1954 Avro Shackleton Mr2

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Discussion

jaf01uk

1,943 posts

195 months

Tuesday 9th February 2010
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nick heppinstall said:
I took this in September 2004....

I used to sit at the end of the runway at Lossie when these guys were flying at night, the blue flames out of the exhausts and the sound of those engines were fantastic!!
Gary

richw_82

992 posts

185 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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Eric Mc said:
Can't answer that question but Aeroplane Monthly this month had an In Detail look at the Shackleton.

The old Shackleton factory at Woodford is due for closure soon so a rummage through sundry skips might reveal all sorts of goodies. It's amazing how callous companies are when clearing out. Often vital historical artefacts and documentation is discarded without a second thought.
On my last visit down to Coventry I asked about drawings that survive for the Shackleton. The answer I got was that they are all with us; owned by and in the care of the Shackleton Preservation Trust. These came from Woodford some years ago.

The total amount comes to around 16 tons (not sure whether that was metric or imperial!) in sealed fireproof containers. They are ALL the drawings for ALL of the Shackletons.

WR963 has been moved slightly to make way for the new aquisition (Nimrod) but work is continuing. We recently found the cause of a bad misfire on the no 3 engine was down to a badly damaged camshaft... so more engine work to do! The list grows as fast as we get down it.

Quick question for you all... what scheme was your favourite on the Shackleton? White and sea grey, grey with a white top, or the AEW colours?

Stay tuned for more...

Ric

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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Grey with the white top - although the RAE had some more lurid colours on their Shacks.

The real Apache

39,731 posts

283 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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AEW colours for me, I flew a few times with 8 Sqn so am a bit biased

mrmaggit

10,146 posts

247 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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My Uncle used to work on Shacks at Langar when AVRO had a maintenance depot there. I still have bags full of aero-grade nuts and bolts somewhere, I know we used a few on the hovercraft.

It was a bit strange going down the road from Langar to Harby and seeing these enormous planes next to the road. Would have been about 1967-8? I got to do my first 100mph (indicated) down the runway at Langar in his Triunph Vitesse 6.

FourWheelDrift

88,377 posts

283 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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Is there the Shackleton still at Long Marston airfield or has the earth finally reclaimed it?

This is the Jet Aviation Preservation Group collection at Long Marston in slightly better days - http://www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/museums/longma...


richw_82

992 posts

185 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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The Long Marston Shackleton is still there. Most of the other stuff has moved to East Midlands, but I think the Shack will be there until it gets disposed of. Not a happy thought.

Ric

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
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The real Apache said:
AEW colours for me, I flew a few times with 8 Sqn so am a bit biased
I'm biased too

8 sqn won me a class B(modified) award at IPMS nearly thirty years ago



crap picture but I'm still quite happy with the model

FourWheelDrift

88,377 posts

283 months

Tuesday 20th April 2010
quotequote all
Colour scheme that is relevant to the model type.

As it's an MR2 then for me either of these two would do.




richw_82

992 posts

185 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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FourWheelDrift said:
Good choice. For those who wonder why I asked.... that's more or less the scheme it will be painted in over the summer.

Regards,

Ric

RizzoTheRat

25,085 posts

191 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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Out of interest, what's the story between the 2 colourschemes? I've only ever seen the grey with white top one.

richw_82

992 posts

185 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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The white with a grey top is a Coastal Command scheme. I don't think there was any real reason for them differing, probably just ministry thinking at the time. The MR2 went from all white, to white with a grey top, to grey with a white top...

I'll ask about when I'm next down there to see if I can get a better answer for you.

Ric

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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richw_82 said:
The white with a grey top is a Coastal Command scheme. I don't think there was any real reason for them differing, probably just ministry thinking at the time. The MR2 went from all white, to white with a grey top, to grey with a white top...

I'll ask about when I'm next down there to see if I can get a better answer for you.

Ric
They are both Coastal Command schemes. The white sides and grey top surface was based on the WW2 era scheme although during the war the upper surfaces also had a dark green disruptive camoouflage pattern as well. In the late 50s, the grey and white pattern was reversed.

Over the decades, much research has gone into camouflage schemes and patterns for aircraft performing various duties in various environments. Based on this research, wwhich goes on pretty much constantly, ideas change and evolve.

tegwin

1,625 posts

205 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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Shak at longmaston:




















FourWheelDrift

88,377 posts

283 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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Terrible the condition they have been allowed to get into, Canberra and Dove too.


I see in the Shackleton they got their tea and food sorted automatically

tegwin said:
Shak at longmaston:

Hot cup, Grill and Hot Beverage continued switches. Nice biggrin

hidetheelephants

23,756 posts

192 months

Friday 23rd April 2010
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Is that like intravenous char; they pipe it into the oxygen mask?hehe That's the goblin teasmaid for petrolheads, comes with a complimentary MR2...biggrin

heightswitch

6,316 posts

249 months

Saturday 24th April 2010
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The year might be a little hazy but I remember seeing 6 of these in formation flying over the North east. I think it was around the time they were being finaly phased out, Probably around 88 0r 89? I remember it vividly. I was sitting in an A level geography class when the aluminium windows started to Vibrate. The noise was something I shall never forget. The whole of the area stopped and people were transfixed.

N

Eric Mc

121,779 posts

264 months

Saturday 24th April 2010
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I think they last AEWs were withdrawn in 1991.

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Sunday 25th April 2010
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Two ror three years ago I took a look at the (what else can I call it?) mess at Long Marston and came away totally dispirited

They have so many aircaft that mean something to me (see the HAR10 back there as well as the Shack) and all of them seem to be slowly dissolving into the landscape.

Maybe they need volunteers or simply a cash injection but I was gutted at the appearance of the exhibits.

The museum was fenced off and no sign of anyone lavishing care on it...

Sad

FourWheelDrift

88,377 posts

283 months

Sunday 25th April 2010
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From another forum and with a fair bit of contrast and colour photoshopping but still shows the damage, from 2009






Some others from 2007.