Avro Shackleton
Encyclopedia
The Avro Shackleton was a British
long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force
. It was developed by Avro
from the Avro Lincoln
bomber
with a new fuselage. 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. The type is named after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton
.
The aircraft was designed by Roy Chadwick
as the Avro Type 696. It was based on the Lincoln
bomber and Tudor
airliner, both derivatives of the successful wartime Lancaster
heavy bomber
, one of Chadwick's earlier designs which was the then current ASW aircraft. The design took the Lincoln's centre wing and tail, Tudor outer wings and landing gear and a new wider and deeper fuselage, powered by four Rolls Royce Merlin engines. It was initially referred to during development as the Lincoln ASR.3.
The design was accepted with Air Ministry specification R.5/46 written around it. The tail as adopted differed from the Lincoln. The Merlin engines were replaced with the larger more powerful and slower-revving Rolls-Royce Griffon
s with 13 ft (4 m)-diameter contra-rotating propellers, creating a distinctive engine noise and adding high-tone deafness to the hazards of the pilots due to their positioning in relation to the cockpit. The Griffons were necessary because of the greater weight and drag over the Lincoln and they provided equivalent power to the Merlins but at lower engine speed
, which made for greater fuel efficiency for the long periods in the denser air at low altitudes that the Shackleton was intended for when hunting submarines – known as "loitering" in RAF parlance – possibly several hours at around 500 feet or lower. This also made for less stress and wear, and hence reliability problems, for the engines; if Merlins had been used they would have been needed to run at comparatively high power settings for hours at a time once a submarine contact had been detected. Using conventional propellers would have needed an increase in propeller diameter to absorb the increased power and torque
of the Griffons, which was not possible due to limitations in undercarriage length and engine nacelle
positioning of the Lincoln wing, the contra-rotating propellers gave greater blade area within the same overall propeller diameter.
When the Shackleton was being designed the "Battle of the Atlantic" was still being fought and all possible submarine targets (German U-boat
s) were diesel-electric powered types and had very limited underwater endurance, the time underwater being limited by both the air available for the crew to breathe, and the battery power remaining to drive the submarine's underwater electric motors. While submerged it was incapable of travelling any great distance away from where it was detected. Then any aircraft could call up friendly Convoy Escort
surface ships who would then deal with a submerged target in the normal way, with depth charges aimed using their own ASDIC sets. Hence for the Shackleton endurance in terms of the length of time it could spend in the air – as opposed to all-out range – was of prime importance. Once a submarine had been detected it might be necessary for the aircraft to remain over the last sighted position of the submarine all day (or night), preventing it from surfacing and making away at its higher surface speed. All the time the submarine was prevented from surfacing the crew's breathable air was being exhausted, and the batteries were consuming power, eventually the submarine would be forced to come up for air. It could then be attacked by the aircraft itself, again, this time using its own air-dropped depth charges.
In the case of a submarine recharging its batteries and replenishing its air while submerged using a snorkel
, this could be detected by the aircraft using ASV radar, and the submarine attacked as-normal, with the added benefit that in visual conditions, location of the German snorkel mast made the submarine's underwater position obvious, aiding depth charge aiming.
The Avro design was ordered to Air Ministry specification R.5/46 as a replacement for the long range Liberator.
The first test flight of the prototype Shackleton GR.1, serial
VW135, was on 9 March 1949 at the hands of Avro's Chief Test Pilot J.H. "Jimmy" Orrell. In the ASW role, the Shackleton carried both types of sonobuoy
, Electronic warfare support measures
, an Autolycus diesel fume detection system and for a short time an unreliable magnetic anomaly detector
(MAD) system. Weapons were nine bombs, or three torpedo
es or depth-charges, and two 20 mm cannon in a Bristol dorsal turret. The GR.1 was later re-designated "Maritime Reconnaisance Mark I" – MR.1.
The MR.2 was an improved design incorporating feedback from operations and is considered by aficionados to be the definitive type. The radome
was 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 tailplane
s were redesigned and the undercarriage was strengthened.
