance outside South Africa at an airshow in Namibia. One of their Lightnings was due to make the trip too but couldn't be readied in time.

Encouraging to see and great to have a flying Bucc again on the international circuit (although obviously some distance from these shores still!)

See November's Flypast for more details.

[MRTT]

Nice to see them performing elsewhere, one step closer to these shores I suppose!

[Arthur Tee]

Nice to see them performing elsewhere, one step closer to these shores I suppose!

With the slating they took over the Lightning crash, and following the two tragic jet-related crashes in the UK this past year - do you REALLY want them any closer?

Arthur

[st24]

Nice to see them performing elsewhere, one step closer to these shores I suppose!

With the slating they took over the Lightning crash, and following the two tragic jet-related crashes in the UK this past year - do you REALLY want them any closer?

Arthur

Only if they painted them properly. ..

[Arthur Tee]

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see a Lightning or Buccaneer in the air again - but I would prefer a different operator...

Arthur

[CJS]

You don't exactly have a huge choice at present

[MRTT]

Nice to see them performing elsewhere, one step closer to these shores I suppose!

With the slating they took over the Lightning crash, and following the two tragic jet-related crashes in the UK this past year - do you REALLY want them any closer?

Arthur

Only if they painted them properly. ..

Can't stand their paint schemes, its horrible.

[Thumper]

I just went on to the Thunder City website to check out the schemes of the aircraft when I see there's a statement issued on the homepage stating that the investigation and subsequent SAC AA public report of the crash of ZU-BEX has been labelled as scandelous, libellous, seriously flawed and smacks of a witch hunt That's quite a statement! So anyway, the website sections no longer work, any links to these 'interesting' schemes as Google for once is not helping much?

[Douglas Bader Mouse]

I just went on to the Thunder City website to check out the schemes of the aircraft when I see there's a statement issued on the homepage stating that the investigation and subsequent SAC AA public report of the crash of ZU-BEX has been labelled as scandelous, libellous, seriously flawed and smacks of a witch hunt That's quite a statement! So anyway, the website sections no longer work, any links to these 'interesting' schemes as Google for once is not helping much?

Further evidence of why no British, or indeed European airshow wouod ever even consider booking anything involved with that operation. Heads in the sand, no pun meant.

The only scandal of ZU-BEX was that no one is doing a strech of jail time.

[Thumper]

I remember at the time Thunder City said they were going to hold their own investigation to challenge the SAC AA one but as far as I can see that never actually happened, or maybe it did and found they were still negligent idiots so they didn't bother to publish it!

[duxfordhawk]

Could the organisation learnt from its mistakes?, as awful as it sounds often from accidents and incidents come new safer practices and regulations. So if Thunder City has come out this accident a more organised safer operator then it's great that they are starting to send aircraft abroad, if not oh dear. Either way after the Hunter and Gnat accidents this year vintage jets will probably become a rarer sight as insurances and alike get pushed up, I won't hold my breathe on Thunder City appearing in the UK.

[pbeardmore]

Having carefully read the accident report when it came out, I am amazed that they are still running. Would any of us take a ride? Not me.

[Ewart]

So anyway, the website sections no longer work, any links to these 'interesting' schemes as Google for once is not helping much?

http://www.thundercity.com/pages/499409 ... s/baeb.asp

Hope that helps.

[Maisie]

I could have sworn they were under new management? Are they not? Or did I dream that up....

[Thumper]

So anyway, the website sections no longer work, any links to these 'interesting' schemes as Google for once is not helping much?

http://www.thundercity.com/pages/499409 ... s/baeb.asp

Hope that helps.

Thank you Ewart! The Raspberry Ripple Buccaneer is lovely but the black Bucc, Hunter and Lightning do nothing for me and the yellow Shell Hunter is absolutely hideous, quite possibly one of the most vile paintjobs I've seen, ruining such a beautiful aircraft is a crime in itself!

[LightningMk6]

Thunder City website states "The British Aerospace Buccaneers at Thunder City are the last three serviceable Buccaneers in the world." I think you'll find that Bruntingthorpe has several serviceable Buccs.

[ATrs.jules]

Thunder City website states "The British Aerospace Buccaneers at Thunder City are the last three serviceable Buccaneers in the world." I think you'll find that Bruntingthorpe has several serviceable Buccs.

flying maybe, but not serviceable there are 5 at Bruntingthorpe, and knowing one of the pilots who throws them down the runway, he says that at least one of them he would gladly take to the air in.

[Reds Rolling]

Having carefully read the accident report when it came out, I am amazed that they are still running. Would any of us take a ride? Not me.

I probably would. It'd be safer now than a few years ago I'd imagine, and what a rare experience. I might want to check the maintenance logs for the ejection systems beforehand though.

[Brevet Cable]

Thunder City website states "The British Aerospace Buccaneers at Thunder City are the last three serviceable Buccaneers in the world." I think you'll find that Bruntingthorpe has several serviceable Buccs.

What about HHA's one ... I know it's not in use , but I assume they're keeping it serviceable ?

[CJS]

By serviceable they presumably mean airworthy, which is closer to the truth.

Agree about the Shell Hunter - truly awful (and not in the old sense of the word!!)

[Alanko]

I'll be in my bunker! From their website (my emphasis):

These amazing jets are meticulously maintained by former air force engineers and always flown well within their performance limitations. Even so we do not take safety for granted. Therefore you will be trained to safely use the aircraft’s emergency systems such as the ejection seat, emergency oxygen etc.

No thanks, ta.

[Thumper]

I'll be in my bunker! From their website (my emphasis):

These amazing jets are meticulously maintained by former air force engineers and always flown well within their performance limitations. Even so we do not take safety for granted. Therefore you will be trained to safely use the aircraft’s emergency systems such as the ejection seat, emergency oxygen etc.

No thanks, ta.

I'll join you in the bunker because that's my feelings as well. It was a crash waiting to happen, I won't entertain the use of the word accident in that sentence either.

If I remember correctly there is somewhere in Russia which offers flights in a range of 'fighter jets', at the top of my Christmas list for many years has been the Su-27 joyride! I can't quite seem to persuade people that £10,000 is an absolute bargain though!

[Wes_Howes]

As for the yellow colour scheme, if Shell decided to sponsor a Buccaneer in the UK and get it airworthy would anyone turn their back on it? I don't think so. Just because it's not authentic, doesn't mean it shouldn't fly! Look at the Flying Bulls, I don't see many complaints about them...

[capercaillie]

Look at the Flying Bulls, I don't see many complaints about them...

You're not searching hard enough......

[Wes_Howes]

Look at the Flying Bulls, I don't see many complaints about them...

You're not searching hard enough......

Or I'm just looking at the pictures of the aircraft in the air