Lovely Avro Shackleton Footage.

[Akubra]

Had to post this for the ones who have not seen it before.

jJaFXIzpO3w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJaFXIzpO3w

Great stuff!

[l.garey]

Great pictures. But are there any of the Lincoln?

[om15]

superb film clips, also the music was just right, do you think that we will see one flying in the UK again, is the one in the States going to make the trip over does anybody know?
Listened to the once familiar sound of one starting up during a Coventry Air Show a couple of years ago, don't know if that is still in action.
Best regards
om15

[virgo]

http://s74.photobucket.com/albums/i271/Virgo_photo/th_shackflypast-2.jpg

[virgo]

Sorry.............that's not very good is it ????
How do I make it bigger and better !!!!

[Akubra]

The photo is a small thumbnail, just choose the URL from the bigger version of the shot.
Nice photo! :ok:


http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i271/Virgo_photo/shackflypast.jpg

[JEM60]

Interesting picture. Looks to me that the two port engines are stopped, and props feathered. Hope they had strong leg muscles!!!!

[Saab Dastard]

Looks like there's no 500' rule in force wherever it is! ;)

Must be Portugal :p

SD

[rodthesod]

Must be Portugal

Judging by the suntans I'd say it was slightly further south.

[JEM60]

Gambia or somewhere round there is my guess.

[virgo]

Thanks Akuba..........that's better !
I'm told it's a 38 squadron mark 2 at Mombassa late 60s

The observant are absolutely right, nos.1 and 2 are feathered.
Actually it's easier than it looks.............lots of speed in the descent feathering each engine in turn........throttle back on the good ones......whiz past at about 250 knots, unfeathering the outer before you put much power on for the climb away and everyone applauds !

For greater effect the very daring and bold would unfeather the right-hand pair while feathering nos. 3 and 4. The visual image of 8 propellers either slowing down to a full stop or accelerating to 2600 RPM, all at the same time, was quite unique and unmatched by anything the fancy Vulcans, Lightnings or Canberras could do.

Unfortunately a 224 squadron (North Front, Gibraltar) got it badly wrong during an official flypast, he was a bit slow getting the stopped engines re-started and ended up with all generators off-line. The poor old battery couldn't cope with 4 feathering pumps running simultaneously, all props stopped somewhere between fully coarse and feathered and the aircraft sunk gently onto the runway........gear up, of course ! All escaped physically unhurt, but a certain amount of pride, seniority and career prospects were badly damaged !
(The observing crowds thought it all part of the display and were very disappointed next day with a comparatively boring flypast of a Shackleton at 500ft with all four engines going!)
Happy Days..............bet elf-n-safety would have loved it !

[Been Accounting]

Majunga during the Beira blockade

[Shack37]

Beira "alleged" blockade.
I do believe I've seen this picture before.
Don't remember a carrier on the Beira patrol, I thought it was done by frigates. Story is true though, you were always moaning that the mail got dropped too far away.
s37:ok:

[Shack37]

S two,

Eagle, there's a blast from the past.
Happy days eh?

[Croqueteer]

:)The beech shot is 38sqdn Magunga, I could name the skipper but I won't. I was in the port beam.

[Shack37]

Croq.
Very wise, the tw@ts would probably try to stop his pension even this far on. I imagine madame had a good night after that one.
s37:D

[er340790]

Some years ago 2002 or 2003, we were flying back to UK from Larnaca and stopped for more passengers at Paphos. There were 3 or 4 Shackletons standing in open storage near the terminal buildings......

Anyone know what is intended for them or their present whereabouts, if moved. Hopefully not for the scrapman.:yuk:

[Gainesy]

Turn up yer speakers.:)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPn65t7BQUk&mode=related&search=

[treadigraph]

Ah, that sound brings back some great memories, most recently a chilly Air Sho 2000 at Midland... where it was mostly described as a Lancaster as I recall. Not sure my neighbours appreciate the noise of four Griffons and contra-props, waaaay better than their "sounds" though...

[virgo]

Croqueteer................not Pablo Mason by any chance ?????

[Croqueteer]

:)No, I don't think he ever flew Shacks.

[Akubra]

Thanks Gainsy!
Sounded like he was doing the "feathering" thing on one of the passes.
Just read they had 2 x 20mm cannons in the nose. Were they in a turret or fixed? Cant say I noticed them when I looked one over in the IWM Manchester a few years ago.

