Part one

A V Roe, known from aviation time immemorial as AVRO, at the cessation of hostilities in 1945, had some experience of Maritime Reconnaissance  aircraft design and production; these ranged from the Anson to converted Lancaster ASR Mk 3s,. which could – and did – carry an Airborne Lifeboat. This was promising, and ever like most things promising for Coastal Command, was severely compromised when many were converted back to General Reconnaissance variants, in order to make up a shortfall in that field.  Meanwhile, while our cousins in Bomber Command were re-equipped with four-engined heavies, we in Coastal got their cast-off Whitleys and Wellingtons and a smaller number of Liberators. The latter having four engines, were fairly soon claimed by Bomber Command.

With early marks of  ASV coming into service, the construction of the Wellington meant that the nose-mounted radar could only operate over a 60 degree arc ahead of the aircraft. Being Coastal, 60 degrees was better than nil degrees, and that rather unsatisfactory compromise was what we got, together with the Leigh Light wing mounted searchlight to illuminate  the target ( while providing an aiming point of the aircraft for surface weapons). Improved marks of ASV were appearing, but Bomber snaffled the latest ones, as H2S,  again at the expense of Coastal. However, with U-boat kills and denial of the surface by aircraft increasing,  a  new Air Staff Requirement was issued, too late for WW2 of course, for a new land-based Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft. This culminated in Specification  R5/46, which became the Shackleton GR Mk 1, Type 696.

Originally to be known as the Lincoln  Mk 3, due to its main Spar and wing ancestry, but ‘fatter’ shorter and much more powerful, it was named the Shackleton by Roy Chadwick, who had joined the infant A V Roe as a draughtsman in 1911 aged 18, and rose to become Chief Designer, collecting the CBE, and qualifying as an MSC, ERSA, FRAeS and AMCT over the years. The first prototype VW126 made its first flight on 28 March 1950, with Jimmy Orrel (an ex Halton ‘brat’) at the controls . Sadly, Chadwick did not live to see that  first flight of the Shackleton; he was killed aged 54 in 1947 in the prototype Tudor Mk 11 in the first accident identified  clearly caused by  Murphy’s Law. The aileron controls had been reversed after  the aircraft was serviced.

Did their Airships know what they were starting? Not all the stuff about airframe numbers and issues, but the people. Coastal Command had been long in existence. Now a new breed of aircrew was in the making; the Shackforce. Although as squadrons re-equipped with Shackletons, progressing from Mk 1 and Mk 1As to Mk 2, ( and then back again as did 204 in 1959), and then, to some, Mk 3s of various phases, an ever increasing number became Shackleton men – and very many of them forever. How about us, and some of the little known facts and fallacies about the Shackleton and its interface with those who flew it – and who strangely enough look back to those times with fond nostalgia, some wryness and, possibly, a great feeling of relief for some when it was all over?  I write these words of what may be long known to many, but may perhaps be illuminating to the other members of our Association. There is more to tell than semi line-shoots overheard in certain bars after a drink or six.

Of course, we all know the difference between Mks 1, 2 and 3, and even some of the various phrases, don’t we? However, I am asked, what was the difference between Mk 1 and Mk1A? We didn’t have all that Phase stuff then. Well, typically of the marque  (I know, I know) the Mk 1 had DIFFERENT ENGINES in the inboard and outboard nacelles! AND, they were not interchangeable. Honestly! Our older, trusted engine men may remember the Griffon 57 and the 57A. Anyway, after modification  to production line Marks, and retrofit modification to the engine nacelles of  the Mk 1s already in service, we had as close to a standardisation principal as  was probably ever experienced by the Shackforce, with several  squadrons!

Specification 42/46, issued to cover production aircraft, actually officially changed the designation to Maritime Reconnaissance (Maritime recce for the benefit of those without spellcheckers) and the aircraft hence forward became MR1’s, MR1As and so on, possibly making it  slightly less likely that they would be snaffled by Bomber Command for tasks such as Colonial Policing (Kenya, not Arabian Gulf, as by the time of the Radfan rebels problem, colonial policing had been assigned to Coastal). Naturally, these changes  quickly brought about the development of the more robust Griffon 58, which powered the Mark 2 aircraft, which had 20mm cannon in a fixed nose turret, replacing the originally planned fixed cannon housed in ‘cheek’ barbettes each side of the nose,  a  tail rear observation (and quiet kipping position), retractable twin tailwheels and other less significant changes. 

                                                        

If really interested in exactly who got what, when and why, refer to Aircraft Profile No 243, by Peter Howard, published by Profile Publications. Also the excellent ‘Avro Shackleton’ by Barry Jones, an expensive tome from the Crowood Aviation Series, albeit with a few incorrect statements, (you must ask, and I will tell) and ‘Shackleton at War and Peace, by John Chartres, published by Ian Allan Ltd. These volumes give all the facts,  figures and dates, with not a few pictures. However, for instant reference and to settle a few differences of opinion, the first squadron to get the Shack was…….no, NOT you lot with a short(ish) squadron number (we all know who you are, rhymes with ‘who?))  but 120! On 3rd April 1951 VP 258 was delivered to 120Sqn at Kinloss. As a suitable reward, the squadron was moved to Aldergrove leaving a nucleus which became 240Sqn in 1952 and receiving  VP255.  269Sqn then at Gibraltar received VP256 in February 1952, and as a punishment, the whole squadron was moved to the cooler climes of Ballykelly, (where it remained until renumbering as 203 some years later with Mk 3s.) 

