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Subject: Avro Shackleton
Date: 16 Dec 2016 15:59:07 -0800
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avro_Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft used by
the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was
developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber, itself being a development of
the famous wartime Avro Lancaster bomber. It was replaced by Nimrod maritime
patrol aircraft in the 1970s. The aircraft was also adapted for airborne early
warning (AEW) roles within the RAF, replaced by the Boeing E-3 Sentry in 1990.
The type is named after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.
Entering service with the RAF in 1951, the Shackleton was used primarily in the
anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) roles; it also
became used as a search and rescue (SAR) platform and for performing several
other secondary roles such as being a troop-transport. In later life, a small
number of the RAF's Shackletons were subsequently adapted for airborne early
warning (AEW) duties, performing in this capacity until the type's retirement in
1991. The Shackleton was also procured by South Africa, and was operated by the
SAAF between 1957 and 1984.
The Shackleton was a purpose-built aircraft for the maritime patrol role;
however, the legacy of Avro's preceding aircraft is present in many aspects of
the overall design. The centre section of the Shackleton's wing originates from
the Lincoln, while the outer wing and undercarriage were sourced from the Tudor
outer wings; at one stage during development, the tailplane had closely
resembled the Lincoln's, but was enlarged and changed soon after. An entirely
new fuselage was adopted, being wider and deeper to provide a large space in
which to accommodate the crew, their equipment, and a large bomb bay. Later
variants of the Shackleton were substantially redesigned, adopting a new
nosewheel undercarriage, redesigned wings and centre-section, and a larger fuel
capacity for more range.
Role
Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer
Avro
First flight
9 March 1949
Introduction
April 1951
Retired
1991
Primary users
Royal Air Force
South African Air Force
Produced
Number built
185
Developed from
Avro Lincoln
On 30 March 1951, the first Shackleton was delivered to No. 120 Squadron RAF; by
the end of 1952 seven squadrons were operating the type. The first operational
deployment of the Shackleton occurred in 1955 as a troop-transport for British
Army movements to Cyprus; less than a year later, the type's first combat
deployment took place during the Suez Crisis, codenamed Operation Musketeer.
During the 1960s, the typical Shackleton crew comprised two pilots, two
navigators, a flight engineer, an air electronics officer, and four air
electronics operators. During this period, equipment upgrades had become routine
in order to keep pace with ever more capable submarines; problems with airframe
fatigue were identified, leading to several programs being carried out to
strengthen the aircraft and thus extend its viable service life. In 1966,
nuclear depth charges were introduced to the Shackleton's arsenal with the aim
of countering the Soviets' development of deep-diving submarines.
Specifications
General characteristics
Crew: ten
Length: 87 ft 4 in (26.61 m)
Wingspan: 120 ft (36.58 m)
Height: 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m)
Airfoil: modified NACA 23018 at root, NACA 23012 at wingtip
Empty weight: 51,400 lb (23,300 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 86,000 lb (39,000 kg
Fuel capacity: 4,258 imperial gallons (19,360 L)
(1,460 kW) each
Propellers: contra-rotating propeller, two per engine Propeller diameter: 13 ft
(4 m)
Performance
Maximum speed: 260 kn (300 mph, 480 km/h)
Range: 1,950 nmi (2,250 mi, 3,620 km)
Endurance: 14.6 hours
Service ceiling: 20,200 ft (6,200 m)
Minimum power/mass: 91 hp/lb (150 W/kg))
Armament
Bombs: 10,000 lb (4,536 kg) of bombs, torpedoes, mines, or conventional or
nuclear depth charges, such as the Mk 101 Lulu
*
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