The SAAF Forum

Saturday 12 May 2012

The Shackleton will be taken out of 4 Hangar at approximately 12H00 and moved to the hardstand. Guests are most welcome to photograph the process.

The start up will be at 14H00. The SAAF Fire and Rescue Service will spray the aircraft at shut down.

Guests are welcome to visit 4 Hangar before and after the sequence. The Museum will close at 13H00. Entrance to the Security Area is via 3 Gate next to the Museum.

AFB Ysterplaat Museum Cadets will assist guests from the Museum parking area to the hard stand. Registration will take place at 3 Gate. We trust that you will enjoy this unique heritage experience with us.

I anticipate Kremlin will be putting that flash new lens to good use

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A plan is simply a basis for change.

Photo's and audio if possible..please!!!

Ah excellent, the perfect excuse not to study on a Saturday

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[Sardine]
My Photos: http://www.airplane-pictures.net/member ... .php?p=882
Blog: http://the-flying-fish.blogspot.com/, UPDATED on 13 September 2012

Awesome .. Will definitively be there !!

Is this Shackleton still airworthy?

Technically it is still airworthy but there are no qualified (and airworthy) crew left so it has not flown in the last few years.

Why wasn't 1717 restored instead of 1722? It had been resparred, IIRC, and would have had many more hours left on it than 1722.

1717 had the spar cut after it was retired and moved to the Midmar Dam in 1987.

Pity - I seem to recall being told that when the restoration project was first mooted that the choice was between 1716 and 1717 and at that time it was still in storage.

Only because the mainspar still has remaining hours. As a system (engines, airframe, avionics and crew) it has not been airworthy for at least 5 years. Very sad, but true

Swartkop will be hosting their air show this weekend so the Shackleton's ground run can be seen as Ysterplaat's "mini airshow".

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Money cannot buy happiness, but it's more comfortable to cry in a Mercedes Benz than on a bicycle.

I have never heard a recording of Rolls-Royce Griffon(s) that did the slightest justice to the actual sound. Something one has to hear live to experience the pathos.

I want to update the Wikipedia article on the Shack - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Shackleton which still lists 22 as the "last flying example".
The problem I have is that I cannot find a single acceptable citable source that definitively states that it has been grounded since <date>.
I can't believe that absolutely no newspaper, magazine, website, etc. ever published a report about the end of its flying career. Without such a source the WP article will have to continue giving outdated information.

@Dean - When you write the next article about the show for DefenceWeb please include a statement about when and why it stopped flying.

How many hours are still left on the mainspar?

I recall that SAAF personnel performed the previous resparring on some of the airframes.

I assume they got spars from the UK?

How difficult would it be to remake a new spar locally?