Shackleton WR963

[Cluny]

They do look good








Some pics from inside .










Great to meet you today Rich , sorry it was brief .
Vid to follow [as always]

[Dan4th]

What a GREAT set of photos, Paul!

#2, however, looks like a Happy Robot!

She is looking Wunnerful, I'd say

And someone is taking good care of those
instrument panels, too

Danf.

[Xplumberlives]

Great to meet you today Rich , sorry it was brief.

Did you leave before the rain started?

[Cluny]

Yes , I managed to reach Southam before it started

[Dan4th]

Oh, My!!!

What a Sweet Aircraft She Is!

Danf.

[Richw_82]

Hi all,

Not a bad day considering that '963 was feeling a bit under the weather. A few gremlins have found a way in over new year; on powering up the Shackletons systems this morning we got a crankcase pressure warning light that wouldn't go out. Despite the time for our run fast approaching, and numerous visitors on site, we still managed to find the problem and cure the offending sensor. It pushed us back by 15mins from our intended schedule.

No 3 and 4 engine started pretty cleanly, No 1 was still in a sulk after I over-primed it on the night run. It took some coaxing (3 attempts) but was persuaded to join in. Before it next runs it will have a plug change, which should perk it up a bit.

When we got running, all eyes were on the pneumatic pressure gauges. Success! The system is now charging. We saw a shade over 250psi on the gauge, despite one or two leaks that made themselves known - and anything over 150psi is enough for brakes (Though not enough for taxying - we need both sides air working for that and full pressure. And a full set of props..)

Thanks to all that came and watched, and thanks to Cluny for the excellent video.


Regards

Rich

[Bovril]

nice pics paul, nice to see you at welles

catch you soon

[Xplumberlives]

Thanks for the good news Rich, looking forward to all four and taxying!

[Sploosher]

Thats good news Rich.........

she looks good with those guns in place too..........

[MOD]

Great stuff as always Clunes

Thanks for the update Rich. Sorry I couldn't get across but Paul's vid is the next best thing.

Ian

[Jigsaw]

Great stuff as usual Looking fantastic

[Richw_82]

4th Feb


Icy cold at Coventry today... various things frozen up, and not just the aircraft. Poor weather was a major factor, making working conditions difficult to say the least.

It was intended to get cracking on putting some parts on the front of No2 engine ready for the propellers, and get the front bomb doors open - sadly with the icy conditions, windchill, and onset of snow, this wasn't to be.

It wasn't all doom and gloom though, today did see the fitting of a new set of exhaust side spark plugs to No 3 engine. I have to say these are slightly easier to get to and fit than the inlets!

The best part of the day was the arrival of this:



Its an ASV scanner radome. It was being used as a liner for an ornamental pond in Mansfield, Notts; now its going to be getting a second tour of duty as part of an Avro Shackleton. The fibreglass needs a little attention, but overall its in great condition.


Better luck with weather next week should see more get done.

Kind regards,

Rich

[MOD]

Thanks for the update Rich


Ian

[Jigsaw]

Thanks for that mate. The "pond" will look so much better fitted to an aircraft eh

[Xplumberlives]

Rich

I'm so glad people "nick" aircraft parts for ponds and then change their minds years later!

This really is developing into a cracking restoration!

Dave

[Richw_82]

Its great for us that people stash stuff.

Things like the radome appearing out the blue is due in part to places like IA - the more people that know about what we're doing, the more rare parts seem to come to light. We have had several visitors over the last year or so that found out about us through here; so thanks are due!

The radome will take some fitting - we have to move the radar altimeter, and gather a few other little bits. We also need to jack the tail of the aircraft to get it in. (AIRBASE aren't too keen on us digging a scanner pit..)

Keep watching, because as soon as the weather turns for the better again, we're having those front bomb doors open and starting to put those back the way Mr Chadwick intended them to be.

Rich

[Xplumberlives]

Oh I'm watching chap!

[Sploosher]

excellent news Rich.................


keep us posted and I hope to see the old girl again soon.......

