'Griffons' growl again.

[Batchy]

Today I made the short journey down to the Gatwick aviation museum, to see Avro Shackleton WR982 perform a full four engine ground run during one the museums regular open days.

Thankfully the recent poor weather gave way to better conditions this afternoon and allowed the crew to start the engines for their first public run for a number of years. The sound of four RR Griffon's on full song is something I will remember for a long time.

I would like to thank Peter Vallance and his volunteers for keeping the Shack alive.

Thanks for the heads up Peter (Mills), I wouldn't have known about the run without your post.

Septic.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT4.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT3.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT6.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT7.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT2.jpg


Couldn't resist squeezing this shot in G-VIXN (XS587).

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v157/woodlands/gatwick%2008/GAT1.jpg

[chevvron]

The only prettier noise is the BBMF Lanc.

[Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!]

That's certainly a very cheerful looking airplane ;)

[mustpost]

Tragic attack of growth on the wing tho'......:}
Nice photies
M

[Agaricus bisporus]

Jeez, those Griffons sure had to push a lot of Bernouillis!

[Midland 331]

Super photos! I recall a 5-ship over Teesside just before withdrawal. Very "Bomber Command"!

I wonder if high-hours chappies suffered hearing loss in later life, akin to Argonaut/F27/etc crew...?

r

[shack]

I like most ex-kipper fleet drivers am high tone deaf thanks to the mighty Griffon and the whirling props.

[bluesilk]

:DFantastic piccies of the Shack. Lots of hours on the mk3 phase 3 and high tone deaf like everyone else, but I can almost hear those engines just looking at the pics. Thanks for posting them.

[Midland 331]

Audible growling here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPn65t7BQUk

r

[Seloco]

I too made the pilgrimage to Gatwick on Sunday (thanks to Mrs S's forebearance!) and revelled in the experience of 48 cylinders and 24 blades in glorious harmony. A revelation though was to explore the inside of the Shackleton and experience just how difficult it is to move around, thanks to what seems like about 13 spars passing through the fuselage at knee height! How great too to hear from enthusiasts like Peter Mills who could clearly impart what it was really like to work inside for 14 hours on end.

All in all a super visit; how great it would be to find a way to get at least some of that priceless hardware under cover!

[5 Greens]

Just had the pleasure to be at the right place & time, to be in the CVT Shack for its fortnightly engine runs! Lovely

[boguing]

I could cycle to Gatwick. Any chance that you could let me know when it's going to happen again?

[Shack37]

Drooling all over the keyboard, great pictures, thanks for posting them. Seeing numbers 3 & 4 engines blasting away with the steps still in place looked a bit odd though.:)

[pmills575]

Not sure if we'll be runnning again publically again soon, the fuel costs £1.24/litre +vat; so about £400 for the day. We would need to get enough visitors to cover that cost. Should it happen again I will post a notice on this forum (plus other places). Thanks to all who attended and supported both the RAFA and GAM.

Peter Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum

[allyn]

Had I known this was happening, I would have come down and shot some video!

[Shackman]

I'm sorry I can't post the noise as well, but a 6 -ship sounded better (and the 9 - ship !!!)
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j264/a_205_guy/FormnPractice.jpg

[pmills575]

This picture was taken just after the run on Sunday the 30th March.
We are a fortunate museum in that the average of our engineering volunteers is about 35! (Peter Vallance far right)

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

Peter Mills
GAM

[virgo]

What was the occasion, Shackman ? Got any more piccies ?

(I think I posted some interesting ones of a Sharjah flypast somewhere on PPRuNe some time ago............?)

[Croqueteer]

:)For those that don't already know, a Shackleton memorial monument is being unveiled at the National Arboritum near Lichfield on the 4th June.

[Shackman]

Re formation:

Practising for the 205 Sqn disbandment parade 1971. Don W****e leading us into the only Cu nim he could find!

PS. What's this about a memorial at the National Aboretum please?

[Hugh Spencer]

IIn the RAF News dated 19th December 2008 it was announced that an Avro Shackleton owned by Air Atlantique was handed over to new owners at Coventry Airport. It is the WR963, made a taxi run with the tail wheel lifting off briefly and plans are to return it to flying condition.

[avionic type]

Ah the comfort of the Shack 2and 3 we of stronger stuff flew Gib , El Adam , Aden, Negombo [Ceylon ], 2weeks training with British and Asian navies , then Negombo Karachi ,Cyprus , Gib, all in Shack 1s with a full aircrew and 6 ground crew when I was with 224 squadron in 1952? 5 other Shacks loaded the same with all spares wheels and tyres and more spares we thought the R.A.F. ever had, very enjoyable, but were deaf as posts for days afterwards average times per sector 9 to 10 hours, seemed like days servicing the a/c during refuelling :D:D:D

[stevef]

I suspect the only way 963's wheels will leave the ground is when it's on jacks. How are the new owners going to get over the spar replacement requirement? Then there's the insurance to consider, which I've heard would be well upward of the £30,000 mark. If an airworthy Shack was viable in the UK, Air Atlantique's aircraft wouldn't be languishing in an American museum.

[pmills575]

On the 6th of December Shackleton MKIII WR982 successfully ran all four Griffons again. Unfortunately this was a private run and the fuel cost came close to £600! She's now wrapped up for winter, we hope to run here again publically in 2009.

Video of the run on the 30th of March here:-
YouTube - Shackleton WR982 Anniversary engine run (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=CDymRwG42V4)

A DVD of all of the runs, including internal views, is being produced and should be available "soon".

Gatwick Aviation Museum would like to say a big thank you all of our visitors and members for the continuing support during the past year. Hope to see people in the new year. The political situtation still blights our efforts to get these airfames under cover, but we will do our best to mitigate the damaging effects of the weather/time.

Peter Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum