Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ironhead]

according to teletext tonight,there are plans to put the plane at Coventry Airport back in the skies the aim is to have it taxiing in 2 months,and flying within 7 years.there is a £5m appeal to do the work required.

[Rick]

I read something about this not so long back, it'll be great if it happens

There was a TV series years ago called Perpetual Motion, it was made at around the time of the Shackleton's withdrawal. Wasn't one of the final flying examples abandoned in a desert, after having engine problems while being delivered to its new home?

RJ
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[Norfolkjohn]

Rick - I believe you are thinking of the Ex South African Airforce MR3 that crash landed in the Sahara Desert in 1994. This was A/C 1716 "Pelican 16" which had been restored / maintained in airworthy condition by the SAAF museum. It was on its way to the International Air Tattoo at Fairford in the UK but while flying at night in very high temperatures over the Sahara the #4 engine failed due to overheatinng. This was soon followed by the #3 which suffered a major mechanical failure on the translation unit that was part of the control mechanism for the contra-rotating propellers. With the aircraft unable to maintain height it was belly landed in the desert without injury to the crew. Bit more info and some pics here :
http://wikimapia.org/25472757/SAAF-Avro-Shackleton-1716-Pelican-16

There was a Shackleton (AEW2 WL790) flying in the USA until a few years ago but it is now in the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson Arizona.

The Shack at Coventry has been capable of running all 4 engines for a good few years and had a fairly recent repaint. It would be a big effort to get it flying again but if the money can be raised anything is possible. Would certainly be great to see. Little bit more on the story here :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-21726075
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One thorn of experience is worth a whole wilderness of warning

[Scotty]

I remember the 'old grey ladies' flying out of RAF Lossiemouth when I was younger, quite a sight to see them clawing their way into the sky.

[Penman]

Hi
I wonder if this one could be got flying again.
http://www.mosi.org.uk/explore-mosi/explore-galleries/air-space-gallery.aspx
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[P3steve]

Chap in our car club flew them in the 1950/60s and says he carried out bombing missions during the suez crises. He must of been one of the last group of RAF people to carry out bombing mission with a four engine pistion aircraft.
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