In the Beginning...

The Avro Shackleton (named after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton), was a Royal Air Force long-range patrol bomber, designed by Roy Chadwick as the Avro Type 696. It was clearly based on the successful wartime Avro Lancaster bomber, one of Chadwick's designs and the Lancaster derivative, the Avro Lincoln, which was the then current ASW aircraft. The design took the Lincoln's wings and landing gear and mated them with a new fuselage, and was initially referred-to during development as the Lincoln ASR.3. Powered by four V12 Rolls-Royce Griffons with 13 foot (4 m) contra-rotating propellors, the Shackleton has a highly distinctive sound, which adds a high-tone deafness to the hazards of the pilots.

It was originally used primarily in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) roles, and was later adapted for airborne early warning (AEW), search and rescue (SAR) and other roles from 1951 until 1990. It also served in the South African Air Force from 1957 to 1984.

Three MR.1 prototype aircraft were built, and the first flight was on the 9th of March 1949 (VW126). The Shackleton MR.1 entered service in April 1951 with 120 Squadron at Kinloss. They had their operational debut during the Suez Crisis. 77 MR1 and MR1A aircraft were built, with production ending in July 1952. MR1 aircraft were later modified for training and designated T.4. In the anti-submarine warfare role, the Shackleton carried both types of sonobuoy, ESM, an Autolycus (diesel fume detection system) and for a short time an unreliable magnetic anomaly detector (MAD) system. Weapons were nine bombs, or three torpedoes or depth-charges, and 20 mm cannon.

The MR.2 was improved with feedback from operations and is considered by aficionados to be the definitive type. It introduced a streamlined fuselage, a retractable radome at the rear and a nose turret for two cannons. The radome had been moved from the nose to a ventral position, to improve all-round coverage and minimise the risk of bird-strikes. Both the nose and tail sections were lengthened, the tail planes were redesigned and the weak undercarriage was strengthened. The prototype MR.2 first flew on the 17th of June 1952, entering service with 42 squadron in Jan 1953 at St. Eval. A total of 70 M.R. 2's were delivered to the R.A.F.

In September 1955 the Shackleton MR.3 (WR970), made it's maiden flight. Superficially similar to it's predecessors, the MR.3 was in fact considerably different. The tricycle undercarriage design of the MR.3 was more in line with modern aircraft. It had additional fuel capacity in tip tanks, the cockpit was redesigned as a frameless clear canopy and, as a sop to the crews on fifteen hour flights, the aircraft was partially soundproofed and a proper galley and sleeping space were included. 34 MR 3’s were delivered to the R.A.F. with a small number sold to the South African Air Force.

A number of improvements were made to both M.R.2 and M.R.3 marks, the final re-fit being to "Phase 3" standard. This refurbished the aircraft interior and added an additional sonics position as well numerous other improvements in equipment and decor. Soon after the first MK 3 aircraft were returned to the squadrons another major change was made to the MR.3 with a Bristol Siddeley Viper turbojet being added, one to each outboard nacelle. This change was incorporated only in those MR3's undergoing Phase 3 refits.

All marks suffered from using the Griffon engines — thirsty for fuel and oil, noisy and temperamental with high-maintenance needs. In 1961 MR.2's engines needed top overhauls every 400 hours and went through a spate of ejecting spark plugs from their cylinderheads. It was not unusual to see an engine changed every day in a unit of 6 aircraft. They were constantly on the cusp of being replaced, but even the potentially beneficial Napier Nomad re-engine didn't quite happen.

The need to replace the Shackleton was first raised in the early 1960s and the arrival of the Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod in 1969 was the end for the Shackleton in most roles. It did, however, continue as the main search and rescue aircraft until 1972. Maritime versions of Shackletons were however steadily withdrawn from service during 1970/71.

The intention to retire the aircraft was then thwarted by the need for airborne early warning coverage in the North Sea and northern Atlantic following the retirement of the Fairey Gannet. With a new design not due until the late 1970s, the M.R.2 was refurbished and refitted in the Airborne Early Warning role with the APS 20F radar from the R.N. Gannet A.E.W.3. Only 8 squadron, formed at Kinloss in Jan 1972, were equipped with this variant and with the A.E.W. Nimrod version cancelled, were destined to carry on flying well into the 1990's when they were replaced by the E-3 Sentry.

A total of 185 Shackletons were built from 1951 to 1958: around twelve are still believed to be intact, with one still flying.

Although the joke has been applied to several aircraft, the Shackleton has been described as "a hundred thousand rivets flying in loose formation"

The Big Idea

Most great projects start with a simple idea. From that idea, comes discussion and from discussion, planning. When you have your planning in place, the next step is to begin to implement it and hopefully achieve your goals.

The project that I hope to tell you about in this blog is as follows. I am hoping to raise sufficient financing to build a hanger to permanently house the last remaining airborne Shackleton MK3 in the world - Pelican 1722. This structure will belong to the SA Airforce Museum at Ysterplaat and will provide them with not only a permanent hanger for this amazing aircraft, but also a home for their specialised team of volunteers who lovingly restore and maintain aircraft that would otherwise be lost.

Over the course of this project, I hope to impart a little of my fascination with this plane to you and perhaps even to get you to fall in love with her too. Ultimately of course, I hope to raise sufficient money to complete the task I have set myself.

I hope to see you all back here soon!

Jo