The Avro Type 716 Shackleton MR.3 was another redesign in response to crew complaints. A new tricycle undercarriage was introduced, the fuselage was increased in all main dimensions and had new wings with better ailerons and tip tanks. As a sop to the crews on fifteen hour flights, the sound deadening was improved and a proper galley
and sleeping space were included. Due to these upgrades the take-off weight of the RAF's MR.3s had risen by over 30,000 lb (13,600 kg) (Ph. III) and assistance from Armstrong Siddeley Viper Mk.203 turbojets was needed on take-off (JATO
). This extra strain took a toll on the airframe, and flight life of the RAF MR.3s was sufficiently reduced that they were outlived by the MR.2s. Due to the arms embargo against South Africa the SAAF's MR.3s never received these upgrades but were maintained independently by the SAAF.
The Avro Type 719 Shackleton IV, later known as the MR.4, was a projected variant using the extremely fuel efficient Napier Nomad
compound engine. The Shackleton IV was cancelled in 1955.
) but not flying due to a lack of qualified crew members.
.
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 cylinder heads. It was not unusual to see an engine changed every day in a unit of six aircraft. They were constantly on the cusp of being replaced, but the potentially beneficial Napier Nomad
re-engine did not happen.
Shackletons were used in the Aden Protectorate during the Radfan Emergency against rebel tribesmen in Colonial Policing Operations. Leaflets would be dropped warning the tribes to vacate their properties which would then be bombed after they left.
The need to replace the Shackleton was first raised in the early 1960s. The arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod in 1969 was the end for the Shackleton in most roles but it continued as the main SAR aircraft until 1972. The intention to retire the aircraft was then thwarted by the need for AEW 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 existing AN/APS-20 radar was installed in modified Shackleton MR.2s, redesignated AEW.2, as an interim measure from 1972. The development of the British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3
replacement dragged on and the eventual successor to the Shackleton did not arrive until the RAF finally abandoned the Nimrod AEW3 and purchased the Boeing E-3 Sentry in 1991.
ordered eight aircraft to replace the Short Sunderland
in maritime patrol duties. Some minor modifications were required for South African conditions and the resulting aircraft became the MR.3. These Shackletons remained in maritime patrol service with 35 Squadron SAAF
up to November 1984.
Although the joke has been applied to several aircraft, the Shackleton has been described as "a hundred thousand rivets flying in close formation."
Shackleton GR.1
Shackleton MR.1A
Shackleton MR.2
Shackleton MR.2C
Shackleton MR.3
Shackleton MR.3 Phase 2
Shackleton MR.4
Shackleton AEW.2
Shackleton T.4
South Africa:
:
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It was developed by Avro
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
from the Avro Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
with a new fuselage. It was originally used primarily in the anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
(ASW) and maritime patrol
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
aircraft (MPA) roles, and was later adapted for airborne early warning (AEW), search and rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
(SAR) and other roles from 1951 until 1990. It also served in the South African Air Force
South African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
from 1957 to 1984. The type is named after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton
Ernest Shackleton
Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, CVO, OBE was a notable explorer from County Kildare, Ireland, who was one of the principal figures of the period known as the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration...
.
Design and development
Roy Chadwick
Roy Chadwick, CBE, FRAeS was an aircraft designer for Avro. Born at Marsh Hall Farm, Farnworth in Widnes, son of the mechanical engineer Charles Chadwick, he was the Chief Designer for the Avro Company and was responsible for practically all of their aeroplane designs...
as the Avro Type 696. It was based on the Lincoln
Avro Lincoln
The Avro Type 694, better known as the Avro Lincoln, was a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were known initially as the Lancaster IV and V, but were renamed Lincoln I and II...
bomber and Tudor
Avro Tudor
Avro's Type 688 Tudor was a British piston-engined airliner based on their four-engine Lincoln bomber, itself a descendant of the famous Lancaster heavy bomber, and was Britain's first pressurised airliner...
airliner, both derivatives of the successful wartime Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
, one of Chadwick's earlier designs which was the then current ASW aircraft. The design took the Lincoln's centre wing and tail, Tudor outer wings and landing gear and a new wider and deeper fuselage, powered by four Rolls Royce Merlin engines. It was initially referred to during development as the Lincoln ASR.3.
