How capable was the Shackleton for ASW?
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Joined: Dec 2002
Aviation Qualifications: Military (Retired)
Posts: 16,700
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From: Lincolnshire
Ken, shows how diligent we were in amending and digesting the bible. Mrs PN thought it was my dyslexia until a friend, unpropmted, came out with the same word.
Suspicion breeds confidence
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 2,406
Likes: 15
From: Gibraltar
For those interested, there is an hour long documentary on the Shackleton coming up 16 April on Movies4men. It's at 3am so remember to set your recorders. You may see a few familiar faces !
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 60
Likes: 0
From: Wiltshire U.K.
Apologies for the thread drift, but Beags just reminded me of one of my favourite Nimrod stories.
Sunday morning 6am, high summer, not a breath of wind, already 20deg in still air.
Long range ops sortie, max all up weight. Runway 30.
As I peered out my wee AEO's bubble window at the tents in the Trebelzue campsite, about 50 feet below my bum cheeks, wondering at the effect on the eardrums of four Speys at max chat insulated by nothing more than a tent wall and some Cornish morning air, all I could think was...
"morning campers"
Sunday morning 6am, high summer, not a breath of wind, already 20deg in still air.
Long range ops sortie, max all up weight. Runway 30.
As I peered out my wee AEO's bubble window at the tents in the Trebelzue campsite, about 50 feet below my bum cheeks, wondering at the effect on the eardrums of four Speys at max chat insulated by nothing more than a tent wall and some Cornish morning air, all I could think was...
"morning campers"
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 600
Likes: 2
From: Thailand
Shackeltons
Almost Two years on 204 quadron,best ever time in Coastal command.Many adventures as a lowlyLAC/SAC but cannot compare to aircrew stories!
Did sit in the left hand seat for half an hour which made my day!
Did sit in the left hand seat for half an hour which made my day!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 2
From: Norfolk
When my Dad was on Shacks in Malta (1956) they had ASV13.
He says they largely relied on visual detection of Submarines and only used ASV13 at night when but they still relied on Flares and visuals.
I think in those days the Med was pretty clean and clear around Malta.
He has told me that had an MR2 with an Airborne Lifeboat fitted (and Lindholme gear) when he arrived. They only had one lifeboat (I kid you not) and were told it was not to be used except in an emergency. Shortly afterwards it was withdrawn from use and they were given authorisation to drop the Lifeboat. Guess what - it sank without trace.......................
He had a great time on Shacks for 2 years before being posted back to UK.
Arc
He says they largely relied on visual detection of Submarines and only used ASV13 at night when but they still relied on Flares and visuals.
I think in those days the Med was pretty clean and clear around Malta.
He has told me that had an MR2 with an Airborne Lifeboat fitted (and Lindholme gear) when he arrived. They only had one lifeboat (I kid you not) and were told it was not to be used except in an emergency. Shortly afterwards it was withdrawn from use and they were given authorisation to drop the Lifeboat. Guess what - it sank without trace.......................
He had a great time on Shacks for 2 years before being posted back to UK.
Arc
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 128
Likes: 23
From: lincolnshire
Shack Trip
RAF Sharjah 1970. As a young DFGA Hunter pilot I thought it would be amusing to see how the other half lived, i.e. a trip in one of the Mk2s of the resident 210 Sqn. They still had the 20mm front guns, sadly left unloaded.
Surprisingly, the captain was an AEO, and we spent most of the 8hr sortie at 250ft, cruising all the way round the coast of Oman, looking for smugglers and drug-runners.
The noise was appalling. Wherever you sat you could not escape it. I ended up lying down at the extremity of the tail observation boom to get away from it. We eventually climbed to 1500 ft to fly a practice GCA at Sharjah.
RAF Sharjah 1970. As a young DFGA Hunter pilot I thought it would be amusing to see how the other half lived, i.e. a trip in one of the Mk2s of the resident 210 Sqn. They still had the 20mm front guns, sadly left unloaded.
Surprisingly, the captain was an AEO, and we spent most of the 8hr sortie at 250ft, cruising all the way round the coast of Oman, looking for smugglers and drug-runners.
The noise was appalling. Wherever you sat you could not escape it. I ended up lying down at the extremity of the tail observation boom to get away from it. We eventually climbed to 1500 ft to fly a practice GCA at Sharjah.
