What aircraft did I see? Mid/late 40's Coastal Command?
Discussion
On the local news tonight (BBC Southwest) there was an interview going on with the station commander of RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall.
They were stood outside the main gate in front of a static aircraft. Now, I'm making the guess that it used to be operational there during or soon after the Second World War by Coastal Command, it looked like the nose of a Liberator, but seemed to be a bit 'flatter'. It had a machine gun turret in the nose, with the cockpit above and behind, four engines with twin props on each nacelle - which is why I wasn't convinced it was a Liberator.
Or did Coastal Command modify their Liberators for greater range/speed/economy?
I have done a Google search, but am unable to throw up what it was. Screen grab below to help.
They were stood outside the main gate in front of a static aircraft. Now, I'm making the guess that it used to be operational there during or soon after the Second World War by Coastal Command, it looked like the nose of a Liberator, but seemed to be a bit 'flatter'. It had a machine gun turret in the nose, with the cockpit above and behind, four engines with twin props on each nacelle - which is why I wasn't convinced it was a Liberator.
Or did Coastal Command modify their Liberators for greater range/speed/economy?
I have done a Google search, but am unable to throw up what it was. Screen grab below to help.
That's the Shackleton on the gate at RAF St Mawgan.
It was an AEW2, but was restored back to MR2 guise in the 1980's.
Coastal Command did operate B-24 Liberators, and before that B-17 Flying Fortresses and Lockheed Hudsons. My Grandfather was groundcrew on 206 sqn.
The main Coastal Command base was RAF St Eval (my Grandfather was stationed there for a while), just up the coast from RAF St Mawgan.
St Eval was closed in the 1950's though when the heavier Shackleton MR3s were introduced and were subsequently moved to RAF St Mawgan.
]
It was an AEW2, but was restored back to MR2 guise in the 1980's.
Coastal Command did operate B-24 Liberators, and before that B-17 Flying Fortresses and Lockheed Hudsons. My Grandfather was groundcrew on 206 sqn.
The main Coastal Command base was RAF St Eval (my Grandfather was stationed there for a while), just up the coast from RAF St Mawgan.
St Eval was closed in the 1950's though when the heavier Shackleton MR3s were introduced and were subsequently moved to RAF St Mawgan.
]
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 4th August 22:48
Shackleton WL795
"Avro Shackleton WL795 currently resides as gate guardian at RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall. Having served the RAF in varied roles, retirement to St Mawgan has saved this airframe and enabled the Cornish Aviation Society to regularly maintain the aircraft inside and out."
http://ksaviation.co.uk/?page_id=46
"Avro Shackleton WL795 currently resides as gate guardian at RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall. Having served the RAF in varied roles, retirement to St Mawgan has saved this airframe and enabled the Cornish Aviation Society to regularly maintain the aircraft inside and out."
http://ksaviation.co.uk/?page_id=46
IanMorewood said:
Hardly mid 40's they where still in use into the early 90's.
They were designed just after World War 2 by the same chap who designed the Manchester and Lancaster - so there is a family link.The versions still in use until 1991 were AEW aircraft. The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
Eric Mc said:
They were designed just after World War 2 by the same chap who designed the Manchester and Lancaster - so there is a family link.
The versions still in use until 1991 were AEW aircraft. The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
AEW???? - Eric I'm shocked!!!The versions still in use until 1991 were AEW aircraft. The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
The AEW was only a stopgap until the Nimrod AEW3 was due to enter service. After a load of problems with the Nimrod the whole project was canned in 1986 leaving the Shackletons to continue flying until we got the E3 in 1991.
Of the last flying Shackletons, Two went to a collector in Cyprus, two to Coventry and one to the fire section at RAF St Mawgan. It was scrapped in the mid to late 1990s. The nose section survives somewhere and was up for sale about a year ago.
Of the last flying Shackletons, Two went to a collector in Cyprus, two to Coventry and one to the fire section at RAF St Mawgan. It was scrapped in the mid to late 1990s. The nose section survives somewhere and was up for sale about a year ago.
ecsrobin said:
Eric Mc said:
They were designed just after World War 2 by the same chap who designed the Manchester and Lancaster - so there is a family link.
