Shackleton WR963

[Richw_82]

PropKing,

Thanks for posting the pictures, they are excellent! Look forward to seeing you and talking with you both tomorrow.

Regards,

Rich

[Dan4th]

I have to say this has over time turned into
a really wonderful thread!!!!!!!

Onward 963!

Danf.

[Richw_82]

Long may the thread continue!

If we manage to collect a few other Shackletons (there's going to be a couple more bits to do with the MR1, and possibly a trip to St Mawgan's MR2 next year), and photos along the way, even better. On that note if you have any Shack pics, put them up!!

Onward 963? But of course. Coastal Command's motto was "Constant Endeavour", something we try to keep in mind whenever we're working on her.

Rich

[Xplumberlives]

Bravo Rich and team!

[Sploosher]

Here is the picture I scanned that my father took back in 1951 when they `found` HMS Vanguard.



the two halves were joined using microsoft ICE, the join can be seen, but I think its good enough

[Richw_82]

Had a great (if cold!) day. Met a few fellow forum members and caused many happy faces. Had chance to speak at length with a few of you, not with others. I can only apologise. We were running to strict timings.

WR963 for the most part was well behaved apart from No 1 engine having a tantrum right at the very end of the night, resulting in some impressive flames from a slight over prime.. my fault, not hers. Next week we put her to bed for christmas and new year, happy with the years efforts.

Thanks to all that turned out on a very cold airfield to watch our old bomber make some noise.

Kind regards,

Rich

[Sploosher]

Just like to say that it was good to see 963 `in the flesh` at last, you guys have done a great job getting her to the standard she is at right now and I am sure the good work will continue

Thanks for the tour inside Rich,

just a shame though that I never got to wear the headset without the microphone though...............

will put some pictures on here later when I get them onto Flickr

EDIT pictures now on flickr and in the aviation photos section on here..

hope you like them guys.......

[Ducati Boy]

You can tell they are the "OFFICIAL" view by the fact that the hats are on!

Ahhh berets on! Young sprogs like you XP won't remember the days when we had to wear the bloody things at work on pain of being fizzed for being improperly dressed, happy days, not!

Like this thread, always had a soft spot for the Shack since briefly working on the old rivet chucker way back in "The Far". Proper aircraft with fans and symphonic syncopation by Rolls Royces awesome V-12, lovely.

[Sploosher]

They were once described to me by my father as "30,000 rivets flying in close formation"

[Richw_82]

Hi all,

Just a bit more from Saturday really;

To say the temperatures were not much above freezing WR963 ran pretty well, both on the test run earlier in the day and later in the evening. The slight fire right at the end on No 1 engine was purely my own fault, and not the aircraft's - I gave the engine too much primer to try and coax it into life again. I should have known better.

It was good to put a lot of names to faces, and I'm sorry I didn't get more time to speak to you all.

Sploosher... time crept up on us, and I didn't get to see who boarded the aircraft. I'll see to it you get your seat on a run at some point.

PropKing... Thankyou Sir, for your time. It was a pleasure to show you our aircraft and talk to you.

We are asking for feedback from the event, so if you want to pm me, or post on the 'Avro Shackleton' Facebook page (for those that use it) I'd be grateful.


What now for 963?

Fit the cargo pannier, get the covers on, and let her sit satisfied with herself for a couple of weeks over Christmas/New Year. I had some good news at the weekend regarding some rare Shackleton parts I never thought we'd find. We have an ASV scanner 'dustbin' on the way which will take her one step closer to MR2 status, a couple of bomb carriers, two sets of replica Hispano cannons, and a couple of mid - upper turret parts..

Kind Regards,

Rich

[Sploosher]

Firstly I would like to congratulate all you guys (again) who have got 963 to the standard she is at right now.........

No worries about me not getting to try on the headset......... it can wait until next time

It was great to see the flames from the exhaust too..............gives you a sense of power

[Dan4th]

There are certain prop aircraft (which shall
remain nameless) that DELIBERATELY make
flames, especially on startup, because it's
such a crowd pleaser!

D.

[Sploosher]

There are certain prop aircraft (which shall
remain nameless) that DELIBERATELY make
flames, especially on startup, because it's
such a crowd pleaser!

D.

would one of them be called `Connie` by any chance......................

[Dan4th]

would one of them be called `Connie` by any chance......................

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.......................

Possibly!

Danf.

[Bovril]

..... and possibly a trip to St Mawgan's MR2 next year

taken 2007

[Richw_82]

Nice pic Bovril!

I visited earlier this year - she's not in bad condition, but the salt air is having an effect on some cowling panels. Hopefully if we can arrange it with the Cornish Aviation Society and RAF St Mawgan, 963's team will be heading down there with a load of spare panels and other assorted bits.

Rich

[Bovril]

thanks, i have more didnt want to swamp the thread

[Minty4371]

Taken at IWM Duxford on 16th June 2011.

I have a few more of this aircraft on my Flickr set from Duxford.
Notice the bent tips to the blades.

[Richw_82]

XF708's bent tips were caused by a light aircraft getting blown into her during high winds after being incorrectly picketed. She was offered for disposal through the BAPC a while ago... Duxford seem to think she is uneconomic to restore.

[MOD]

Shackleton AEW2s from the 80s. WL747 and WL757 are still believed to be lying at Paphos airfield in Cyprus. Here they are seen at Coningsby and Fairford (89)











WL790


WL790 now resides here.
http://www.skippyscage.com/aviation/az/wl790/index.php


ibw

[Sploosher]

thanks for the pics MOD...................

[Richw_82]

Ian,

WL747 and WL757 still sit at Paphos slowly sinking into the ground. Thanks for the photo's of them in better times.

Some friends of ours had access to them recently... they're not healthy.

All the tyres are flat, the oleo legs have sunk, and the rear edges of the bomb bay doors are now wedged in the ground taking far more weight than they were designed to. They've also been the target of opportunistic souveneir hunters - so they have numerous escape hatches missing and are open to the elements... as the scumbags didn't know or care how to put them back.

They're also joined by the remains of WR967, the "Dodo" which is the AEW procedures trainer. This is on the dump behind the fire station.

I have some contact details for the airport which I'm chasing up, not sure what will come of it.

[MOD]

Rich:
To me the sad story of 747 and 757 just makes the work you guys are doing on WR963 even more important..

Ian

[Dan4th]

With 747 and 757, I thought I might try some
lame "Boeing" joke, but given the sad situation,
I think I will let it go.............

Danf.

[Richw_82]

Regarding WL747 and WL757, I was sent this link a while back. There's also some pictures of the MR3 on the Nicosia fire dump, which everyone forgets about.

http://s708.photobucket.com/albums/ww86 ... hackletons

Hopefully it still works.

If it does, and you cry, don't say you weren't warned.