The design was accepted with Air Ministry specification R.5/46 written around it. The tail as adopted differed from the Lincoln. The Merlin engines were replaced with the larger more powerful and slower-revving Rolls-Royce Griffon
Rolls-Royce Griffon
The Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited...
s with 13 ft (4 m)-diameter contra-rotating propellers, creating a distinctive engine noise and adding high-tone deafness to the hazards of the pilots due to their positioning in relation to the cockpit. The Griffons were necessary because of the greater weight and drag over the Lincoln and they provided equivalent power to the Merlins but at lower engine speed
Revolutions per minute
Revolutions per minute is a measure of the frequency of a rotation. It annotates the number of full rotations completed in one minute around a fixed axis...
, which made for greater fuel efficiency for the long periods in the denser air at low altitudes that the Shackleton was intended for when hunting submarines – known as "loitering" in RAF parlance – possibly several hours at around 500 feet or lower. This also made for less stress and wear, and hence reliability problems, for the engines; if Merlins had been used they would have been needed to run at comparatively high power settings for hours at a time once a submarine contact had been detected. Using conventional propellers would have needed an increase in propeller diameter to absorb the increased power and torque
Torque
Torque, moment or moment of force , is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis, fulcrum, or pivot. Just as a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist....
of the Griffons, which was not possible due to limitations in undercarriage length and engine nacelle
Nacelle
The nacelle is a cover housing that holds engines, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. In some cases—for instance in the typical "Farman" type "pusher" aircraft, or the World War II-era P-38 Lightning—an aircraft's cockpit may also be housed in a nacelle, which essentially fills the...
positioning of the Lincoln wing, the contra-rotating propellers gave greater blade area within the same overall propeller diameter.
When the Shackleton was being designed the "Battle of the Atlantic" was still being fought and all possible submarine targets (German U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
s) were diesel-electric powered types and had very limited underwater endurance, the time underwater being limited by both the air available for the crew to breathe, and the battery power remaining to drive the submarine's underwater electric motors. While submerged it was incapable of travelling any great distance away from where it was detected. Then any aircraft could call up friendly Convoy Escort
Escort Group (naval)
Escort Groups for convoy protection were a British development in the war at sea during World War II. They were a tactical innovation by the Royal Navy in anti-submarine warfare, to combat the threat of the German Navy's "wolfpack" tactics....
surface ships who would then deal with a submerged target in the normal way, with depth charges aimed using their own ASDIC sets. Hence for the Shackleton endurance in terms of the length of time it could spend in the air – as opposed to all-out range – was of prime importance. Once a submarine had been detected it might be necessary for the aircraft to remain over the last sighted position of the submarine all day (or night), preventing it from surfacing and making away at its higher surface speed. All the time the submarine was prevented from surfacing the crew's breathable air was being exhausted, and the batteries were consuming power, eventually the submarine would be forced to come up for air. It could then be attacked by the aircraft itself, again, this time using its own air-dropped depth charges.
In the case of a submarine recharging its batteries and replenishing its air while submerged using a snorkel
Submarine snorkel
A submarine snorkel is a device which allows a submarine to operate submerged while still taking in air from above the surface. Navy personnel often refer to it as the snort.-History:...
, this could be detected by the aircraft using ASV radar, and the submarine attacked as-normal, with the added benefit that in visual conditions, location of the German snorkel mast made the submarine's underwater position obvious, aiding depth charge aiming.
The Avro design was ordered to Air Ministry specification R.5/46 as a replacement for the long range Liberator.
The first test flight of the prototype Shackleton GR.1, serial
United Kingdom military aircraft serials
In the United Kingdom to identify individual aircraft, all military aircraft are allocated and display a unique serial number. A unified serial number system, maintained by the Air Ministry , and its successor the Ministry of Defence , is used for aircraft operated by the Royal Air Force , Fleet...
VW135, was on 9 March 1949 at the hands of Avro's Chief Test Pilot J.H. "Jimmy" Orrell. In the ASW role, the Shackleton carried both types of sonobuoy
Sonobuoy
A sonobuoy is a relatively small expendable sonar system that is dropped/ejected from aircraft or ships conducting anti-submarine warfare or underwater acoustic research....
