First flight of 'Shack' - 9 Mar '49
First flight of 'Shack' - 9 Mar '49
The Avro Shackleton had its maiden flight 60 years ago on 9th March 1949. Loved and hated in equal measure by those who flew or maintained them, regardless of what you think of the ‘Shack’, she inspired several generations of airmen (to ask for a posting).
It was during her final incarnation as the “Old Grey Lady” of 8 Sqn that I got to know her. The spec of the Rolls Royce Griffon Mk57 is enough to make even petrol heads like Clarkson salivate: take a 36 litre R-R V-12 (yes, 3 litres each cylinder), with a 6” bore & 6˝” stroke, with 48 valves, twin overhead cams, and then fit a two speed, two stage supercharger (with an aftercooler) and then water meth injection.. Each bank of cylinders to have its own exhaust pipe the size of an industrial drain.. The result? One serious ~2,000hp piston engine..
Ignoring all the old jokes (is that an airplane or the box it came in; the contra rotating Nissen Hut; 50,000 rivets in close formation et al), Deborah Lake – an esteemed authoress – is currently writing a history of the ‘Shack’ (all Marks) and would appreciate any material that she could incorporate into it.. These could include anecdotes, factual occurrences, police statements, unpaid bar bills – whatever - as long as they have a Shack theme. Either post them here or send them directly to Deborah at [email protected] I should say that she's already trawled through countless copies of the "Growler".
Not seen or heard a Shack before..? Speakers to max volume and click on this:
Many thanks
It was during her final incarnation as the “Old Grey Lady” of 8 Sqn that I got to know her. The spec of the Rolls Royce Griffon Mk57 is enough to make even petrol heads like Clarkson salivate: take a 36 litre R-R V-12 (yes, 3 litres each cylinder), with a 6” bore & 6˝” stroke, with 48 valves, twin overhead cams, and then fit a two speed, two stage supercharger (with an aftercooler) and then water meth injection.. Each bank of cylinders to have its own exhaust pipe the size of an industrial drain.. The result? One serious ~2,000hp piston engine..
Ignoring all the old jokes (is that an airplane or the box it came in; the contra rotating Nissen Hut; 50,000 rivets in close formation et al), Deborah Lake – an esteemed authoress – is currently writing a history of the ‘Shack’ (all Marks) and would appreciate any material that she could incorporate into it.. These could include anecdotes, factual occurrences, police statements, unpaid bar bills – whatever - as long as they have a Shack theme. Either post them here or send them directly to Deborah at [email protected] I should say that she's already trawled through countless copies of the "Growler".
Not seen or heard a Shack before..? Speakers to max volume and click on this:
Many thanks
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Apart from the inevitable comment regarding the "spark plug", I always remember the crews unfailing ability to photograph any aircraft that came close to them (for me it was a Phantom).
Also, does anyone rember the unforgettable (but forgotten) crew who used to do the Uk tour - potatoes from Coningsby taken to St Mawgan, Fish from St Mawgan taken to Lossie, Shrimps from Lossie taken to Coningsby etc.
They were a fantasic crew and we always had a good time with them.
Also, does anyone rember the unforgettable (but forgotten) crew who used to do the Uk tour - potatoes from Coningsby taken to St Mawgan, Fish from St Mawgan taken to Lossie, Shrimps from Lossie taken to Coningsby etc.
They were a fantasic crew and we always had a good time with them.
Just another erk
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If I remember rightly, wasn't the Shack a development of the Lancaster, I do know that the up country rags in Aden, where terrified of them, stayed around to long, Hunters where only there for a few mins.
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sidevalve. As Mr J H Orrell's log book records;
2-3-49 VW126 15:00 to 15:20. Hops
9-3-49 VW126 10:50 to 11:30. First Flight
9-3-49 VW126 15:15 to 16:30. Rudder Checks
He reported after the first flight; "flew extremely well and had that comfortable feel of its predecessors the Lancaster and Lincoln".
Clearly, Mr Chadwick did design excedingly good aeroplanes.
2-3-49 VW126 15:00 to 15:20. Hops
9-3-49 VW126 10:50 to 11:30. First Flight
9-3-49 VW126 15:15 to 16:30. Rudder Checks
He reported after the first flight; "flew extremely well and had that comfortable feel of its predecessors the Lancaster and Lincoln".
