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114-604: The Avro Shackleton is a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) which was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the South African Air Force (SAAF). It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber , which itself had been a development of the famous wartime Avro Lancaster bomber. The Shackleton was developed during the late 1940s as part of Britain's military response to

228-422: A Napier Naiad turboprop in the nose. It later flew, bearing the civilian "Class B" test registration G-37-1 , with a similarly placed Rolls-Royce Tyne which it displayed at the 1956 Society of British Aircraft Constructors (SBAC) show, making a low level flypast on just the nose Tyne, the four Merlins being shut down and propellers feathered. SX973 had a Napier Nomad diesel turbo-compound installed in

342-652: A MPA variant of the Dassault Falcon 900 corporate jet instead. Japan has developed multiple purpose-designed MPAs during this period. The Shin Meiwa PS-1 flying boat was designed to meet a Japanese requirement for a new ASW platform. A modernised derivative of the PS-1, the ShinMaywa US-2 amphibian, was introduced during the early twenty-first century to succeed the PS-1. The land-based Kawasaki P-1

456-717: A consequence of the end of the war, production in Canada was halted after only a single aircraft had been constructed. Production in Australia went ahead: the Lincolns that were manufactured there were operated by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). During early 1945, the British Government immediately set about restoring the country to a peacetime stance, which involved the demobilisation of

570-476: A fourth RAAF Lincoln squadron, No. 10 was formed on 17 March 1949 at RAAF Townsville as a reconnaissance unit. During the 1950s, RAAF Lincolns participated in combat operations in Malaya, operating alongside RAF examples. The RAAF based the B.Mk 30s of No.1 Squadron at Tengah, for the duration of operations in Malaya. These Lincolns served with 10 Squadron RAAF at RAAF Base Townsville , Garbutt, Queensland ;

684-517: A gradual toll. By November 1984, the fatigue lives of all but the two re-sparred aircraft had expired and the fleet was retired into storage. Although the joke has been applied to several aircraft, the Shackleton was often described as "a hundred thousand rivets flying in close formation." Three prototype Type 696s were ordered in May 1947 to meet specification R 5/46: The Mark 2 had a longer nose and

798-591: A hundred vessels being sunk in South African waters by enemy vessels between 1942 and 1945. In the postwar situation, the South African Air Force sought a large and capable platform to perform the maritime patrol role. After evaluating four RAF MR 2s in 1953, an order was placed for eight Shackletons as a replacement for the SAAF's aging Short Sunderland maritime patrol aircraft. Modifications were required to fulfill South African conditions and requirements, such as

912-531: A large amount of electronic equipment, the Type 696 had a much-improved crew environment over other aircraft types to allow them to be more effective during the lengthy mission times anticipated. During development the Type 696 was provisionally referred to as the Lincoln ASR.3 before the officially allocated name 'Shackleton' was selected. The first test flight of the prototype Shackleton GR.1, serial VW135 ,

1026-425: A large-scale submarine attack is a remote one, and many of the air forces and navies have been downsizing their fleets of patrol planes. Those still in service are still used for search-and-rescue, counter-smuggling, anti piracy , antipoaching of marine life, the enforcement of the exclusive economic zones , and enforcement of the laws of the seas . The earliest patrol aircraft carried bombs and machine guns. Between

1140-484: A mine as a security measure. It sank 37 Axis submarines during the war. The Cold War era saw the introduction of the nuclear depth bomb , a depth charge with a nuclear warhead that raised the probability of a kill against a submarine to a near-certainty as long as detonation occurred. While anti-submarine warfare is the main role of patrol aircraft, their large payload capability has seen them fitted for various weaponry outside their nominal role. The Lockheed P-3 Orion

1254-549: A much-improved crew environment to accommodate the long mission times involved in patrol work. Being known for a short time as the Lincoln ASR.3 , it was decided that the Type 696 would be named Shackleton in service, after the polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton . It entered operational service with the RAF in April 1951. The Shackleton was used primarily in the ASW and MPA roles, but it

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1368-503: A number of SAAF Shackletons were used during the SS Wafra oil spill , intentionally sinking the stricken oil tanker using depth charges to prevent further ecological contamination. During the 1970s, the Shackleton was replaced in the maritime patrol role by the jet-powered Hawker Siddeley Nimrod . During its later life, a small number of the RAF's existing Shackletons received extensive modifications in order to adapt them to perform

