Blackburn Buccaneer - Survivor XX885 (G-HHAA)
S.2B XX885 - Hawker Hunter Aviation Ltd. (stored), former RAF Scampton, Lincolnshire
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Buccaneer S.2B XX885 at Scampton, 23rd September 2025; Damien Burke
XX885 was delivered to the RAF on May 20th 1974 and went on to serve with 15 and 16 Sqn based at Laarbruch in Germany, before being transferred to 12 Sqn at Lossiemouth, and stayed there until 1980. Along with the rest of the fleet she was grounded after the Buccaneer XV345 incident during Operation Red Flag. As a result, XX885 was flown to RAF St. Athan for a main spar replacement and then returned to 12 Sqn. She then went on to serve with 208 Sqn and 237 OCU at Lossiemouth.
XX885 had the latest modifications out of the entire fleet due to being the last Buccaneer to go through Woodford in 1989. In January 1991, she was prepared for the Gulf War, being painted in the overall desert pink scheme. XX885 was given the tail code 'L', named 'Famous Grouse', and given the nose art 'Caroline, Hello Sailor'. During Operation Granby, she earned 7 mission symbols, of which one included the AN-12 symbol. The AN-12 symbol actually belongs to Buccaneer XX894 from when she bombed an AN-12. XX885 was on the same mission and after landing had parked in XX894's spot, resulting in XX885 receiving the AN-12 and getting all the credit.
XX885 went on to gain the light grey colour scheme that became standard in the last few years of the type's life, and was retired in 1994 at Lossiemouth, where she was to become a maintenance airframe. Although she was given the number 9225M, she was never used for instructional purposes, but was instead put in storage on-site, undercover. In 2000, the RAF put XX885 up for disposal, with Hawker Hunter Aviation (HHA) purchasing her at an auction in March of that year.
The airframe was moved to HHA's facility at RAF Scampton, with a vision of possibly getting her airworthy again. She's complete, has never been dismantled, and has next to no corrosion. In 2003, 3000 hours of analysis work went into her which included a complete IRAN (Inspect & Repair as Necessary) on the entire airframe and all subsystems. Custodial maintenance and ground runs were then carried out on a very regular basis as per the maintenance schedules. Airframe and engine hours were good, the AP library was complete, HHA had acquired and overhauled a complete set of Buccaneer ground service equipment and also acquired, inspected, catalogued, overhauled, and stored a considerable number of Buccaneer spares amongst which was the entire Buccaneer spares pack from RAE Bedford, an organisation which like HHA operated a single Buccaneer away from normal squadron support.
These stores include 2 spare engines. She was then classified in the BCAR A8-20 'Complex' category for civilian use, and so gained the serial G-HHAA. Sadly, all this effort into getting a Buccaneer back into the skies of the UK all came to a halt some 10-15 years ago as there was no interest from the MoD - HHA's primary customers - in getting a Buccaneer flying. As a result, XX885 has spent her time since sitting still in the corner of one of HHA's hangars at Scampton. Although many like to believe this is an airworthy Buccaneer, now in 2025, XX885 is far from that condition, with no engine runs, hydraulic exercise, or regular maintenance in over a decade.
In 2023, with RAF Scampton closing, Hawker Hunter Aviation relocated their activities to RAF Leeming, leaving the non-airworthy aircraft at Scampton. Sadly with the acquisition of the site by the Home Office as an immigration accommodation site, HHA were effectively kicked out. With no immediate prospects of storage elsewhere and the huge costs of road transport, the decision was made to store the aircraft just outside Scampton's perimeter fence, with the agreement of a local farmer. The aircraft were rolled out onto steel matting at the end of one of the runways, cocooned in plastic wrap, and the site surrounded by secure fencing.
Sadly, the weather, vandals and so-called 'urban explorers' have all done their bit to destroy the protective wrap and even attempt to gain access to the cockpits of the four aircraft here. Although the aircraft and compound can be viewed from nearby roads, please note that the compound and the land they sit on are private.
XX885 had the latest modifications out of the entire fleet due to being the last Buccaneer to go through Woodford in 1989. In January 1991, she was prepared for the Gulf War, being painted in the overall desert pink scheme. XX885 was given the tail code 'L', named 'Famous Grouse', and given the nose art 'Caroline, Hello Sailor'. During Operation Granby, she earned 7 mission symbols, of which one included the AN-12 symbol. The AN-12 symbol actually belongs to Buccaneer XX894 from when she bombed an AN-12. XX885 was on the same mission and after landing had parked in XX894's spot, resulting in XX885 receiving the AN-12 and getting all the credit.
XX885 went on to gain the light grey colour scheme that became standard in the last few years of the type's life, and was retired in 1994 at Lossiemouth, where she was to become a maintenance airframe. Although she was given the number 9225M, she was never used for instructional purposes, but was instead put in storage on-site, undercover. In 2000, the RAF put XX885 up for disposal, with Hawker Hunter Aviation (HHA) purchasing her at an auction in March of that year.
The airframe was moved to HHA's facility at RAF Scampton, with a vision of possibly getting her airworthy again. She's complete, has never been dismantled, and has next to no corrosion. In 2003, 3000 hours of analysis work went into her which included a complete IRAN (Inspect & Repair as Necessary) on the entire airframe and all subsystems. Custodial maintenance and ground runs were then carried out on a very regular basis as per the maintenance schedules. Airframe and engine hours were good, the AP library was complete, HHA had acquired and overhauled a complete set of Buccaneer ground service equipment and also acquired, inspected, catalogued, overhauled, and stored a considerable number of Buccaneer spares amongst which was the entire Buccaneer spares pack from RAE Bedford, an organisation which like HHA operated a single Buccaneer away from normal squadron support.
These stores include 2 spare engines. She was then classified in the BCAR A8-20 'Complex' category for civilian use, and so gained the serial G-HHAA. Sadly, all this effort into getting a Buccaneer back into the skies of the UK all came to a halt some 10-15 years ago as there was no interest from the MoD - HHA's primary customers - in getting a Buccaneer flying. As a result, XX885 has spent her time since sitting still in the corner of one of HHA's hangars at Scampton. Although many like to believe this is an airworthy Buccaneer, now in 2025, XX885 is far from that condition, with no engine runs, hydraulic exercise, or regular maintenance in over a decade.
In 2023, with RAF Scampton closing, Hawker Hunter Aviation relocated their activities to RAF Leeming, leaving the non-airworthy aircraft at Scampton. Sadly with the acquisition of the site by the Home Office as an immigration accommodation site, HHA were effectively kicked out. With no immediate prospects of storage elsewhere and the huge costs of road transport, the decision was made to store the aircraft just outside Scampton's perimeter fence, with the agreement of a local farmer. The aircraft were rolled out onto steel matting at the end of one of the runways, cocooned in plastic wrap, and the site surrounded by secure fencing.
Sadly, the weather, vandals and so-called 'urban explorers' have all done their bit to destroy the protective wrap and even attempt to gain access to the cockpits of the four aircraft here. Although the aircraft and compound can be viewed from nearby roads, please note that the compound and the land they sit on are private.
Information on this page current as of 24/09/2025, last updated by Damien |
Find other photos of XX885 on the following sites:
Air-Britain - Airliners.net - Airplane-Pictures.net - flickr.com - WorldAirPics.com - JetPhotos.net - PlanePictures.net