[henry crun]

Akubra: This is not a very good photo, I lost the negative a long time back so cannot inprove on what you see here.

A Mk 2, taken in 1953 at the Coronation review of the RAF, you can just see the two 20mms poking out the nose pointing down.
(Edit, changed to Mk2)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/crun9/Shack.jpg

[Gainesy]

Akubra, they were in a barbette and could be swung in azimuth and elevation. Unfortunately I only flew in Shacks a few times as a pax, but no doubt a Shack mate who knows the details will be along soon. :)

[Shack37]

It's ID time again, were they really that young, thin, hairy etc?

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/exshack37/ShackMailforSailors.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/exshack37/ShackLowPassMajunga.jpg
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/exshack37/RAFMajunga-204-210.jpg

204 or 210 sqn, maybe a mixture of both.


http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa163/exshack37/37Sqn_Aden_1966.jpg

37 sqn Khormaksar 1966

[pmills575]

The two 20mm Hispano cannons on the Mk2 and Mk3 are fitted into a Boulton and Paul N type turret. This turret has an electro-hydraulic drive unit. A 28V DC motor drives a local hydraulic pump to provide zimuth and elevation control for the cannons.
This turret is a permanent fit, the guns are fitted into the turret as required.
A couple of blanking plates on the front are removed when the guns are fitted.
A joystick at the nose gunners position controls the movement of the turret.
I believe that the barbettes were originally fitted to the MK1 but were soon deleted.

What makes you thnk I've been renovating one of these in the past few weeks?
Fortunately the RAF Museum has a copy of the manual. Hopefully that will make getting it going slightly easier.

Peter Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum
http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk

[Akubra]

Nice photos Shack37.
Are those sonar buoys in the first photo? One looks vastly bigger than the other.
The second photo is a beauty. People, beach, picnic and low pass by a Shack. You couldn't ask for a better setting!
With the 3rd and 4th photos, Do the props line up at that same position in one rotation or is a it a time consuming job to get them aligned?

Great website pmills575! It explained to me when the transition of tail dragger's to trikes took place.

[henry crun]

According to a book, which I should have consulted before my initial post, this is the nose of a Mk1
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/crun9/Shackmk1.jpg


This is a Mk2 where the nose and mid upper turret can be seen.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/crun9/Shackmk2.jpg

Where were the barbettes positioned ?

[Fly380]

Known at MOTU St Mawgan 1967 as " 20,000 loose rivets flying in close formation " :}

[pmills575]

Akubra, thank you for the comment on the web site.

The picture below shows the second protype MK1 with the barbettes and the guns fitted. (From Chris Ashworths definitive Shackleton book).

http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk/shack/graphics/sh1.jpg

Sadly the props did not fall into alignment on stopping, they were usually moved into alignment a few degrees by the groundcrew once the engines had cooled a little. Commonly known as "Dressing the props". And we still do it!

Peter Mills

[Krakatoa]

Most Shackleton crew members have had a go at firing the front turret at some time. Great fun but oh the noise and the smoke !
Standard practice before firing was to open the two clear vision windows on either side of the windscreen to suck out the cordite fumes.
These windows also provided a very effective suction ash tray.

[norman atkinson]

Anyone recall Farnborough 1949? Shack Mark one possibly No.1 flew.

Took off with two props feathered and then maintained height on starboard outer. Charles Gardiner, the BBC aviation correspondent was doing the voice over and quipped that she would do the next circuit purely on the windscreen wipers!

Anyone confirm?

[OC Eng - Akrotiri]

The Paphos airport manager called RAF Akrotiri for some help in moving their 2 Shackletons in April 2005 - as OC Eng, the request was past to me. The aircraft had been parked years earlier by a Cypriot collector who ran into problems while importing them into Cyprus (bureaucracy catches all). As the airport terminal expanded over the following years, the space available to drag the aircraft out reduced until the authorities realised that the aircraft were effectively stuck!

http://www.pprune.org/forums/EShared Pictures\Image Transfer\'06_06_11_01\DCIM\101MSDCF:\


The aircraft were moved as carefully as possible to the NW of the airfield, as can be seen on Google. Unfortunately, they were in a sorry condition and are certainly not being maintained or preserved.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/E:\Shared Pictures\Image Transfer\'06_06_11_01\DCIM\101MSDCF

[Captain Airclues]

Does anyone know the history of this rather sad Shackleton seen recently in a field near Nicosia Airport?

