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Last RAF Shackleton

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Last RAF Shackleton

Old 10th Dec 2014, 08:56
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Last RAF Shackleton

The last Shackleton WL795 on the RAF books is up for sale at very short notice by the MOD and is seriously at risk of being broken or scrapped. We are trying to save this air frame and move it from it's current gate guard duties to a new gate guard location at Newquay Aerohub to protect it's future. The aircraft is in general good order if you search for images with only a couple of issues with undercarriage which are not insurmountable unless you have no budget - hence up for sale. Please can you support us - time is short. We can be emailed on [email protected], social media is being ramped up and we will up date you very soon. The time is now!
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Old 10th Dec 2014, 11:35
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Can we make it airworthy? It's the nearest to an MPA capability we have.
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Old 10th Dec 2014, 14:09
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Its not an MPA - its AEW!
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Old 10th Dec 2014, 14:45
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Govt website sales details say it's an MR2C - sounds more MPA than AEW (and looks it too).


https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...eton_clean.pdf


Mister B
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Old 10th Dec 2014, 15:51
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Silly me - it is an MPA!
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Old 10th Dec 2014, 16:37
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795 was an AEW when I worked on her at Lossie. She was returned to MR2 config to go on gate duties.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 00:09
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Interior

Inside was still AEW last time I was in it!!Manchester air museum also has a MKII.Which should be in the cold war museum at Cosford!
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 06:48
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I must admit that the registration sounded familiar but I looked for it in my log book after the first query and didn't find it. It seems that it disappeared from the Sqn soon after I had arrived at Lossie. Sorry for any confusion whether she is an AEW or not - the following is cribbed from the interweb:


WL795 MR 2/AEW.2
  • First flown 17.8.53 and A/Cn 31.8.53. Delivered to 23MU 8.9.53 for storage. Sent to the CAPMF St Mawgan 30.10.53 for mods before issue to 204 Sqn 6.1.54. Uncoded. Received Cat.3 damage in ground accident 13.3.54. Repair not completed until 13.9.54, when returned to 204 Sqn. Autolycus 'special fitment' at 49MU Colerne 28.2.55, completed by CCMC St Mawgan 22.3.55, when WL795 was ferried back to Ballykelly. Transferred to 269 Sqn11.11.58 and to 210 Sqn on formation 1.12.58. Remained uncoded, and back with 204 Sqn 23.11.59 until allocated to Avro 15.12.59 for Phase I/II update, completed 6.12.60. To 38 Sqn 20.12.60 and coded T. Allotted to HSA Langar for Phase II1 modernization 21.6.66, completed 13.7.67. Issued to 205 Sqn 1.8.67 and coded G. To 5MU Kemble 2.2.71 for storage and overhaul, prior to despatch to HSA Bitteswell 4.2.72 for AEW.2 conversion, first flying as such 8.72. To 5MU 5.9.72 for painting and allotted to 8 Sqn 12.10.72. Delivered to Lossiemouth 18.10.72 for radar installation and acceptance before joining 8 Sqn at Kinloss. Named 'Rosalie'. Transferred with unit from Kinloss to Lossiemouth 14.8.73. Withdrawn 1981 and allocated for crash rescue/fire practice at St Mawgan. Flown from Lossiemouth to St Mawgan 24.11.81 and allocated maintenance serial 8753M. Not used for fire fighting, remaining in open storage until 1988, when prepared for display on the station. Reassembled in MR configuration during 3.89 - 4.89 and coded T for display purposes. Currently in care of Cornwall Aviation SocietySt Mawgan, Cornwall.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 07:59
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It was for a while stored in one of the hangars at St Mawgan. One of the old metal hangars at the top of the hill still had the shack handling gear in it.

So one weekend, whilst I was on shift at NLF we moved it 'sideways' into the hangar. So it did not remain in open storage. As I recall all the handling tackle was rather rusty and mega stiff but we towed the shack so the mains were on the slides and I think the tailwheel was rotated with the use of two greased metal plates and the whole ensemble was 'slid' into the hangar.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 08:05
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Very interesting guys - but actions speak louder than words

The choice is 1. With some luck and a tail wind we could save it - just a little effort from as many people as we can to spread awareness via the internet etc.
OR 2. Aluminium ingots!
There is plenty of info on it's history, in the time taken to type info you could spread the word or otherwise it will be history!
Thanks in anticipation.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 08:18
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I think that was the hangar that I worked in for 5 years with 22 Sqdn Whirlwinds. We had the other half of the hangar and shared it with many Shacks over the years. Once a Shack was being pushed in and the chap on the tractor didn't stop in time, He later said he couldn't hear the "brakes" call as our sqdn radio was too loud. We later had some officers listening while "brakes" was called from various points in the hangar, it was hilarious to us, but we never had to switch off the radio afterwards.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 08:34
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WL795 - Best of luck.

