Shackleton WR963 Engine Run and Move
Shackleton Aviation Group
Coventry - Bagington airport
April 2023 to August 2024
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I was able to attend a second engine run in 2023 and enjoy a very relaxed afternoon with the very special Shackleton.
This time I was able to clamber around inside the cabin and cockpit, taking whatever pictures I could. Priority went to special guest David Kay, who despite his age of 97 was also able to make his way forward to the cockpit. As he was a former Shackleton pilot with 220 and 120 Squadrons he felt very at home there. Richard Woods (Shackleton Aviation Group) was his guide and generously started up engine three for him. Later all four engines were started without a problem, the Rolls Royce V12 supercharged Griffon engines hitting just under 2,400 RPM, I was told!
Richard also found time for a cockpit interview with myself, providing an insight for the move to Elvington after 32 years at Coventry and the challenges he faces in keeping the WR963 live for generations to enjoy.
What follows are images of Richard Woods team dismantling WR963 ready for its move to Elvington.
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| The Rolls Royce V12 supercharged Griffon engines hitting just under 2,400 RPM, I was told! All four engines ran without a hitch on this anti-det run, the second objective was to burn surplus fuel before the big move to Elvington. |
| Left to right: Avro Shackleton AEW.2 (WR963 'B-M'), it was reconverted back to MR.2C standard after being sold as an AEW.2. |
| Inside Avro Shackleton AEW.2 (WR963 'B-M'). |
| Avro Shackleton T.4 VP293, the cockpit section survives at Coventry Airport with the Shackleton Preservation Trust. It was once with Strathallen Collection until it closed and the aircraft was scrapped. |
David Kay at age 97 is a former RAF Shackleton pilot with 220 and 120 Squadrons. Richard Woods spoke of his guest of the day at the end of my exclusive interview, "Today we had David Kay, a 97-year-old ex-Shackleton pilot visiting, we managed to get him back into his old seat. Although the aircraft is the focal point it is the people that make it happen. That is the people that look after it and the people that used to operate and the people that built it. If we can keep it live then it is a success for everyone, and the project is worthwhile."
Groundcrew checking the brake pressures before the engine run.
Richard Woods at the controls. |
| November 2023: Panels and some of the propellers have now been removed. There is a lot more that needs to be done before the low-loaders arrive in readiness for its move to Elvington. |
December 2023: The Rolls-Royce Griffon engines were removed and lowered on to an engine stand using a Foden S106 6x6 Recovery vehicle was fitted with a lifting beam. The two ton Griffon engine is held in place with four bushes, tapered pins and bolts which have to be removed once the Foden has taken the weight.
Richard Wood has many contacts in the aviation field who generously offer help advice and equipment. The engine stands came from Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby and the lifting beam from the Royal Navy Historic Flight. The 35 year old Foden was one of 333 delivered to the British Army between 1986 and 2002. |
| Left to right: Shackleton T.4 nose (VP293) named "Zebedee" loaded on a trailer ready for the drive to Yorkshire. |
| Janaury 2024: Another weekend with Avro Shackleton team, this time to detach the remaining two engines on the port wing. The starboard stabliser which had been reluctant to seperate was also removed. The Rolls-Royce Griffon engines were removed and lowered on to an engine stand using a Foden S106 6x6 Recovery vehicle fitted with a lifting beam. Still a lot of work to be done by the team. |
| February 2024: This weekend with the Avro Shackleton team with the engines removed are now disconnecting wires and piping. This is in readiness to removing the bolts for the wings and fuselage. Internally, some of the cabin systems also need to be removed to gain access to some of the fuselage bolts. |
| July 2024:Team Leader Richard Woods with Dave Baylis and their crew of volunteers are another stage further to dismantling their Shackleton WR963 ready for its move to Elvington. The four Griffon engines were carried to the adjacent temporary storage area ready for the low loaders, hopefully in a few weeks time. |
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Today it was the wings that were to be removed, held by four pins which have held the wings on tightly secured for decades. They had to be knocked out while the Foden crane took the weight. It was not sure what the wings would do in the slight breeze once the last pin was removed. With cries of "Brace Yourself Rodney" [Only Fools and Horses] the port wing fell free and with the careful planning combined with slight adjustment of tensions the actual moment was not as dramatic as some may have thought. The wing swung a little as it was lowered onto tyres, drama free. The starboard wing was more of a problem, a pin would not release and the wing was still in place at the end of the day.
The port horizontal stabiliser also was tackled, but it stubbornly refused to yield. |
| A sad sight, with all the hanging wires (all documented) and the wheels removed. |
| August 2024: Not too much progress with attention going to the wiring this weekend. |