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc193/Airclues/DSC01397.jpg

[om15]

Huge thread creep, looking at the sad shack at Nicosia, in Dec 1973 I was a member of a crash team from 103 MU Akrotiri sent up to Nicosia to remove a crashed TU104 from the runway, the aircraft suffered engine failure on take off and went of the end, no casualties. The aircraft was cleared to one side to allow the airport to operate, and then the aircraft was purchsaed by a local to turn in to a bar/cafe, we raised the aircraft on air bags to permit him to insert some very home made trolleys under the fuse, with the intention of towing several miles across the most rugged bondu to the main road north of the airport. anybody know what happened after that? the fuselage was red and silver if thats a clue,
best regards,
om15

[The AvgasDinosaur]

This will be the one.
http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19730829-1
Last I can trace at the moment the remains were still there Christmas eve 2006
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1159667/M/
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David

[om15]

David,
Many thanks for that, my memory must be playing tricks as the notes confirm it was a landing incident, not a take off. The intial accident was in the summer, and the second trip was in Dec to lift the aircraft on to the home made trolleys, looking closely at the second photo I can see the red corroded frame work of the trolleys at the front of the aircraft and around the back forward of the empennage. the aircraft looks to be in the exact location where we lifted it, so the trip to the road was a non starter.
We were up there for about a week I think, with BA ( or BEA?) Tridents doing touch and goes crew training very close to us, very noisy.
many thanks,
om15

[Captain Airclues]

I suspect that OM15 is correct about the attempt to move it. As of a few weeks ago the wreckage was some way from the runway. The wreckage can be seen on Google Earth in position 35 deg 09'59.39N 33 deg 16'09.69 (how do you do a 'degree' symbol on a computer?)

[The AvgasDinosaur]

Quote from Captain Airclues
(how do you do a 'degree' symbol on a computer?)
I dont know but if you post the location thus 4°14'58.03"S 15°14'57.01"E as cut from properties in google earth a simple cut and paste into the flyto box gets you there.
Hope it helps
Be lucky
David
P.S. The above is the CL44 7Q-YMS at Brazzaville.

[gruntie]

Hold down the Alt key while typing 0176 gives you °. Have a look at Character Map in the System tools menu, loads of useful ones like ½,¼, characters with accents, etc.

[PH-EIK]

Found this link with pictures of the relocation of the Shackletons an Flamant.
A. Soulis Enterpises Ltd (http://www.soulis-cranes.com.cy/job20.htm)

Greetings 'PH-EIK" Paul.

[rubik101]

Having spent a few years flying AEW Shacks out of Lossiemouth I now regret very much that I never took any 8 or 16mm film, (all we had in those days). I did take many still pics all over the place with my pride and joy, an Olympus OM1, which I donated to the RAF Museum when I left the RAF in '79 (the pics, not the camera). The noise was a lot worse from the outside, I can assure you. The Magic Roundabout was never more interesting than when we had just spent twelve hours chasing Bears, Bison etc over the N. Atlantic through the Iceland Faroes gap. Ah, happy days.

[Richard Woods]

We're taking good care of WR963 "Ermintrude" at Coventry, one of the few that made it right to the very end. We're putting her back into the colours she carried back in 1954 -57 with 224sqn, so she'll be the only Shackleton wearing overall white with a grey top for the next few years.

I don't suppose anybody has any news on the Paphos pair? I know the crane move was a few years ago during the expansion of the airport; and organised by the operators to avoid their destruction. Every attempt I make to talk to the airport about their current status is just met with silence, which is kind of disheartening.

Regards,

Ric

[larssnowpharter]

My Dad might be in that photo of Khormaksar. As a kid in Aden, I was in the Air Scouts. This was deemed enough qualification for me to scrounge rides on various flights. Memorably a patrol over the red sea and seeing manta rays that seemed to be in formation with us the surface was so calm and the visibility so good.

However, a question (I don't mean to hijack the thread):

I am helping someone write up a series of memories of his many years flying. One story he tells is of flying out of Labuan in a Mk 2 Shack. Confrontation time. Diversion: Singapore.

In the sometimes bad tropical weather, think vis, rain, thunderstorms, lack of airfield aids etc, he had developed a techniques of using the radar to steer him into position for an approach. Timing to get the radome up before landing was important.