Clearly, Mr Chadwick did design excedingly good aeroplanes.
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Lancaster, Lincoln, Shackleton , same company but new airframes wings ect and of course more powerful engines , having to explain to our American cousins at Gibraltar and all points over the globe why 1 prop went one way and the 2nd the other [the reason we were given was if there had only been 1 prop the a/c would have flung itself all over the sky at full power with the torque and the undercart would have had to be double its length for the length of prop to absorb the power] as it was the swing on take off was nil into wind so our aircrew told us .
flying in it for ground crew was boredom personified 10 -12 hours flying and all you saw was sea with the odd ship to add to the excitement and being deaf as posts for hours afterwards , but I,m a Shack man through and through apart from the early ASV13 radar they gave very little trouble [perhaps because they were brand new for the 2 years I was on them ]and I saw some wonderful places in the near and far east whilst on exercises with 224 squadron. I mourn its passing.
flying in it for ground crew was boredom personified 10 -12 hours flying and all you saw was sea with the odd ship to add to the excitement and being deaf as posts for hours afterwards , but I,m a Shack man through and through apart from the early ASV13 radar they gave very little trouble [perhaps because they were brand new for the 2 years I was on them ]and I saw some wonderful places in the near and far east whilst on exercises with 224 squadron. I mourn its passing.
Last edited by avionic type; 3rd Mar 2009 at 19:38. Reason: poor spelling
Shack MR2C, wow, memories,204 Ballykelly, just out of Cosford and finding that when doing an 'ARI' change on the ASV21, DO NOT drop a 2BA (istr) securing bolt into the scanner well, you just can't reach it even with mechanical fingers, fortunately Dougie Hay had long legs and prehensile toes! position the scanner correctly and he could get said leg(and toes) between the brackets and retrieve the bolt, bit of a bummer when he left, you had to remove the whole scanner which was a pain in the butt
regards Den.
Ps, still my favourite aircraft, and the sound was,is,magic
regards Den.
Ps, still my favourite aircraft, and the sound was,is,magic
If you had a skinny boy on your shift it was easier to remove the T/R, no winch required! You could just about feed him through the gap!
Peter Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum - Charlwood
Peter Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum - Charlwood
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The last RAF aeroplane to fly Rolls Royce and leather seats I believe.
Only flew in one once. Noisy, draughty, cold (except in the radar compartment with all those glowing valves), uncomfortable................magic.
Only flew in one once. Noisy, draughty, cold (except in the radar compartment with all those glowing valves), uncomfortable................magic.
Only flew in one once. Noisy, draughty, cold (except in the radar compartment with all those glowing valves), uncomfortable................magic
Yes, you've got it in one.. just like flying in your favourite garden shed - but minus the charm..
It was once said that if you heard a Shack you were lucky.. because that meant you weren't in it..
As I said at the top, a love/hate relationship.. if you were on the sqn, the odd note of criticism was allowable (1 per month was acceptable!) - but heaven help anyone from outside who dared to point a finger..
But some things remain burnt in the dusty recesses of your memory for all time.. the truly earsplitting sound of 4 Griffons being wound up to 2600rpm and max chat, exhausts glowing bright orange with a 3ft gout of flame from each one, for a low level beat up somewhere..
I can still recall the mother of all low beat-ups we once gave to the isolated USAF radar site (H3/Hofn/"Critic") up at Kef with perfect (frightening) clarity..
Yes, you've got it in one.. just like flying in your favourite garden shed - but minus the charm..
It was once said that if you heard a Shack you were lucky.. because that meant you weren't in it..
As I said at the top, a love/hate relationship.. if you were on the sqn, the odd note of criticism was allowable (1 per month was acceptable!) - but heaven help anyone from outside who dared to point a finger..
But some things remain burnt in the dusty recesses of your memory for all time.. the truly earsplitting sound of 4 Griffons being wound up to 2600rpm and max chat, exhausts glowing bright orange with a 3ft gout of flame from each one, for a low level beat up somewhere..
