Issue 24 of Aviation Classics looks at the Avro Shackleton – a tough maritime patrol aircraft that entered service with the Royal Air Force in 1951 and was to growl its way across the oceans of the world for an unprecedented 40 years.
The Shackleton was powered by four Rolls-Royce Griffons driving 13ft diameter contra-rotating propellers, the inner propeller turning clockwise when seen from the rear, the forward propeller turning in the opposite direction.
Once again edited by Tim Callaway, who has a broad aviation pedigree, this issue of Aviation Classics comprises the publication’s now established quality mix of features and photographs. This 132 page glossy A4 perfect bound ‘bookazine’ will look at how:
- The unusual noise the engines made gave rise to the nickname of ‘The Growler’, which appropriately is the name of the magazine of the Shackleton Association.
- The design was a development of the Avro Lincoln bomber, itself being derived from the wartime Avro Lancaster
- The requirement of the Shackleton began during the Second World War, where a number of bomber aircraft had been modified to provide long range cover to the vital transatlantic convoys in the five year battle against the threat of German U-boats.
- The first Shackleton MR Mk.1s were delivered to 120 Squadron on March 30, 1951, the last was not to retire until the AEW Mk.2s of 8 Squadron were replaced by the Boeing E-3D Sentry in 1991.
Author: Tim Callaway
