SHACKLETON DATA
POWER PLANTS
Four 12-cylinder, 60° Vee, pressure liquid-cooled, two-speed, single-stage supercharged Rolls-Royce
Griffon engines producing 1960 hp (2435 hp with water methanol) at maximum power.
| Variants | |||||
| MR I/T.4 | MR 2 | MR 2 | MR 3 | MR 3* | AEW/T.2 |
| Ph I/II | Ph III | Ph IIII | Ph III | ||
| 57/57A | 57/57A | 58 | 57A | 58 | 58 |
*and two 2500 lb thrust Rolls-Royce Viper 203 power plants.
PROPELLERS
De Havilland 13 ft-diameter counter-rotating, constant-speed, fully feathering units.
| FRONT: | Left-hand tractor DF 1 60/3 34/1 or DB 171/334/1 with basic setting and fine pitch 23°, feathered 90°. |
| REAR: | Right-hand tractor DF 1 60/336/1 or DB 171/336/1 with basic setting and fine pitch 24°, feathered 91°. |
FUEL SYSTEM
AvGas 100/ 130 NATO F-18.
| Tank Capacities (gallons) | |||
| MRI/T.4 | MR 2 | MR 2 | |
| Ph I/II | Ph III | ||
| Tank 1 | 2 x 497 | 2 x 497 | 2 x 497 |
| 2 | 2 x 541 | 2 x 541 | 2 x 570 |
| 3 | 2 x 297 | 2 x 297 | 2 x 297 |
| 4 | 2 x 311 | 2 x 311 | 2 x 311 |
| 5 | |||
| 6 (tip) | - | - | - |
| Totals* | 3292 | 3292 | 3350 |
| T.2/AEW | MR3 | MR3 | |
| Ph 1/11 | Ph III | ||
| Tank 1 | 2 x 497 | 2 x 539 | 2 x 539 |
| 2 | 2 x 570 | 2 x 541 | 2 x 573 |
| 3 | 2 x 297 | 2 x 297 | 2 x 297 |
| 4 | 2 x 311 | 2 x 311 | 2 x 311 |
| - | 2 x 185 | 2 x 185 | |
| 6 (tip) | 2 x 251** | 2 x 253** | |
| Totals* | 3350 | 4248 | 4316 |
* all variants could carry 400 gal auxiliary tanks in the bomb bay.
** wing-tip tanks nominally 256 gal but actual capacity varied.
DIMENSIONS (ft)
| MR I/T.4 | MR2 | MR3 | |
| Wing span | 120 | 120 | 119.83 |
| Length | 77.5 | 87.3 | 87.3 |
| Height | 17.5 | 17.5 | 23.35 |
| Tailplane span | 33 | 33 | 33 |
| Wheel track | 23.75 | 23.75 | 23.75 |
AREAS (sq ft)
| MR I/T.4 | MR 2 | MR 3 | |
| Wing (inc. ailerons) | 1421 | 1421 | 1458 |
| Ailerons | 110.1 | 110.1 | 133.4 |
| Flaps | 146.96 | 146.96 | 146.96 |
| Tailplane(inc. elevators) | 285.4 | 285.4 | 285.4 |
| Elevators | 87.3 | 87.3 | 87.3 |
| Fins | 116 | 116 | 116 |
| Rudders | 106.4 | 106.4 | 106.4 |
WEIGHTS (lb)
| MR 1/T.4 | MR 2 | MR 2/T.2 | |
| Ph III | |||
| Empty | 49,600* | 51,400 | 59,000 |
| Loaded (normal) | 82,000 | 84,000 | 89,000 |
| Loaded (max T/0) | 86,000** | 86,000 | 95,500 |
| Landing (normal) | 72,000 | 72,000 | 80,000 |
| Stores load (with full fuel) Approximately | 6000 lb | ||
| Stores load (max) | 12,000 | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| AEW.2 | MR 3 | Ph III (Viper) | |
| Empty | 58,800 | 57,800 | 64,300 |
| Loaded (normal) | 89,000 | 85,000 | 95,000 |
| Loaded (max T/0) | 96,100 | 100,000 | 108,000*** |
| Landing (normal) | 80,000 | 86,000 | 88,000 |
| Stores load | Approximately 6000 lb | ||
| (with full fuel) stores load | 12,000 | 12,000 (max) | |
* Ph II T.4 54,500 lb
** Grapple aircraft 87,500 lb
*** MR 3 Ph III (non-Viper) 104,000 lb
PERFORMANCE
Tables showing performance figures need to be used with caution because it is extremely difficult to ensure that the same parameters are being used when obtaining details from different sources. This particularly applies to range and endurance figures, where 'still-air range' usually means the range to dry tanks, but not always, while 'normal' range will have an allowance built in for diversion and/or contingencies. This allowance may be up to 20% of the total fuel, 20% of the 'off-task' fuel (in the case of maritime operations), or, in the case of some Avro calculations for the Shackleton, 10% of the overall fuel. Unless otherwise stated, range and endurance speeds/times assume 20% reserve of total fuel. Maximum speeds are almost meaningless in the case of maritime aircraft, but are included as approximate figures for reference purposes, and wherever possible all those quoted have been cross checked to ensure that they are strictly comparable.
| MR I/T.4 | MR 2 | MR 2 | AEW.2 | MR 3* | |
| Ph III | |||||
| Max speed @ 12,000 ft** | 294 | 299 | 286 | 262 | 297 |
| Max cruise @ 10,000 ft ** | 245 | 249 | 249 | - | 253 |
| Long-range cruise @1500 5000ft | 180-200 mph depending on weight | ||||
| Landing speed** | 114 | 114 | 116 | 116 | 118 |
| Stalling speed** | 88 | 88 | 92 | 92 | 96 |
| Initial rate of climb (ft/min) | 1005 | 920 | 900 | 900 | 850 |
| Initial rate of climb (3 engine)(ft/min) | 592 | 495 | 463 | 460 | 200 |
| Ceiling (ft) | 20,700 | 20,200 | 18,800 | - | 18,600 |
| Range (nm)*** | 2160 | 1980 | 1720 | - | 2300 |
| Radius of 4 hr patrol (nm) | 780 | 700 | 670 | - | 970 |
| Endurance (hrs)(20% reserve) | 14.8 | 14.6 | 13 | 13 | 16 |
| Max still air range (nm) | 3090 | 2900 | 2780 | 2700 | 1660 |
| T/O distance (ft) to 50 ft using Water Methanol | 3750 | 3750 | 5460 | - | 5550 |
* Mk 3 Ph III (Viper) had improved T/O performance (4750 ft to clear 50 ft screen), but reduced range and endurance.
** speeds in mph.
*** at 5000 ft at 190 mph (full load - 20% reserve)
Data Conversion
| 1 nautical mile (nm) | = 1. 136 statute miles |
| 1 mile/hour (mph) | = 0.88 knots |
| 1 gallon (gal) | = 7.2 lb |
| 1 foot | = 0.3048 metres |
| 1 nm | = 1.828 kilometres |
| 1 sq ft | = 0.0929 square metres |
| 1 ft/min | = 0.005 m/sec |
| 1 mph | = 1.61 km/hr |
| 1 lb | = 0.454 kg |
| 1 gal | = 4.546 litres |