Avro Shackleton WR963

[Richard Woods]

Hi all,

Once again I skipped off work and went to play with the Avro Shackleton down at Coventry. The object of the day was to run three engines (the fourth is still awaiting propellors) and wake her from her winter slumber. We met up with the rest of the group at about 1000hrs (GMT) and quickly set to, with the tailwheel tyres being reinflated, trolley acc charged, and checking all the fuel drains.



My first job was flushing an oil tank, it's the first time I've been up on the wing. Despite the size of it, the fact the aircraft sits tail down means avoiding sliding off the trailing edge can be a tricky task, especially when you are carrying a jerry can and tools. After getting the flushing oil in, it was back down off the wing and under the beast to get it out again! The drain is in a really awkward place and pretty much guarantees the oil to either get on the underside of the aircraft, or the guy undoing the drain.







Thankfully I didn't get too much of it on me but I still stank like a U-boat captain on the way home. Then it was time to pull all the trestles, tools and other paraphenalia out the way, and retire to the cafe for a quick bacon roll. Fed and watered, it was time to wake her up. Ground power was added, the crew boarded, and no3 was selected as being the first to start as apparently it cranks the easiest.





1300hrs (GMT) Engine no3 coughed into life. It started a little reluctantly on the first attempt but cut out after about 30 seconds. The second attempt got it. You've all seen that scene from "Flight of the Phoenix" where everybody's willing the engine to keep turning? It was like that. Cold aeroplane, having been sat all winter (for the last four weeks under a good amount of snow), cold trolley acc batteries, and cold us.

No4 was started next and surprised everybody by starting first attempt, no fuss, shortly followed by no1. No1 took a few attempts to start but has been diagnosed as having a magneto issue, so it did well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUNVsj6eT0Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LAnk0SPL3c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fT8X6cpjGDc

Videos aren't mine, but taken by a friend, also a member of the group. The pictures are mine, I'll have a better camera with me next time!

When the crew throttled her back, I was able to board and sat happily in the Navigators position listening to the three big Rolls Royce Griffons, and all the squeaks and creaks of an old aeroplane coming alive.

All in all I had a great day. Roll on two weeks time, I'll be back for more.

Regards,

Ric

Last edited by Richard Woods on Wed Oct 13, 2010 5:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[RMAllnutt]

Many thanks for the update... do you think there's any chance she'll ever go indoors. Seems so sad to see her like that with paint fading, and flaking off. Good to know that you guys are looking after her guts though! An expensive job to be sure though.

Cheers,
Richard

[Richard Woods]

Richard,

I don't know about the possibility of her being kept indoors at Coventry. when I posed the question I was told the cost of hangaring the aircraft on a semi permanent basis were a bit on the steep side. Although she looks very much faded glory, it's not something we intend to leave that way, repainting and resealing is on the cards for this summer. I think the argument is already raging as to what scheme, at least one person suggested Coastal Command colours.

Problems that have been found from todays run have been added to the ever growing list, but the majority of systems were quite happy, with bomb bay doors and flaps all working as they should. Not bad at all to say she is outdoors in all weathers.

Regards,

Ric

[RMAllnutt]

Many thanks Ric... keep up the good work! Glad she's in for a repaint this summer... I'd definitely vote for coastal command myself!

Cheers,
Richard

[corsair166b]

Got inside that bird in 2000 courtesy my friend Steve who works now in a nearby hangar at that airport...she was in decent shape back then...glad she is headed for a repaint tho and that she's being run up again.

Mark

[Richard Woods]

I wasn't able to get down there this week (annoying, having a day job sometimes...), but work is progressing with control runs getting oiled, and the stubborn outboard fuel tank drains finally being freed off. The guys were working in horrible weather conditions so well done to them!

More good news, hangar space has been granted for the repaint once funds are in place!

I'll be down there next week, so expect more pictures and reports.


Regards,

Ric

[PJ]

Well done! I've always liked th Shackelton. Maybe because it's another twin tailed tail dragger Keep up the good work!

PJ
PV-2 Harpoon "Hot Stuff"
www.amhf.org

[Richard Woods]

Hi all,

I've not posted any updates on here in a while which is pretty poor behaviour from me. as a result, here's a super size dose of all things Shackleton from Coventry, UK.


We have found damage to the camshafts on three engines. The oil has become contaminated and has attacked the chrome plating and allowed them to wear. We can only put this down to how long 963 was stood idle since her last run. The experts say this is a common occurrence.









Plans to put her in a hangar fell through, as a new venture of Classic Flights (AIRBASE) required the space long before we would have been clear. We set to, and washed 963 down, and had her moved to a space on the airfield where we could work without interuption for a good few months. An engineering plan was put in place to build a pre-oiling system on board, and I got tasked with organising the repaint.

The decision was taken to put her back into her original 1954 delivery scheme, that of a 224sqn Coastal Command aircraft. To do this safely, we had a scaffold put up around her which started a million and one internet rumours that we were breaking her up amongst others.

