£5m appeal to get a Shackleton flying

[oxenos]

Perhaps the MOD could be persuaded to contribute. It would give the country some asw capability.

[ComJam]

Erm....as much as I enjoyed watching the old Shack..and thoroughly enjoyed 8 Sqn "Gambia" formation travelling around Scotland on 8/8/88...it's hardly a Vulcan or a Lightning is it..

Now if we get the Mosquito airborne or the second Lanc...there is a plan for a Shar as well...

[Wensleydale]

It would give the country some asw capability

Bit difficult as she is an AEW Mk2 - unless the owners have absolutely no taste and are converting her back to an MR2.

[BEagle]

It would be great to hear those Griffons drone above the display line....

Drone? DRONE?? Shacks don't drone, they GROWL!! And yes, I hope that the old girl will one day fly again.

[Wensleydale]

Perhaps the MOD could be persuaded to contribute

Back in the day, the BBMF Lancaster pilots used to carry out their pre-season 4-engine tail dragger training on the Shackletons at Lossiemouth in order to save wear and tear on the Lanc. Perhaps this could be a source of revenue for the 963 project?

[Sir George Cayley]

Having poured taxed income into various cars and planes I'll defend anyone's right to do the same on any scale.

Although I have some concerns about value for money in the Vulcan's case, the freedom of choice should be celebrated not attacked.

SGC

[Stitchbitch]

Wensleydale, not sure if he's back this season, but last season BBMF had an ex-Shack FE operating the Lancs donks.

[Wander00]

So what do we all see as priorites for returning historic aircraft to the air. Mosquito(s) flying, but will be good to see one in UK, Beaufighter on its way: what else would be good and reasonably feasible?

[oxenos]

Wensleydale
She has been converted BACK to an MR Mk 2. Just like she was when I flew her in the late 60's, and before some bunch of vandals turned her into an AEW.

[GeeRam]

Originally Posted by Wander00

So what do we all see as priorites for returning historic aircraft to the air. Mosquito(s) flying, but will be good to see one in UK, Beaufighter on its way: what else would be good and reasonably feasible?

Not going to see a Beaufighter in the air anytime soon, or possible ever, unless a solution to the lack of suitable engines/props is solved, and given TFC have been trying/searching unsuccesfully for a solution to that for the best part of 20 years, I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Wander00]

GR - but the Beau airframe seems to be coming on well - but I can appreciate that Hercules engines are hard to come by

[Wensleydale]

She has been converted BACK to an MR Mk 2

That's a waste of some of the money then.....

[Richard Woods]

Not in the long run. An MR2 weighs less than an AEW2 and doesn't use up the airframe life quite so quickly. If you had a choice of getting 4,000 odd hours or 6,000 hours out of your rebuilt aircraft - what would you go for? (bear in mind we're only looking at 100 - 150 hours usage a year when WR963's done.)

[ozleckie]

She has been converted BACK to an MR Mk 2. Just like she was when I flew her in the late 60's, and before some bunch of vandals turned her into an AEW.


Praise the Lord . It's a miracle

[bingoboy]

I doubt that the average man on the street knows what a Shackleton is/was or has an urgent need to see one fly.
Large aircraft seem notorious for consuming large sums of money to rebuild, maintain and operate in flying condition.
Therefore I shall not be contributing but we are in a free country.

PS I would have loved the Shorts Solent (?) to have remained airworthy and in this country. The sight of it at Poole in 1976 is one I will never forget and as an island country such a machine has a great story to tell.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Quite. Far more to the point.

[turbroprop]

It's all a waste. It might be ready to fly in seven years, but will Coventry still have a runway by then? Spend the money of Just Jane. Four merlins sound much better than the griffons fitted to the Shack.