EYE OF A NEEDLE

FORMER BUCCANEER PILOT TOM EELES, HIGHLIGHTS THE SKILLS NEEDED TO OPERATE FROM A RUNWAY THAT’S PITCHING, ROLLING AND VERY, VERY SHORT!

BLACKBURN BUCCANEER

HMS ‘Victorious’ in 1967 with elements of her Buccaneer and Sea Vixen force on deck. ALL VIA AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED

By today’s standards, HMS Victorious of 1967 was not a big aircraft carrier. She was 781ft (238m) long overall, her flight deck length measured 775ft with a width of 147ft and she displaced 35,500 tons at full load.

Become a Premium Member to Read More

This is a premium article and requires an active Key.Aero subscription to view.

I’m an existing member, sign me in!

I don’t have a subscription…

Enjoy the following subscriber only benefits:

  • Unlimited access to all KeyAero content
  • Exclusive in-depth articles and analysis, videos, quizzes added daily
  • A fully searchable archive – boasting hundreds of thousands of pieces of quality aviation content
  • Access to read all our leading aviation magazines online - meaning you can enjoy the likes of FlyPast, Aeroplane Monthly, AirForces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, Aviation News, Airports of the World, PC Pilot and Airliner World - as soon as they leave the editor’s desk.
  • Access on any device- anywhere, anytime
  • Choose from our offers below