The Avro Shackleton being restored to Airworthiness! - Restoration Weekly Episode 1 

The commentary describes designer Roy Chadwick as "infamous": why ?

Airworthy shack will be quite something. Bring it on!

I can remember being taken to an Air Day at St Eval by my dad in the early '50s when I was about five years old... I have a distinct memory of standing underneath a Shackleton and looking up into the open bomb-bay. I also remember climbing into the plane and going up the 'passageway' between the pilot's and co-pilot's seats. I climbed up and sat in the left-hand seat which was a red leather material. I then continued up into the nose and sat in the seat up there. Seventy years ago next year... I can't believe I'm saying that! 😮

Dismantling of this aircraft began on Saturday last week (30th September 2023), It will be a rather long process to dismantle and re-assemble at Elvington. As a former member of the Shackleton Aviation Group I can say that it is unlikely to get back to an airworthy state, unless some serious funding is able to come into place. I currently do not see this aircraft being airworthy in the next 5-10 years unless a miracle is to occur!

Flew on an 8 Sqn shack whilst stationed at Lossie in the 80's, 11 long noisy hours...heaven 😊 I used to cadge flights as an MT aircraft refueller. My best cadge was with 226 OCU 2 seater Jag.

There's a great one at Gatwick Airport museum when I went they were doing internal tours with a veteran one of the best thing I have done

I have a Shackleton throttle box plus the aircraft number 741 plus photographs before it was burnt at RAF Manston in 1979.Beat that !

Living as a child in Newquay from 1947 to 1962 the RAF ST MAWGAN Shackletons in the 1950's onwards circled the town taking off and landing every morning around 7am and 7pm approximately for their two shift Russian Sub spotting duties of about 12 hours I supposed. It was impossible for us to count how many planes were involved in each shift but the roar of those engines although noted were regarded as everyday noise. Any guess then as a child would have been at least 8 to ten planes each shift. By the way, my Father was a Lancaster rear Gunner that trained at nearby St Eval before doing his "TOUR" in 1942/43. I'm here because my Father was one of the lucky 45% survivors!

As a youngster used to see Shackletons at St Mawgen, gorgeous aeroplane ,so pleased to see this !

I’d love to see it fly with the Lancaster

I saw a Shack visit us at BAe Hatfield in 1988 (or thereabouts) I was walking outside and saw it do a flyby down the runway, then into the circuit, then a high speed run down the runway at low level followed by a pull up at the end. I remember the wings bending up to what looked like an impossible curve as the Shack pulled up. The memory is still with me now.

To see her flying alongside PA474 and Just Jane........😊

Thanks for the posts. I'm amazed at how much good work is being done to keep 'em up where they belong !

Such a cool and elegant looking aircraft!

As unlikely as it is, it would be great to see 3 Lancasters and a Shackleton flying together!

As kids were graciously allowed onto the RCAF base at Langar in Nottinghamshire to use their swimming pool and several of these would be lined up on the Peri track ready for their 100hr checks before going off on patrol again. A wonderful sight and on Sundays my dad you take us up there to watch them come in as they changed watch, as it was reported that, during the Cold War, Shackleton's maintained a constant patrol 24/7.

Would be great to see it fly again.

My father flew these he would have loved to have seen this.

I remember 3 or 4 of these flying over my school landing at woodford (avro) in the earlies 90's... nice to see one fly again...😊..

G'day! I will die a very ,very happy man if this get the full treatment it deserves ,I am 73 so they had better get on with it🤣

How on earth did they convert a 4 engine tail-dragger to a tricycle undercarriage? Amazing

I lived in Elgin, Scotland as a kid and used to see '10,000 rivets shaking in formation' many times a day as RAF Lossiemouth was only 7 or 8 mile away. I forget the year, maybe '81 or '82, there was a 'big something' going on and we got over flown by a diamond 4 x 2 - not many people have heard 16 Griffons being worked Hard. 20 mins later the Buccaneers / Jaguars went out like they'd been rudely bodged up the pipes and the three working Nimrods of RAF Kinloss went as well. Father was in one of the Nimrods. I got to go inside a Shack once, my god-father was Chief Armourer at Lossiemouth - before he defected to the UAE Air Force, my family and I got shown all over Lossiemouth - we got shown the Shack Sim then shown the inside of the real thing. And yes, they do smell of vomit, honkers stew and hydraulic fluid :D:D Not as bad as Nimrods though... they were disgusting. Lossiemouth flew one into Kinloss for a Squadrons Families day, it got parked next to a visiting Canadian Atlantique... which it dwarfed. I dont think it'll fly again given the current financial / world politics agendas in play.