, Electronic warfare support measures
Electronic warfare support measures
In military telecommunications, the terms Electronic Support or Electronic Support Measures describe the division of electronic warfare involving actions taken under direct control of an operational commander to detect, intercept, identify, locate, record, and/or analyze sources of radiated...
, an Autolycus diesel fume detection system and for a short time an unreliable magnetic anomaly detector
Magnetic anomaly detector
A magnetic anomaly detector is an instrument used to detect minute variations in the Earth's magnetic field. The term refers specifically to magnetometers used by military forces to detect submarines ; the military MAD gear is a descendent of geomagnetic survey instruments used to search for...
(MAD) system. Weapons were nine bombs, or three torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es or depth-charges, and two 20 mm cannon in a Bristol dorsal turret. The GR.1 was later re-designated "Maritime Reconnaisance Mark I" – MR.1.
The MR.2 was an improved design incorporating feedback from operations and is considered by aficionados to be the definitive type. The radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
was 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 tailplane
Tailplane
A tailplane, also known as horizontal stabilizer , is a small lifting surface located on the tail behind the main lifting surfaces of a fixed-wing aircraft as well as other non-fixed wing aircraft such as helicopters and gyroplanes...
s were redesigned and the undercarriage was strengthened.
The Avro Type 716 Shackleton MR.3 was another redesign in response to crew complaints. A new tricycle undercarriage was introduced, the fuselage was increased in all main dimensions and had new wings with better ailerons and tip tanks. As a sop to the crews on fifteen hour flights, the sound deadening was improved and a proper galley
Galley (kitchen)
The galley is the compartment of a ship, train or aircraft where food is cooked and prepared. It can also refer to a land based kitchen on a naval base or a particular formed household kitchen.-Ship's kitchen:...
and sleeping space were included. Due to these upgrades the take-off weight of the RAF's MR.3s had risen by over 30,000 lb (13,600 kg) (Ph. III) and assistance from Armstrong Siddeley Viper Mk.203 turbojets was needed on take-off (JATO
JATO
JATO is an acronym for jet-fuel assisted take off. It is a system for helping overloaded aircraft into the air by providing additional thrust in the form of small rockets....
). This extra strain took a toll on the airframe, and flight life of the RAF MR.3s was sufficiently reduced that they were outlived by the MR.2s. Due to the arms embargo against South Africa the SAAF's MR.3s never received these upgrades but were maintained independently by the SAAF.
The Avro Type 719 Shackleton IV, later known as the MR.4, was a projected variant using the extremely fuel efficient Napier Nomad
Napier Nomad
The Napier Nomad was a complex British compression-ignition aircraft engine designed and built by Napier & Son in 1949. Two versions were flight tested:...
compound engine. The Shackleton IV was cancelled in 1955.
Operational history
A total of 185 Shackletons were built from 1951 to 1958: around 12 are still believed to be intact, with one still airworthy (SAAF 1722 based at AFB YsterplaatAFB Ysterplaat
Air Force Base Ysterplaat is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located in Cape Town, on the southwestern coast of South Africa.The name Ysterplaat is Afrikaans; it means Iron Plate in English....
) but not flying due to a lack of qualified crew members.
Royal Air Force
Front line MR.1 aircraft were delivered to Coastal Command in April 1951 with their operational debut during the Suez CrisisSuez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
.
All marks suffered from using the Griffon engines
Rolls-Royce Griffon
The Rolls-Royce Griffon is a British 37-litre capacity, 60-degree V-12, liquid-cooled aero engine designed and built by Rolls-Royce Limited...
— 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 cylinder heads. It was not unusual to see an engine changed every day in a unit of six aircraft. They were constantly on the cusp of being replaced, but the potentially beneficial Napier Nomad
Napier Nomad
The Napier Nomad was a complex British compression-ignition aircraft engine designed and built by Napier & Son in 1949. Two versions were flight tested:...
re-engine did not happen.
Shackletons were used in the Aden Protectorate during the Radfan Emergency against rebel tribesmen in Colonial Policing Operations. Leaflets would be dropped warning the tribes to vacate their properties which would then be bombed after they left.