1482-585: A pair of Armstrong Siddeley Python turboprops outboard in place of the Merlins, and was used for the ballistic casing drop-test programme for the Blue Danube atomic weapon. SX972 was further modified to fly with a pair of Bristol Proteus turboprops. RA716/G had a similarly placed pair of Bristol Theseus turboprops and later also flew with Rolls-Royce Avon turbojets replacing the pair of turboprops. Lincoln Test Bed RF530 kept its Merlins but had

1596-532: A similar nose-mounted installation. RA643 flew with a Bristol Phoebus turbojet in the bomb bay, and SX971 had an afterburning Rolls-Royce Derwent mounted ventrally. A pair of Lincoln IIs were operated by D. Napier & Son Ltd. for icing research from 1948 to 1962. A transport conversion of the Lincoln II, using the streamlined nose and tail cones of the Lancastrian and a ventral cargo pannier,

1710-653: A stopgap measure for maritime search and rescue and general reconnaissance duties; however, RAF Coastal Command had diminished to only a third of its size immediately after the Second World War. In the emerging climate of the Cold War and the potential requirement to guard the North Atlantic from an anticipated rapid expansion of the Soviet Navy 's submarine force, a new aerial platform to perform

1824-567: 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 . In 1957, British RAF Shackletons participated heavily during Jebel Akhdar War in Oman to expand the territory of the Sultanate, which was a de facto British colony, in order to gain access to oil wells in

1938-595: Is a British four-engined heavy bomber , which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster , the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V ; these were renamed Lincoln I and II . It was the 2nd last piston-engined bomber operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). The Lincoln attained operational status in August 1945. It had been initially assigned to units of

2052-407: Is available here. Data from Flight International, Jones General characteristics Performance Armament Avionics Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Maritime patrol aircraft Among other maritime surveillance resources, such as satellites , ships, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and helicopters ,

2166-761: The Allies . In the Pacific theatre , the Catalina was gradually superseded by the longer-ranged Martin PBM Mariner flying boat. For the Axis Powers , there were the long-range Japanese Kawanishi H6K and Kawanishi H8K flying boats, and the German Blohm & Voss BV 138 diesel-engined trimotor flying boat, as well as the converted Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor airliner landplane. To finally close

2280-502: The Bay of Biscay targeting U-boats starting out from their base. As a result of Allied successes with patrol aircraft against U-boats, the Germans introduced U- flak (submarines equipped with more antiaircraft weaponry) to escort U-boats out of base and encouraged commanders to remain on the surface and fire back at attacking craft rather than trying to escape by diving. However, U-flak

2394-658: The British Aerospace Nimrod AEW3 , suffered considerable development difficulties which culminated in the Nimrod AEW 3 being cancelled in favour of an off-the-shelf purchase of the Boeing E-3 Sentry , which allowed the last Shackletons to be retired in 1991. During the Second World War, the importance of securing the sea routes around the Cape of Good Hope had been made apparent, with over

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2508-505: The Falklands War in order for it to be able to attack any Argentine Air Force patrol planes they might encounter. Maritime patrol aircraft are typically fitted with a wide range of sensors: A modern military maritime patrol aircraft typically carries a dozen or so crew members, including relief flight crews, to effectively operate the equipment for 12 hours or more at a time. Avro Lincoln The Avro Type 694 Lincoln

2622-576: The Grand Slam bomb to be carried. It had a higher operational ceiling and longer range than its Lancaster predecessor, being capable of a maximum altitude of 35,000 ft (6.6 mi; 11 km) and a maximum range of 4,450 miles (7,160 km). The prototype Lancaster IV, later renamed the Lincoln I , was assembled by Avro's experimental flight department at Manchester 's Ringway Airport . According to aviation author Kev Delve, development of

2736-638: The Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation in the 1960s, Shackletons monitored the seas for vessels involved in arms smuggling . Similar operations were conducted in Cyprus , and Shackletons operating from bases in Madagascar cooperated with Royal Navy vessels to enforce a United Nations -mandated oil blockade of Rhodesia . The Shackleton would often be used to perform search and rescue missions, at all times one crew being kept on standby somewhere across

2850-517: The Iron Curtain . Small numbers remained in use with Nos 7, 83 and 97 Squadrons until the end of 1955, at which point the type was phased out, having been replaced by the first of the V bombers . During the 1950s, RAF Lincolns participated in operations in Kenya against Mau-Mau insurgents. During this action, they were operated from Eastleigh . The Lincoln was also deployed to Malaya during