[Richw_82]

Hi guys,

Despite best intentions, nothing got done on WR963 this Saturday due to the apalling low temperatures. The aircraft was frozen over outside and in. Its the first time since we stopped all the water leaks some 18 months ago that we have had moisture inside the Shackleton - albeit in the form of ice.

Its annoying, but with an unpressurised aircraft there's many ways for moisture laden air to get in and then condense if the temperature changes rapidly.

It gives you a great respect for ground crews that worked on the Shackleton, and further back the Lancaster; outdoors all year round.

Normal service will be restored as soon as our Avro ice sculpture defrosts.

Regards,

Rich

[Ramshornvortex]

Rich,
Do you have either space heaters or dehumidifiers fitted in the aircraft and running all the time (on suitable thermostats/froststats)?
At Wellesbourne we have found use of two dehumidifiers running 24/7 (one in the cockpit and one in the power bay behind the bomb bay) and a space heater in the cockpit (on a thermostat) have kept condensation to acceptable levels with a corresponding decrease in electrical corrosion problems over the last few years. The electrical bill is not inconsiderable, but it does pay for itself in the longer term....
By the way, if you need a brand new Engine Primer Switch suitable for your aircraft I know where you can get one!
RHV

[Richw_82]

Hi,

No, we don't have onboard dehumidifiers. To be fair this is the first time we've found moisture in the aircraft in the last 18months, its only this past week where things have been pretty severe.

We can't really get electrical power across to the Shackleton as the nearest supply is across the pan around 100yards away; with regular traffic crossing it. We have had a look at using dehumidifier crystal packs in some of the empty equipment bays.

Please could you pm me details of the engine priming switch, and I'll pass them onto our electrician. We have been trying to get replacements in store for components.

Kind regards,

Rich

[Ramshornvortex]

Please could you pm me details of the engine priming switch

PM inbound....

[Richw_82]

Hi all,

20th Feb

With weather conditions starting to resemble England in spring, it was much easier to get to working on the aircraft than it has been in the past couple of weeks. There are a few more areas showing a need for leaks stopping, as the evil rainwater has found new ways in.

The rear upper V/UHF aerial mount is leaking, the beam windows seals are weeping, and the sealant has finally broken down around the gunners cupola as it did around the cockpit windows. Its slowly dawning on me why Avro - although they made the finest four engined aircraft in the world - never made a flying boat..

Saying that though, these are not really bad leaks like we had a couple of years ago, but they are persistent and will need attention in drier weather.

Other work done today involved starting to change the exhaust plugs in No 1 engine. It is intended to completely change the plugs in this engine, as it is the most reluctant to start. No 4 will be done in turn after, and No 2 left alone for the moment. Only one bank of exhaust plugs were changed, before the rain got too heavy. At this point it was thought to be unwise to uncowl all the other side of the engine, as it was into the wind and very wet.

The beginnings of organising things for the hangar time has begun, with several of us making a start on clearing a path to our wheels in order to get a good pair out. While we managed to create plenty of room to get to them, their weight is such that we will need more manpower to be able to get them near the door. Once we have a pair back at Coventry, they will need cleaning up and the brakes checking.

A brief search in our store room and the jacking pads have been located, these are now onboard the aircraft ready for fitting. We have secured the help of an ex Fleet Air Arm engineer to oversee the jacking and make sure the operation is carried out safely.

We haven't forgot about opening the front bomb doors up to get started on their conversion, but the cover plate doesn't come off that easily which means during bad weather it is staying in place to keep the elements out. As ever, we're still working off a big list!


Kind regards,

Rich

[Xplumberlives]

Thanks Rich, onward ever onward!

[MOD]

Hi Rich. Thanks for taking the trouble to keep us updated -

BTW do you have a 'Schedule of Works', or whatever you guys call it, of tasks that would have to be completed in order to achieve taxi-able status ? Do you have to meet any standard or criteria laid down by an external body such as the PL insurers or the Airfield owners?

Ian