The need to replace the Shackleton was first raised in the early 1960s. The arrival of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod in 1969 was the end for the Shackleton in most roles but it continued as the main SAR aircraft until 1972. The intention to retire the aircraft was then thwarted by the need for AEW coverage in the North Sea and northern Atlantic following the retirement of the Fairey Gannet
Fairey Gannet
The Fairey Gannet was a British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning aircraft of the post-Second World War era developed for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm by the Fairey Aviation Company...
. With a new design not due until the late 1970s, the existing AN/APS-20 radar was installed in modified Shackleton MR.2s, redesignated AEW.2, as an interim measure from 1972. The development of the British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3
British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3
The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 was a planned airborne early warning aircraft intended as to provide airborne radar cover for the air defence of the United Kingdom by the Royal Air Force...
replacement dragged on and the eventual successor to the Shackleton did not arrive until the RAF finally abandoned the Nimrod AEW3 and purchased the Boeing E-3 Sentry in 1991.
South African Air Force
After evaluating four RAF MR.2s in 1953, the South African Air ForceSouth African Air Force
The South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
ordered eight aircraft to replace the Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
in maritime patrol duties. Some minor modifications were required for South African conditions and the resulting aircraft became the MR.3. These Shackletons remained in maritime patrol service with 35 Squadron SAAF
35 Squadron SAAF
35 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a maritime patrol and transport squadron.-History:The squadron was formed on 15 February 1945 when 262 Squadron Royal Air Force, an anti-submarine squadron, operating the Consolidated Catalina, was transferred to the...
up to November 1984.
Although the joke has been applied to several aircraft, the Shackleton has been described as "a hundred thousand rivets flying in close formation."
Variants
- The first production model for the RAF, later redesignated Shackleton MR.1. Dorsal Bristol turret with two 20 mm cannon.
Shackleton MR.1A
- Version powered by four Griffon 57A V12 piston engines, equipped with a chin mount radome; in service from April 1951.
Shackleton MR.2
- Version with longer nose and radome moved to the ventral position. Look-out position in tail. Dorsal turret and two more 20 mm cannons in nose. Twin retractable tailwheels.
Shackleton MR.2C
- Number of Shackleton MR.2s, fitted with the navigation and offensive equipment of the Shackleton MR.3.
Shackleton MR.3
- Maritime reconnaissance, anti-shipping aircraft. The tail wheel was replaced by a tricycle undercarriage configuration. Fitted with wingtip tanks. Eight exported to South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Cannon in nose only.
Shackleton MR.3 Phase 2
- Similar to Shackleton MR.3 but fitted with two Viper turbojet engines for assisted takeoff.
Shackleton MR.4
- Project of new maritime reconnaissance version using Napier NomadNapier NomadThe Napier Nomad was a complex British compression-ignition aircraft engine designed and built by Napier & Son in 1949. Two versions were flight tested:...
engines, none built.
Shackleton AEW.2
- Airborne early warning aircraft; MR.2s converted to take ex-Fairey GannetFairey GannetThe Fairey Gannet was a British carrier-borne anti-submarine warfare and airborne early warning aircraft of the post-Second World War era developed for the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm by the Fairey Aviation Company...
airborne early warning radar.
Shackleton T.4
- Navigation trainer conversion.
Operators
South Africa:
- South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
- 35 Squadron SAAF35 Squadron SAAF35 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is currently a maritime patrol and transport squadron.-History:The squadron was formed on 15 February 1945 when 262 Squadron Royal Air Force, an anti-submarine squadron, operating the Consolidated Catalina, was transferred to the...
received 8 aircraft.
- 35 Squadron SAAF
:
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(Coastal Command)- No. 8 Squadron RAF
- No. 37 Squadron RAFNo. 37 Squadron RAF-History:No. 37 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Orfordness, Suffolk, on 15 April 1916 but ceased to exist a month later. In September of that year, it was re-formed, with headquarters at Woodham Mortimer, in Essex. It responsibilities included defending London against aerial attack...
- No. 38 Squadron RAFNo. 38 Squadron RAFNo. 38 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a bomber squadron formed in 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1967.-World War I :...