All the old paint has been taken back on the top surfaces, areas of corrosion addressed, and we've used yards of ceconite sealing tapes and dope to make it all weatherproof, all done as per the original AP's. We've had to go round all the drain holes (hundreds of 1/8" holes) and found some were quite blocked despite looking clear. Water ingress is our biggest enemy what with being outdoors!

Here's a few of pictures of WR963 at that stage:











This is the progress on the starboard wing. After all the taping sealing and prep, it looks rather good don't you think? There's a few of us that are going to be watching for anybody scuffing the paint by walking about on there!



We had the rear of the engine nacelle off for painting. It's not often you see it "in the nude" so we just had to get a picture! It's amazing to think in the MR3 they managed to stuff a Rolls Royce Viper jet engine in there too.



This was the fin after taking the sanding pads to it. The faded "63" is from her earlier days during the 1980's/90's with 8 sqn RAF. As well as the 63, various other slinging marks were also found and assembly stencils.



The next two shots are of the white going on the fins. We were all holding our breath as it was the first large area done, and by roller rather than spray, but it went on great.





Once again the weather did its best to annoy us. We didn't get as much done as we wanted to; but still got quite a way. The next week was better.

A seemingly easy, yet annoying job was to get the boat tail cowling on No 4 back up out of the way once the paint had dried. Gravity helps it come off, and its never keen on being put back. My mate Rob insisted on lending a hand by pointing it out so you guys can't miss it.



Then he and our new crew member Gary set about the Port wing upper surface with the seconite and dope. They managed to get quite a bit done, so soon we'll be getting the medium sea grey on that wing too, so we have a matching pair!



They had to halt briefly as the pipe manufacturers arrived today to make the first set of hoses for the pre-oiling system. I would have taken a photo, but I didn't really want to interupt them. I couldn't get a picture of the hoses either, as they've been taken away as a pattern to make a full set for each engine.

The main effort of late was getting the nose section of the fuselage wearing its first coat of white paint. This involved a whole load of sanding which showed up some more of the old 8 sqn markings again. As a result I have to report that the name she carried in her last few years "ERMINTRUDE" is gone forever (unless I get carried away with the masking tape again when the boss isn't looking.. )

Coventry Airport fly-in is next weekend so we really were wanting '963 to look a little more presentable for the occasion. I'm glad to say we managed to pull it off. Judge for yourselves.. (bear in mind this is only the first coat, so I know there's some bleed through of the grey.)







Hope you like it so far!

Regards,

Rich

[robkamm]

looking good. can you just change out the cams or is there a issue with metal going through the entire engine? thanks for the close up of the engine.

[Pat Carry]

Thanks for the update and photos

[Lynn Allen]

She is looking great but you all need some of this Texas heat....

Lynn

[APG85]

Fantastic looking airplane!!!!

[Richard Woods]

Thanks for the interest and compliments guys!

I didn't manage to get any work done this weekend, as Coventry Airport was hosting a fly-in for charity. We must have had about 500 people through our aeroplane for a look around! One good contact was made, a relative of her original pilot from 224 sqn, who is going to put us in contact. Apparently he's in his 80's now, but we'd love to re-unite him with his old mount.

looking good. can you just change out the cams or is there a issue with metal going through the entire engine? thanks for the close up of the engine.

We dropped all the filters out of the engines, and it looks like the damage to the cams has been done over a long period of time. We've flushed the oil system a few times and there's nothing showing or coming out. The worst cams are going to get swapped out, the ones that aren't so bad are going to get reground. We've got a few more good engines in store, but we don't want to part out zero time engines for the just the cams if we can avoid it.

Regards,

Ric

[Fouga23]

Why not put the zero timed ones on and use the ones with damaged cams for spares?

[Richard Woods]

Several reasons... I'll try and explain our thinking.

Our aeroplane is outside, all year round; she's slightly too big to fit in the hangars at Coventry. She's also now been silent since January, and much of the interest and donations we get are when she's running... so need to be active again before long.

One of the engines (no2) was swapped out, and it nearly finished off some of the older members of our group. They have the knowledge, but they can't really keep on with the physical side of things. There's a few of us younger guys that are getting to the point where we are ready to have a go at something as big as an engine change, but not yet. Getting the lesser damaged cams reground and back on would take a lot less time than changing engines. The No2 engine change took months - and we still have the contra rotatiing propellors to build up.

Also, the logistics of getting the crane to the aeroplane (or vice versa) and the fact that we only get one day a week to spare on the task is immense. We're on soft ground which makes life difficult, and any time on hardstandings is usually available in days, rather than the weeks our crew would be needing for changing an engine.

The other side is this... should we ever come across funding or resources to get the aeroplane flying (its NOT on the cards at the moment. We aren't going flying anytime soon.), having the engines will be a bonus. It would be a shame to expose fresh engines to hours of ground running and taxying that the current engines can happily cope with.

Regards,

Ric