I often wondered what happened to the Shackleton at Long Marston. Probably merged with the ground by now. I remember these flying round Woodford and Manchester Airport in the late seventies. Always impressive.

It's so cool to see historic aircraft flying!

Was there for it's last engine run as it was one my dad worked on whilst he was stationed at Lossi. After speaking to a team member there is little chance she will be restored to airworthyness I'm affraid. I think they said they would be looking at needing in the region of £10 million to do so, with that figire likely to keep rising.

it would be nice to see it flying alongside its relative the Lancaster at some point.

I believe that although the original plan was to get airworthy, following the breakup of the original team a few years ago its now unlikely to ever fly again.

I have long wondererd WHY no one had restored a 'Shack' to airworthiness? Cant wait to see it. I was in RAF service as an airframe technician, during the Cold war and we frequently had members of 8 Squadron staying at RAF Brize Norton. I remember marshalling the first ones in and was told DONT LOOK AT THE PROPS THEY WILL HYPNOTISE YOU as one poor chap found out and walked INTO a turning prop! I used to go to see 2 Shacks at Gatwick Aircraft museum, at Valance-byways' as they run the engines twice a year. The museum was owned by Roy Valance who sadly passed away and Im not sure what happened to all his aircraft. I believe one was WASTED and turned into a gate guardian at Bruntingthorpe which enraged many of us as that was a RUNNING AIRFRAME. However they cut it into three pieces for the move up North DESTROYING any chance of seeing her run again. No care was taken in the move and it has all but ruined the integrity of the airframe.

Why is Roy Chadwick “infamous”?

Please don't quote me, but there was a shack near, the now closed air museum at St mawgan. It may be still there for parts perhaps?

Well that's 3:30 minutes I'll never get back!!

Thought it was decided not to restore it to flying condition some time ago?

I doubt it will fly again. It would be lovely but I gather the runway and taxiway at elvington have deteriorated so they don't do rolling thunder days anymore.

2 of these at the end of runway at Paphos airport

Great channel and content. The start up video clips appear to be taken from my full video on my channel....Please credit accordingly. thank you.

Did I hear you say infamous Roy chadwick?

This type stayed in service until the advent of the DH Nimrod LRMPA

Hopefully it does not go the same way as the Vulcan, with huge amounts of money spent and grounding!!!

8 screws are better than 2 blow…. Use to be at Lossiemouth when I was stationed there

the website isn’t linked for some reason

20,000 rivets flying in loose formation……as we used to say at Strike Command.

I am sure Air Atlantique who were based in Coventry airport owned a Shackleton, but were not allowed to fly it?

Anyone thats been to East Kirkby nears this news with.....

Video fascinating unlike the commentary which is dreadful. Also the use of the word "infamous" is completely wrong unless you are a rabid pinko-lefty.

100,000 Rivets flying in formation and a taildragger too

Why Stupid Musak ?

It's not that long ago 8sqn were flying them...

Is this true, the Shack 'world,s' biggest flying boom box back in the air?.

With the state of the UK Airshow scene and everyone having more important things to spend their money there’s absolutely no chance this will ever fly again.

why?

Won't ever fly with the guy leading the restoration in charge.

wont be able to fly form elvington as the museum doesnt own the runway, which is now a racetrack

Misleading title..it will never fly again.

Trash that annoying music please. Otherwise a good video.

Did he say “infamous designer Roy Chadwick?” “Infamous?”

"Infamous" designer, Roy Chadwick ?!!! 😳 Ye gods, you really do need some proofreading assistance on your scripts, as well as the assistance of a sound engineer! Hmm, how can people get in touch with you to offer assistance? I totally love what you're attempting to do, but Do NOT even call Roy Chadwick an "Infamous designer", else you'll lose friends fast... 😠 !!

It will never happen.

There is no way this shackleton is going to fly again, the costs would be enormous. Things were looking promising at one point but tantrums were had and things went south behind the scenes regarding ownership and all sorts, from what I remember.