- No. 42 Squadron RAFNo. 42 Squadron RAFNo. 42 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has served during World War I as an army co-operation squadron and during World War II in various roles. In recent years, it was the Operational Conversion Unit for the Nimrod MR.2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray, until the Nimrod MR2's retirement in 2010.-First...
- No. 52 Squadron RAFNo. 52 Squadron RAFNo. 52 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that saw service in both World War I and World War II.-First World War:No. 52 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed as a Corps Reconnaissance squadron at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 15 May 1916. It moved to France in November that year, being...
– Two Shackletons used for transport duties. - No. 120 Squadron RAFNo. 120 Squadron RAFNo. 120 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated the Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray, Scotland until the type's withdrawal in March 2010.-Formation in WWI:...
- No. 201 Squadron RAFNo. 201 Squadron RAFNo. 201 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, until March 2010, operated the Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It is the only squadron affiliated with Guernsey, in the Channel Islands. This affiliation started in 1935 and is commemorated in the museum on Castle Cornet. Its history goes even...
- No. 203 Squadron RAFNo. 203 Squadron RAFNo. 203 Squadron RAF was originally formed as No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. It was renumbered No. 203 when the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918.-First World War:...
- No. 204 Squadron RAFNo. 204 Squadron RAFNo 204 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron formed in 1918 near Dunkerque, France, from No 4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service, which had already been formed in 1915 and reformed once in 1916. The squadron served during World War I in the roles of bomber, scout and fighter unit...
- No. 205 Squadron RAFNo. 205 Squadron RAFNo. 205 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit formed on 1 April 1918. Prior to this it had existed as No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. In 1929, it became the first RAF squadron to be permanently based in Singapore, taking as its motto Pertama di Malaya . No...
- No. 206 Squadron RAFNo. 206 Squadron RAFNo. 206 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit employed, until 2005, in the maritime patrol role with the Nimrod MR.2 at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It was announced in December 2004 that 206 Squadron would disband on 1 April 2005, with half of its crews being redistributed to Nos. 120 and 201 Squadrons, also...
- No. 210 Squadron RAFNo. 210 Squadron RAFNo. 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit established in World War I. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War, World War II and the Cold War before it was...
- No. 220 Squadron RAFNo. 220 Squadron RAFNo. 220 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was originally founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1963 after four separate periods of service. The squadron saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, as a naval patrol unit, and finally as part of Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent.-First World...
- No. 224 Squadron RAFNo. 224 Squadron RAFNo. 224 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 April 1918, at Alimini, Italy from part of No. 6 Wing RNAS, equipped with the De Havilland DH.4. In June 1918 it re-equipped with the De Havilland DH.9. The squadron moved to Taranto in December 1918, disbanding their in May 1919.On 1 February 1937, the squadron...
- No. 228 Squadron RAFNo. 228 Squadron RAFNo. 228 Squadron RAF was a unit that during the greatest part of its existence flew over water, doing so in World War I, World War II and beyond, performing anti-submarine, reconnaissance and air-sea rescue tasks.-Formation and World War I:...
- No. 240 Squadron RAFNo. 240 Squadron RAFNo. 240 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force flying boat and seaplane squadron during World War I, World War II and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.-Formation and World War I:No...
- No. 269 Squadron RAFNo. 269 Squadron RAFNo. 269 Squadron RAF was a maritime patrol unit of the Royal Air Force that saw service in World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.-World War I:...
- No. 236 Operational Conversion Unit, RAF
- Maritime Operational Training Unit, RAF
- Air Sea Warfare Development Unit, RAF
Flying
- SAAF 1722 is the only remaining flying Shackleton. The aircraft is owned and operated by the South African Air Force MuseumSouth African Air Force MuseumThe South African Air Force Museum houses, exhibits and restores material related to the history of the South African Air Force. The Museum is divided into three locations, AFB Swartkop outside Pretoria, AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town and at the Port Elizabeth airport.-AFB Swartkop:Swartkop is the...
based at AFB YsterplaatAFB YsterplaatAir Force Base Ysterplaat is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located in Cape Town, on the southwestern coast of South Africa.The name Ysterplaat is Afrikaans; it means Iron Plate in English....
. It was one of eight Shackletons operated by the South African Air ForceSouth African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
from 1957 to 1984, and is currently used only for occasional flight demonstrations.
