Mr Mac Henry Was she the last one flying ?

[Glen]

Greetings
I was wondering are their any sisters ships to Mr Mac Henry that are still flying or could be restored to do so ?

[Mike]

It was the last ex-RAF Shackleton still flying. There is still one MR3 flying in South Africa (nosewheel version, with booster jets in the outboard engine nacelles)

[CAPFlyer]

But the booster jets have been long removed...

[bilwor]

I have a question I have seen the name several ways Mr McHenry, Mr MacHenry and Mr Mac Henry. Which is official and correct?
bill word

[retroaviation]

It says Mr. McHenry on the side of the airplane.

Gary

[bdk]

It says Mr. McHenry on the side of the airplane.

And what is the significance of that name?

[Asterperious]

All the Shacks in 8 Squadron were named after characters in a British newspaper comic strip called the Magic Roundabout, Mr. McHenry was one of those charcters.

info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Roundabout

Magic Roundabout and the RAF
The RAF's 8th{sic} Squadron's Avro Shackleton air-sea rescue aircraft were named after characters from The Magic Roundabout and The Herbs:

WL741: PC Knapweed
WL745: Sage
WL754: Paul
WL756: Mr Rusty
WL757: Brian
WL790: Mr McHenry (later renamed Zebedee)
WL793: Ermintrude
WL795: Rosalie
WR960: Dougal (Now in the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester in England)
WR963: Parsley (later Ermintrude II)
WR965: Dill (later Rosalie II) (sometimes referred to as Dylan)
http://www.clydeshipping.co.uk/aircraft ... essage=795
http://8squadron.co.uk/history_1972-1991.php

Last edited by Asterperious on Tue Dec 18, 2007 3:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mike]

All teh Shacks in 8 Squadron were named after characters in a British newspaper comic strip called the Magic Roundabout, Mr. McHenry was one of those charcters.

Just to be pedantic, it was a childrens' TV series, not a newspaper comic strip.

The RAF's 8th Squadron's Avro Shackleton air-sea rescue aircraft were named after characters from The Magic Roundabout and The Herbs:

And to be even more pedantic (where's JDK when you need him? ) it is 8 Squadron (UK squadron numbers NEVER use 'th' after the number) and the Shackletons were used for AEW, having been converted from Maritime Reconnaisance before they joined 8 Sqn.

[Asterperious]

Alright for the pedants, I copied the bottom part from Wikipedia so go after them, I am well aware fo RAF nomenclature.

As for the source of the strip, you got me, I'd never heard of it myself ntil a few months ago and it was teh guys at Air Atlantique who told me childrens comic, so sic yourselves on them.

[bdk]

Well, that's all simple enough! Thanks...

The main character was Dougal or Pollux, (a Maltese dog, albeit of a non-standard colour). Ironically in the French version Dougal or Pollux was an English character who spoke clumsy French with an outrageous English accent; the French believe that one of the traits of the English is a sweet tooth, hence the liking for sugar lumps. Other characters are Zebedee or Zébulon, a jack-in-the-box, Brian or Ambroise (a snail), Ermintrude or Azalée (a cow), and Dylan or Flappy (a rabbit, who in the French version was Spanish). There are two notable human characters: Florence or Margote, a young girl; and Mr Rusty or le Père Pivoine, the operator of the roundabout.

Now resident pedants Mike or JDK, was the (road intersection) roundabout named after the (entertainment) carousel or vice versa?

[Mike]

I'm not sure Brandon. Perhaps you should ask these people.............

http://www.roundaboutsofbritain.com/

[Firebird]

Magic Roundabout was French, created by Serge Danot, and was voiced over by for British TV by actress Emma Thompsons dad, Eric Thompson.

See here for an episode.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3DcChXNyYQ

[treadigraph]

Who cares, it was a great kid's programme and even funnier for us older children. Almost as good as the Simpsons. And then there were the unforgetable Shacks at airshows...

[JDK]

Pointless aeronautical trivia and digressions off topic? Here I am. Sorry, I was away.

I was told that the name 'Dylan' was changed because the American pilots couldn't cope with the 'oddity' of the name during one of the joint operations US and British forces were on... Bit odd given the name of one of the US' most popular singers, and it sounds highly suspicious to me. However, remember, wherever you are, all foreigners are stupid, right.

The fairground roundabout pre-dates the road intersection, so I'd assume the name transferred from the entertainment one to the one that's just entertaining watching N Americans try. The Met(ropolotan Police Force) refer(red) to London's orbital motorway at the Magic Roundabout, given how unfunny it was.

As to the origin of the programme, as has been said, it's a slightly weird French TV show that was hugely successful in the UK. While not many (any?) kids today would have heard of it, it was universally recognisable in its time in the UK, and the characters were used as models for many people's friends.

"And Zebedee said 'Time for bed'." is still a widely known catchphrase among many of a certain age, and being over 18, the alternate implication is often much enjoyed.

Regards,

[muddyboots]

wonder if there wasn't some conservative military disgust at the name? He was prety much anti war, and putting that name on a bird might well have ticked people off... Make the change and blame it on something politically acceptable and tehre you are.