PART 2

Around the time of the early 50s, , investigations started regarding the exhaust tail pipe problems that were emerging; most of Mk1 and 2 veterans can remember ‘losing an exhaust stub’ when one of the short exhaust ‘stub’ pipes either became detached or burned through. As a result the engine had to be shut down and sorties aborted. When the offending exhaust was outboard of the nacelle, there was some quite interesting and potentially dangerous burning of the cowling. It looked quite spectacular in some cases at night. Although some time in delivery and fitment, the new exhaust tail pipes not only got round this problem, but also, to some extent, reduced the blackening of upper wing surfaces, and, it was rumoured, slightly reduced noise levels.

A note here about noise levels: The pre-production Shackletons included fairly copious noise deadening inside the fuselage. Naturally, as this was Coastal, it was not present in models delivered to squadrons, causing dismay, if not astonishment to those who had been aware of the promised land. Who knows, the famous Shackleton Ear syndrome may not have developed had it remained, but as a lucky recipient of a gratuity in compensation for my loss in hearing acuity in the 4 – 8 kHz range, of between 1 and 5%, I was quite pleased; I needed to retain a Civil ATCO Licence! It is believed that some persons, not bound by similar strictures, ‘heard very little indeed’ during the acoustic tests, and received a Tax free, Index linked ‘war pension’ of about £3.5K p.a. (1980 level). However, my Certificate of being a ‘War Pensioner’ does get me, even now, into museums in France and the USA free, and even half price green fees at some golf courses in those countries. If you have a similar – or more grandiose certificate, give it a try, especially if accompanied with silver topknot! The mention of noise levels brings to mind an incident of an overspeeding prop just as we lifted off in WB825, a Mark1. The revs went up to over 3200, the noise was deafening, with the prop tips possibly making the supersonic crackle of half a dozen Harvards, but over it we heard Don Wimble and Noman Skivington (pilots) sort it out. ‘Nose up – reduce to 125 kts’ will forever be engraved on my mind. It was the correct drill and revs on the now windmilling prop were brought down to about 1700 – the prop would not feather, and we made an overweight landing. A pity that that this particular overspeed drill was apparently not taught and later used on other similar incidents, which resulted in serious accidents and loss of life. Mind you, with the noise, and resulting difficulty in maintaining full control, the pilots certainly did not have time to refer to Notes.

Some shortcomings of the Mk 1 variants were emerging. Also, we did not have enough of them, and 36 Sqn at Topcliffe and 217 at Kinloss were equipped with Neptune P2V5s as a stop gap, pending delivery of more Shackletons. However, the situation was exacerbated in later years, when the Americans, in a fit of pique about the Suez adventure in 1956, demanded their Neptunes back, earlier than had been originally planned and agreed. (It was not their war, so they were not going to play). Anyway, an amended Requirement had been issued in high hopes of solving all the Shackleton Mk 1 problems in 1950, and the first true prototype Mk 2 flew in June 1952. This was after several ‘modded’ Mk 1 experiments had helped the evolutionary process. The first ‘real’ Mk 2 and the only real prototype, was WB833, getting airborne from Woodford on 17 June 1952. This aircraft had the 20mm nose turret guns and the mid-upper, so beloved of former air gunners turned signallers. As I write these words, I can see on my study wall, a Water Colour of just such an example, painted by Tony Dowling and wearing the markings of ‘D’, WL 727, of 42 Squadron, dated 1983. That must have been the date of the painting, not the operation of the aircraft.

An order for twenty (more) Mk 1 aircraft was amended half-way through delivery to Mk 2s, after about 20 Mk 1s had been built. ( Note: I was not married at that time, but had I been, I would have been convinced that my mother-in-law was, and had been for some time, Head of Procurements at the then Air Ministry)…… A later, new Order, was then made for lots more (40 is rumoured) Mk 2s. The first of the new batch, WL737 flew on 17 November 1952. At that time, NONE of the ten already built had yet been allocated to Squadrons! It was a bit like those television cooking programmes - ‘now here is one that we built earlier’ – but nobody getting to taste the new job. Eventually, bodies like Manby , Boscombe Down, Farnborough etc, gave up some. Only two, WG 557 and 558, went direct to squadrons; after which we had to wait for the WL series of Mk 2s. This took some years of trials and faffing about by my Ma-in Law.