Static display
- MR.2C WL795 on display at RAF St. MawganRAF St. MawganRAF St Mawgan is a Royal Air Force station near St Mawgan and Newquay in Cornwall. In 2008 the runway part of the site was handed over to Newquay Airport. The remainder of the station still continues to operate under the command of the RAF...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. - MR.2 WR963 In the care of the "Shackleton Preservation Trust", Live aircraft and capable of fast taxiing, Coventry AirportCoventry AirportCoventry Airport is located south southeast of Coventry city centre, in the village of Baginton, Warwickshire, England, and about outside Coventry boundaries...
, England. - AEW.2 WR960 on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in ManchesterMuseum of Science and Industry in ManchesterThe Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, England, is a large museum devoted to the development of science, technology, and industry with emphasis on the city's achievements in these fields...
, England. - MR.3 WR971 on display at the Fenland & West Norfolk Aviation Museum, Wisbech, England.
- MR.3 WR974 on display at the Gatwick Aviation MuseumGatwick Aviation MuseumThe Gatwick Aviation Museum is located on the boundary of London Gatwick Airport in the village of Charlwood, Surrey. Originally started in 1987 as a private collection by local businessman Peter Vallance, it became a registered charity in 1999 with the objective of providing awareness of local...
, England; the engines on this aircraft can be run - MR.3 WR977 on display at the Newark Air MuseumNewark Air Museumright|thumb|200px|[[Handley Page Hastings]] T5 TG517 at the Newark Air Museum.Newark Air Museum is an air museum located on a former Royal Air Force station at Winthorpe, near Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. The museum contains a variety of aircraft...
, England. - MR.3 WR982 on display at the Gatwick Aviation MuseumGatwick Aviation MuseumThe Gatwick Aviation Museum is located on the boundary of London Gatwick Airport in the village of Charlwood, Surrey. Originally started in 1987 as a private collection by local businessman Peter Vallance, it became a registered charity in 1999 with the objective of providing awareness of local...
, England. - MR.3 WR985 privately owned at Long Marston, England.
- AEW.2 WL747 standing abandoned at the western end of runway 11/29 at Paphos Airport, Cyprus.
- AEW.2 WL757 standing abandoned at the western end of runway 11/29 at Paphos Airport, Cyprus.
- AEW.2 WL790 on display at the Pima Air & Space MuseumPima Air & Space MuseumThe Pima Air & Space Museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres on a campus occupying 127 acres . Located in Tucson, Arizona, it is one of the world's largest, non-government funded aerospace museums...
, Tucson Arizona USA - SAAF 1716 ('Pelican 16') was restored to flight in 1994, but later that year, while on its way to the UK, it crash landed in the Sahara desert (22.6305°N 13.2375°W) after a double engine failure. The crash did not result in any casualties, but the aircraft was abandoned in the desert.
- SAAF 1717 is on static display at the Transport museum in Stanger
- SAAF 1720 is on static display at AFB YsterplaatAFB YsterplaatAir Force Base Ysterplaat is an airbase of the South African Air Force. It is located in Cape Town, on the southwestern coast of South Africa.The name Ysterplaat is Afrikaans; it means Iron Plate in English....
. - SAAF 1721 is on static display at the South African Air Force MuseumSouth African Air Force MuseumThe South African Air Force Museum houses, exhibits and restores material related to the history of the South African Air Force. The Museum is divided into three locations, AFB Swartkop outside Pretoria, AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town and at the Port Elizabeth airport.-AFB Swartkop:Swartkop is the...
in SwartkopAFB SwartkopAFB Swartkop is an air force base in South Africa. It is managed as part of AFB Waterkloof and houses one of the three branches of the South African Air Force Museum...
. - SAAF 1723 is on static display at the Vic's Viking Garage, next to the N1 highway in SowetoSowetoSoweto is a lower-class-populated urban area of the city of Johannesburg in Gauteng, South Africa, bordering the city's mining belt in the south. Its name is an English syllabic abbreviation for South Western Townships...
, JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. - MR.3 XF700 abandoned and derelict, Nicosia, Cyprus
- MR.3 XF708 on display at the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, England
Specifications