The versions still in use until 1991 were AEW aircraft. The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
AEW???? - Eric I'm shocked!!!The versions still in use until 1991 were AEW aircraft. The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
Eric Von Acronym, take your place the hall of fame awaits...
Eric Mc said:
The maritime patrol role had been taken over by the Nimrod in the early 70s.
Nimrod MR1 entered service with 236 OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) in October 1969. It went operational with 201 Sqn in the summer of 1970 and by August 1970 had located and tracked its first Soviet submarine (a November Class boat).Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Tuesday 5th August 00:29
Shackleton WL795 is currently the gate guard at St Mawgan, though her future hangs in the balance as the RAF want to replace her with a Wessex in the near future.
Of the last five Shacks in RAF Service -
WL747 - Sold to a private collector Paphos, Cyprus. Flew once in preservation ~1994. Derelict.
WL756 - sent to the fire dump at St Mawgan. Most of her useful parts went onto WL795, the remainder was scrapped in 2001/2. The nose was recovered from the scrapper a few years ago and went to Caernarfon, then sold earlier this year on ebay, going to a colector in the Netherlands.
WL757 - Sold to a private collector Paphos, Cyprus. Derelict.
WL790 - Sold to David Liddell-Grainger (founder of the Shackleton Preservation Trust), then on to Air Atlantique, Coventry, UK. Due to CAA issues with spar life, it was flown out to the USA as N790WL. Retired to Pima Arizona in December 2007, the last flight of a Shackleton anywhere in the world to date..
WR963 - Sold to David Liddell-Grainger (founder of the Shackleton Preservation Trust), then on to Air Atlantique, Coventry, UK as spares for WL790. Reacquired by SPT after WL790 ceased flying. Registered as G-SKTN and making steady progress towards a return to flight in the UK!
SAAF have a Shackleton MR3 "1722", but although its maintained as airworthy, its last flight was March 2007.
Regards,
Rich
Of the last five Shacks in RAF Service -
WL747 - Sold to a private collector Paphos, Cyprus. Flew once in preservation ~1994. Derelict.
WL756 - sent to the fire dump at St Mawgan. Most of her useful parts went onto WL795, the remainder was scrapped in 2001/2. The nose was recovered from the scrapper a few years ago and went to Caernarfon, then sold earlier this year on ebay, going to a colector in the Netherlands.
WL757 - Sold to a private collector Paphos, Cyprus. Derelict.
WL790 - Sold to David Liddell-Grainger (founder of the Shackleton Preservation Trust), then on to Air Atlantique, Coventry, UK. Due to CAA issues with spar life, it was flown out to the USA as N790WL. Retired to Pima Arizona in December 2007, the last flight of a Shackleton anywhere in the world to date..
WR963 - Sold to David Liddell-Grainger (founder of the Shackleton Preservation Trust), then on to Air Atlantique, Coventry, UK as spares for WL790. Reacquired by SPT after WL790 ceased flying. Registered as G-SKTN and making steady progress towards a return to flight in the UK!
SAAF have a Shackleton MR3 "1722", but although its maintained as airworthy, its last flight was March 2007.
Regards,
Rich
Despite being the 'Gate Guard'' at St Mawgan, WL795 is privately owned. I understand that there are plans for the Classic Air Force collection to adopt it and move it into the old 'Base Hangar' (what was the Nimrod Servicing hangar).
However I am told (by ATC Sqn Staff who were on Summer Camp at St Mawgan last year) that the airframe is in a rather dire state. Not surprising really since it has been stood outside there in the salt air for 25 years.
However I am told (by ATC Sqn Staff who were on Summer Camp at St Mawgan last year) that the airframe is in a rather dire state. Not surprising really since it has been stood outside there in the salt air for 25 years.
Burrow01 said:
Tyre Smoke said:
On the local news tonight (BBC Southwest) there was an interview going on with the station commander of RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall.
RAF is really cutting back if the Station Commander for St Mawgan is now a Sergeant 
Ginetta G15 Girl said:
Nimrod MR1 entered service with 236 OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) in October 1969. It went operational with 201 Sqn in the summer of 1970 and by August 1970 had located and tracked its first Soviet submarine (a November Class boat).
Did they have on board Geiger counters then? Edited by Ginetta G15 Girl on Tuesday 5th August 00:29
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