Eventually Mk 2s were delivered to 38, 42,120, 204, 206 and 210 Sqns. It is interesting to note that the thirteenth aircraft of the latest batch of that time, WL749, which was issued to 120 Sqn at Aldergrove on 20th April 1953, was probably the shortest-lived squadron aircraft. On 14 May of that same year, it was landed short of the runway at Aldergrove; its port undercarriage collapsed and the aircraft finished its operational life in the runway controller’s caravan (no injuries apart from the customary bruises from being pushed out (of the way) by large, frightened crew members). The aircraft was struck off charge immediately and became an airframe for component spares, although without the more insidious Christmas Tree syndrome. 205 Sqn, who had re-equipped from Sunderlands to Mk 1 Shacks, also got Mk 2s, but I don’t know when. Similarly, 37, moving from Malta to Aden, went through the change (ma-in-law again) before leaving Malta, some time in the late 50s, but the dates escape me. Until I joined 38 in late 1962, I had been instructed by old hairies not to have any truck with squadrons with only two digits to their number; something to do with ‘that lot wot got the railway engine plaque for a time’, I think. Anyway, the result was a bit of a hotchpotch of Mk1s and 2s, so by 1954, ‘it was decided’ to rationalise to ‘one squadron, one type’ philosophy. This certainly did not work out everywhere. 220, in 1956/8 and 204 in 1960/2 had mixtures of 1s and 2s. See later for exciting news about when 220/201 started getting Mk 3s.

PART 3

Meanwhile, development on ancillary equipment had progressed, albeit on a somewhat piecemeal basis. Saunders Roe, still very much in ‘boats’ mode, between 1952 and 1957, built about 50 airborne lifeboats for carriage by Shackletons. They were attached through a single point hole in the bomb bay, and a cluster of 4 parachutes was intended to provide a soft, bows up, landing on the water. There are two points of particular personal interest to myself here that I cannot resist recounting. I was working at the RAE Farnborough throughout 1952, on parachute and ejection seat R & D. It befell my lot to go flying in this strange aircraft – (when I first met the late Bob Becker, who was the Flight Engineer. We mostly operated  with Lancs, Halifaxes and  Hastings, and he was the Eng for all of them).  I observed, and operated recording equipment when we dropped the lifeboat off Felixstowe. It appeared to go OK, but after that the trials were transferred to Manby; Felixstowe was  obviously much to up-market for us.

The other point was the Vincent 500cc motorcycle engine that was fitted to the lifeboat; In 1955, I bought, at enormous expense, a Vincent HRD 500cc motorbike, fitted with that model engine, and I would never have let it even get wet with sea water, let alone be party to dropping it in the oggin. I also went to the 1953 Farnborough show (ticket from my old department, as I was now a prospective demi-god in blue aircrew trainee), and I saw a white  Mk 2 Shack do a fly past, with airborne lifeboat underneath  and engine numbers 1, 3 and 4 stopped with feathered props. I think that they dived in during the feathering cycle and restarted  on the climb-out, but it looked very impressive. Many years later I learned about which engines had the hydraulic pumps, which explained why it was number 2 still under power. That was less impressive than having only an outboard running, but a certain nastiness  at a flying display in Gib, many years later, in 1957,  took the ‘more impressive’ theme a bit far. I am reliably informed that ‘the noise and the people’  was worse than D-Day. However, I digress; the airborne lifeboat idea lost favour and Lindholme Gear was introduced, initially with three containers and later marks with two.

There had never really been euphoria about Shackletons while they were in service, but even their Airships, some of whom had risen from Shack men, accepted that it was not really an ideal aircraft from the crew point of view for 15 hour +  flogs. Noisy, gloomy, ergonomic nightmares, sods to land gracefully and, the source of ‘informed criticism’, physiological tests showed that crews were comfortable on less than 1% of their entire trips! It was thus decided in November 1953 that the balance of  Shackleton orders would be filled by a redesigned aircraft, and this became the design of the Shackleton Mk 3. Design changes were sufficiently radical enough to merit a new type number. Goodbye Avro Type 696, and hello to Type 716. To fully justify the changes, investigations by the Institute of Aviation Medicine were made with (eager?) co-operation of 240 Squadron. Surprise, surprise, it was found that intensive flying in the Mark 2s caused great loss of efficiency, buzzing in the ears and sleeplessness (when not flying, one presumes). Urgency was therefore  accorded to the Design and Development, especially as the last Sunderlands were due to be pensioned off at the end of their fatigue lives.

Avro really got their fingers out, and after normal ground testing, the Mk 3 prototype, WR970, made its maiden flight from Woodford on 2 September 1955, taking part in the SBAC show at Farnborough three days later. By now, Avro was becoming part of the Hawker Siddeley Group, although it would always be referred to as the Avro Shackleton.. Following the emergence of poor stalling characteristics, especially with the bomb doors open, further tests were carried out from Woodford.  Some three months after the first flight of the prototype, in a tragic accident, killing the four Avro test crew on board, the prototype was lost during stall tests,. It was surmised that in a full stall, the aircraft dropped a wing, became inverted and the engines stopped.  Subsequently, stall warning equipment in the form of a stick shaker was installed, and stringent measures were developed for C of G limitations. It had been found that with a C of G of more than about 4’6” aft of the datum, the aircraft could become unstable, wallow and become liable to easily stall (OK, Engineers, the distance may not be exact, but that was the principle). When nose guns were not fitted, concrete ballast was sometimes placed in the nose.

 

The remaining parts of Bill’s article will appear later.