We are are also working to save her, so all is not lost. So long as she avoids the scrapman all is well.

Let us know if you are successful, as you'll likely need our help.

Kind regards,

Rich W
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 10:25
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Oldlae:-
"had some officers listening while "brakes" was called from various points in the hangar, it was hilarious to us,"

If it was the same incident, I was one of the hilarious officers. I arrived at St. M. in March 1965 as a newly qualified Shackleton pilot to join 206 Sqn. Shortly afterwards, I was lumbered with being junior member of a Unit Enquiry into an accident which fits your description.
The Shack's wingspan was too great for them to go into the hangar forwards, and the hangar had metal tracks along which travelled two linked flat trollies called "skates", the width apart of the main wheels. The aircraft was positioned sideways on to the hangar, then pulled up onto the skates. With the tailwheel turned sideways, the tractor then towed the whole thing sideways into the hangar. Once inside there was no room to get a tractor behind the aircraft to move it down from the skates, so the procedure was to attach a chain to one main landing gear, and pull it forward off them. The skates stood about 4 inches above the floor of the hangar, so once the wheel started to roll down the ramp, the brakes had to be applied to bring the aircraft to a halt.
On this occasion the aircraft did not stop, the No.3 prop hit the back of the tractor, bent, and continued forward and bent the steering wheel of the tractor. Luckily the driver abandoned tractor in time to avoid getting squashed.
We had to establish what had caused it - there was discussion of whether the rigger on the brakes heard the call for brakes, ( hence the pantomime you saw), but there was also a question of whether anyone had checked that the pneumatic brake system was fully charged.
As I recall, we tried to say that it was just an unavoidable accident, but were told in no uncertain terms to reconsider, as the procedure had been carried out hundreds of times before without incident. I think eventually the Chief in charge was fined for negligence.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 11:38
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I know we've gone off thread slightly here - surely the tracks on the hangar floor were to put the Mk 3 Shack (the one with the nosewheel) in sideways, 'cos the tail was too high to fit under the roof trestle unless the nose was raised. It was certainly a 42 Sqn hangar (Mk 3's) when I was there in the late 60's. Although I also vaguely remember an ancient (to me then) pilot mentioning it was for Liberators!

NB Had plenty of flying time in 795 as well, so hope she can be saved. With a bit more money that could be two MPAs available (795 and 963), assuming they could retro fit with ASV 21!
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 12:06
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oxenos..

Can you confirm a certain captain used to take a mattress on board for a nap & was asleep by the time the aircraft drifted out over the coast ??
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 12:35
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Shackman
This was in 1965, and it was definitely a Mk.2 of 42 Sqn. They re-equipped to Mk 3s shortly afterwards.
MATELO
My lips are sealed. There were of course mattresses in both the nose (bomb aimer) and tail cone(lookout). It was alleged that on one occasion at Ballykelly some of the staff of the Joint Anti Sumbarine School (which include WRNS) were taken for an air experience flight. When everyone climbed out of the aircraft after a rather bumpy landing, a MATELO and a Wren emerged from the tail cone looking somewhat dishevelled. They reckoned the landing was the best bit of the flight.
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Old 11th Dec 2014, 13:12
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At St.Mawgan both Mk2 and Mk3s were put into the hangars sideways, on the Mk2 the tail wheel was skewed around by positioning it on the two greased plates. On the Mk3 the nosewheel steering had to be disconnected to allow the nosewheel assmbly to be moved 90 degrees on the same two Ali plates. They both had the same problem with the wingspan not fitting into the hangers. The Mk3 height was not a problem. As a member of ASF in 402 hangar during the sixties I must have done that move hundreds of times!

When they built the new "Nimrod" hangar 404 we were not allowed to put our dirty old Shackletons in it. It was finished well ahead of the Nimrod entry into service so sat empty for more than a year. One memorable night we were given warning of a large storm approaching and duly told to put as many of our T4s in as possible. Come morning the day shift couln't work how so many aircraft could have been fitted in to the hangar and couldn't get them out. Eventually the SEO had to get the nightshift SNCO out of bed to remove them!

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