I can still recall the mother of all low beat-ups we once gave to the isolated USAF radar site (H3/Hofn/"Critic") up at Kef with perfect (frightening) clarity..
(a bear of little brain)
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Went to an air-day at St. Mawgan, long time back, and one of the party was an ex-Shackleton engineer. So a Shack is doing it's display and is visible, a couple of miles out, turning towards the runway.
Tannoy "and if you look to your right you can see the Shackleton coming in for a high-speed pass"
Ex-eng "I'm just going for a coffee"
Me "I thought you wanted to see the Shackleton display"
Ex-eng "I'll be back in plenty of time"
Tannoy "and if you look to your right you can see the Shackleton coming in for a high-speed pass"
Ex-eng "I'm just going for a coffee"
Me "I thought you wanted to see the Shackleton display"
Ex-eng "I'll be back in plenty of time"
The only photo I have in my collection of a Shackleton was taken at Biggin Hill on the occasion of the 1954 Royal Observer Corps Recognition Day. Once a year a Royal Observer Corps 'Recognition Day' was held at Biggin Hill. A variety of RAF, RN and USAF aircraft were flown in so the Royal Observer Corps and members of the army Anti Aircraft Command, (both organisations at the time integral elements of the air defence of the UK), could see up close the friendly aircraft they were expected to recognise.
Poignantly my photo is of Shackleton Mk2, serial number WL743, of 42 Sqn, St. Eval (Cornwall). This particular aircraft went missing on the night of 11 January 1955 and is assumed to have collided with WG531, also from 42 Sqn, south-west of Ireland. It was declared Cat.5 the same day.
In total eighteen crew died, nine in each aircraft.
Poignantly my photo is of Shackleton Mk2, serial number WL743, of 42 Sqn, St. Eval (Cornwall). This particular aircraft went missing on the night of 11 January 1955 and is assumed to have collided with WG531, also from 42 Sqn, south-west of Ireland. It was declared Cat.5 the same day.
In total eighteen crew died, nine in each aircraft.
Last edited by Warmtoast; 14th Jan 2011 at 08:59. Reason: To restore moved photo.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
At a German Airshow, having ditched her husband, on Frau inched up behind us, pushed some money into our mitts and ask for a pair. Really brown paper package job.
One man. or someone, was in for a surprise.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
I have a large photo of a pair of 8 Sqn Shacks in flight, 90 in the background, by the late Al Campbell.
The bottom of the pic is now chemically discoloured but the main area is fine. It is too big to scan.
The bottom of the pic is now chemically discoloured but the main area is fine. It is too big to scan.
42 disbandment flypast at St.EVal mid to late 60`s
Dear All,
I grew up at St.Eval (yes it explains a lot!). My father was based first at St.Eval and then later at St.Mawgan. I remember one Sunday morning a formation of Shackletons flying over. I was told it was the disbandment of 42 Sqn to make way for the Nimrod.
Does anybody on this forum know the date of that flypast at St. Eval please? It`s a sound that will forever be in my head.
Many years later I was on a detachment (APC) in Decimomannu and remember playing the famous game of Shackletons on the Americans. What a great laugh as somebody shouted "Blimey the whole blinking aircrafts on fire" (or words to that effect!). There was beer absolutely everywhere. I suppose games like that will become folklore.
I grew up at St.Eval (yes it explains a lot!). My father was based first at St.Eval and then later at St.Mawgan. I remember one Sunday morning a formation of Shackletons flying over. I was told it was the disbandment of 42 Sqn to make way for the Nimrod.
Does anybody on this forum know the date of that flypast at St. Eval please? It`s a sound that will forever be in my head.
Many years later I was on a detachment (APC) in Decimomannu and remember playing the famous game of Shackletons on the Americans. What a great laugh as somebody shouted "Blimey the whole blinking aircrafts on fire" (or words to that effect!). There was beer absolutely everywhere. I suppose games like that will become folklore.
The Nimrod starting arriving at 42 Sqdn in April 1971, the Shackleton records show that the last Shack left 42 in September 1971. So presumably your flypast probably took place during that year. We have a picture showing 42 Sqdn lined up in front of a MKIII dated July 1971.
P Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum - Charlwood
P Mills
Gatwick Aviation Museum - Charlwood