Had practised this in good conditions - he says - but would only fly the approach with one particular AEO.

I am tempted to think that this must be a bit of a tall story but I will through over to you experts:

Is this possible? Have you heard of it being done?

[Nimman]

RW ref your post 46.

On the fighter control site in the thread 'abandoned, forgotten and burnt' there are some pics taken of the Paphos Shacks earlier this month.

[Richard Woods]

Nimman, many thanks for that. I've found them but can't see them at work!

As I said earlier, if anybody has any info on the Cyprus pairs current owner/fate please let me know.

Regards,

Ric

[Shackman]

LSP

Ref the 'self radar approach' - it was certainly a procedure we practiced on the maritime Shacks as the ASV 21 was able to line you up quite nicely on the runway centre line, and then it was just a case of '5 miles, 1500ft, 4 miles 1200ft' etc. Unfortunately you had to put the wheels down at about 2 miles on finals, at which point the radar picture disappeared as there was an interlink which retracted the radome as the wheels went down!

This was never a starter on the AEW as the AN-APS 20 was not designed for close in work, and the airfield would disappear into ground clutter long before an accurate line up.

[brakedwell]

Regarding turrets. I think this is a Mk2, passing through Lajes in January 1958.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c32/sedgwickjames/aviation/ShackletonMk2Lajes.jpg

[B_Fawlty]

We're taking good care of WR963 "Ermintrude" at Coventry

Being a keen afficionado of all things to do with "The Magic Roundabout", you can only imagine the excitement in my 8 year old self when I spotted the Strathallan collection's Shackleton as having what looked like a rather faded Zebedee painted on it - on what had been the rear turret I think (it was quite some time ago).

How many other Shackletons had been named after Magic Roundabout characters?

Time for bed!

[Krakatoa]

The Shackletons of 120 Squadron passed through Lajes March 7 outbound to RCAF Greenwood for Exercise Maple Royal returning 23 march.

[brakedwell]

The Shackletons of 120 Squadron passed through Lajes March 7 outbound to RCAF Greenwood for Exercise Maple Royal returning 23 march.

That figures, my logbook shows I was there from December 7th 1957 to April 3rd 1958. I also took a picture of a Mk1 on it's way home from a Grapple detachment in January.

[Richard Woods]

B_Fawlty;

All the 8 squadron Shackletons carried names from the Magic Roundabout.

WR963's name could still be seen until about three weeks ago, when the new paint started going on.

We have the nose of Zebedee with us at Coventry, but its in a bad way internally, having been badly vandalised.

Regards,

Ric

[Proplinerman]

Here is a short video I shot some years ago of the Coventry Shackleton starting and running up its engines:

YouTube - Shackleton engine start up and run (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqK8aAJpIY0)

On another open day at Coventry, I went on board the Shackleton for an engines run up-superb!

[Speedbird48]

Virgo,

I was on the Station Flight in Gib' when that happend, and you are correct the locals all thought it was part of the display!!

The unfortunate thing was that it was repairable, except that the crash crew threw their hoses into the water at the side of the runway to make foam!! That of course was salt, and the resultant corrosion wrote it off.

Speedbird 48.

[Four Wings]

10,000 rivets flying in close formation?

I've had the unusual experience of watching Lincolns in 1953 from Singapore (Changi) doing a short circuit (40 minutes?) bombing insurgents in the jungles of Johore Bahru, crump of bombs clearly heard, then in 1966 watching their cousins/derivatives Shackletons from Khormaksar doing a short circuit (40 minutes?) bombing insurgents in the Radfan, crump of bombs clearly heard...

Colonial warfare - the only difference now is the mode of delivery 'the Wali has misbehaved, put a Hellfire through the roof of his house'.

[Richard Woods]

Hi all,

We finally got WR963 running again. :ok:

http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo34/richw_82/running.jpg

Only on two engines for now, but the others aren't far behind.

Regards,
Rich

[Shackman]

Nice to see her in her new paint scheme!

[Richard Woods]

The new colours are not quite finished yet, but the weather caught us out. She will be done by Easter though.

[DH106]

Currently on hol in Cyprus, near Paphos - so couldn't resist a drive around the airport periphery see if I could catch a glimpse of the old girls + Flamant in their 'new' (since last I was in Cyprus anyway) location at the far end of the new runway - miles from anywhere.

Happy to report all 3 look in reasonable condition, obviously faded, neglected & the odd flat tyre but otherwise not looking too bad considering :)

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n491/DH106/Shackletons.jpg

[skwinty]

Here is SAAF shack in the Sahara.:{

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92/skwinty/Phoenix_624x480.jpg

and one at Ysterplaat

http://i997.photobucket.com/albums/af92/skwinty/Shackleton17202.jpg

There is still one airworthy here in Cape town but rarely flies due to very few airframe hours left.

[DH106]

Here's the 3rd Shackleton at Paphos - unfortunately not in such good condition as the other 2, on the fire dump :{

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n491/DH106/DumpShackleton.jpg

[bob shayler]

I remember a Shackleton from Lossiemouth flying at very low level over our house in 1982 which I discovered later was on an excercise to test the RADAR defences on the Island and took them completely by surprise much to disgust of the Flight Sergeant in charge of the station,
Regards,
Bob

[oldpax]

I remember as we left RCyAF base Negumbo in 1961 that we did a beat up .I was in the gun turret and remember the people in the tower being at the same height and waving as we flew past!!
Why no Shackelton in the cold war exhibition at Cosford !!

[Bonniciwah]

What a wonderful post.

My dad joined the RAF in Malta and trained as an armament fitter and travelled far and wide in Shackletons everywhere from Kenya and Aden through to Northern Ireland and Bermuda.

He got to fly in Vulcans and Canberras but the Shack had a special place in his heart. I have an old 8mm movie he took around the plane during a long flight over the Sahara Desert, I'd love to convert it to digital and put it up on YouTube. I'll see if I can dig out some photos.

He told me how one time they were coming from an overseas deployment with the bomb bay chock full of cheap booze. On the way back to Malta ATC gave them a head up that customs were waiting for them so they jettisoned the lot into the Med. Grown men cried that day.

[Krakatoa]

I would guess the Russian Navy has the largest collection of close up
Shackleton footage. I think my white face may be on some of them.

[Shackman]

Why no Shackelton in the cold war exhibition at Cosford !!


Indeed, why no Shackleton at Cosford - considering the number we delivered there as the MR fleet retired (personally three in and one out to Bitteswell for AEW conversion)?

[Proplinerman]

Does anyone else remember this Shackleton at Strathallan?

Shackleton at Strathallan Sept 1976 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/48975048@N06/8355026540/in/photostream)

And could anyone tell me what livery it's in?

[connoisseur]

VP293 Shackleton T4 (ex MR1) The livery is that carried by the aircraft in its final days at The Royal Aircraft Establishment (RAE).

VP293 MR 1/T.4
First flown 18.7.51 and A/Cn 31.7.51. To 38MU 10.8.51 and issued to 236 OCU 7.9.51. Coded C-U. Transferred to 224 Sqn 14.1.53 and probably remained uncoded. Despatched to 23MU 22.5.53 and stored until issued to 42 Sqn 21.4.54 as A-F. Transferred to 206 Sqn I .7.54 and recoded B-A. Modified by 49MU 3.12.54 and the CCMC, St Mawgan. 7.1.55 to 12.2.55, when VP293 was returned to 206 Sqn. More mods 6.55, but remained with 206 Sqn, now coded A, until sent to Avro Langar 17.8.56 for conversion to T.4 standard. Completed 28.3.58, VP293 went to Waddington for remedial work by Avro Bracebridge Heath CWP before delivery to 23MU 4.4.58 for storage. To Avro Langar 2.7.58 for Tl of Phase Il mods against Contract KD/L/034/ CB6(a) and transferred to MoS in exchange for VP258 19.11.58. Flown to the A&AEE 22.7.59 for official clearance of Mod 773. On completion 7.12.59 the aircraft reverted to Air Ministry charge and was ferried to MOTU, Kinloss, 1.3.60 and coded X. Returned to Avro Langar for modifications 2.4.62-8.2.63, when transferred to Waddington for Avro Bracebridge Heath CWP. Delivered to 23MU 20.2.63 for storage. Purchased by MoA 6.1.64 and transferred to RAE Farnborough for trials work. Withdrawn from use at the RAE 23.5.75 and sold to the Strathallen Museum. Delivered 3.5.76. Subsequently broken up on site. ( taken from Chris Ashworth The Avro Shackleton)

The nose from this aircraft survives.

[Proplinerman]

Many thanks for that Connoisseur.