2964-689: The Lulu nuclear depth charge for ASW, but those were removed from the arsenal and scrapped decades ago. Produced in United States , Japan and Canada , the P-3 has been operated by the air forces and navies of United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, Iran, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand , Norway , Spain, and Taiwan. The Canadian version is called the CP-140 Aurora . During

3078-688: The Malayan Emergency , where it was used against insurgents aligned to the Malayan Communist Party . In Malayan theatre, RAF Lincolns were operated from Changi Air Base and Tengah Air Base . In excess of 3,000 sorties were flown during their 7 + 1 ⁄ 2 -year deployment, during which half a million pounds of bombs dropped, 85 per cent of the total bomb tonnage dropped during the Malayan emergency. On 12 March 1953, an RAF Lincoln ( RF531 "C") of Central Gunnery School

3192-594: The Mediterranean , Adriatic and other coastal areas while the Germans and British fought over the North Sea. At first, blimps and zeppelins were the only aircraft capable of staying aloft for the longer ten hour patrols whilst carrying a useful payload while shorter-range patrols were mounted with landplanes such as the Sopwith 1½ Strutter . A number of specialized patrol balloons were built, particularly by

3306-880: The Mid-Atlantic gap , or "Black Gap", a space in which Axis submarines could prey on Allied shipping out of reach of MPAs, the British Royal Air Force , the Royal Canadian Air Force , and the US Army Air Forces introduced the American Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber , which had a very long range for the era. The B-24 was also used at the basis for the PB4Y-2 Privateer , a dedicated MPA variant adopted in large numbers by

3420-777: The Napier Nomad compound engine. The Shackleton IV was cancelled in 1955 and the Canadian requirement subsequently met by the Britannia Maritime Reconnaissance later to emerge as the Canadair Argus . In 1967, ten MR 2s were modified as training aircraft to replace the T 4 in-service with the Maritime Operational Training Unit; known as T 2s, the crew rest areas were replaced by additional radar equipment and

3534-670: The Supermarine Stranraer , which had begun to be replaced by monoplanes just before the outbreak of war. The British in particular used obsolete bombers to supplement purpose-built aircraft for maritime patrol, such as the Vickers Wellington and Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley , while the US relegated the Douglas B-18 Bolo to the same role until better aircraft became available. Blimps were widely used by

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3648-689: The Tiger Force , a Commonwealth heavy bomber force which had been intended to play a role in the Japan campaign in the closing stages of the Second World War , but the war ended before the Lincoln could participate. Production of the type proceeded and the type was adopted in quantity, complementing and progressively replacing the Lancaster in RAF service during the late 1940s. The Lincoln

3762-772: The United States Navy , especially in the warmer and calmer latitudes of the Caribbean Sea , the Bahamas , Bermuda , the Gulf of Mexico , Puerto Rico , Trinidad , and later the Azores . A number of special-purpose aircraft were also used in the conflict, including the American-made twin-engine Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats, and the large, four-engine British Short Sunderland flying boats of

3876-691: The airborne early warning (AEW) role. The type continued to be used in this support capacity until 1991, when it was replaced by the Boeing E-3 Sentry AEW aircraft. These were the last examples of the type remaining in active service. The Battle of the Atlantic was a crucial element of the Second World War , in which Britain sought to protect its shipping from the German U-boat threat. The development of increasingly capable diesel-electric submarines had been rapid; in particular,

3990-598: The carrier-based Grumman S-2 Tracker . During the 1970s, the P2V was entirely replaced by the Lockheed P-3 Orion , which remained in service into the early twenty-first century. The P-3, powered by four turboprop engines, is derived from the 1950s era Lockheed Electra airliner. In addition to their ASW and SAR capabilities, most P-3Cs have been modified to carry Harpoon and Maverick missiles for attacking surface ships. American P-3s were formerly armed with

4104-537: The snorkel virtually eliminated the need for submarines to surface while on patrol. Aircraft that had once been highly effective submarine-killers had very quickly become incapable in the face of these advances. In addition, lend-leased aircraft such as the Consolidated B-24 Liberator had been returned following the end of hostilities. Several Avro Lancasters had undergone rapid conversion – designated as Maritime Reconnaissance Mk 3 (MR3) – as

4218-431: The 1960s, in response to North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new MPA, the Breguet 1150 Atlantic was developed by a French-led multinational consortium, Société d'Étude et de Construction de Breguet Atlantic (SECBAT). Operators of the type include the French Navy , the German Navy , the Italian Air Force , the Pakistan Navy , and the Royal Netherlands Navy . During

4332-402: The 1980s, an updated version, the Atlantic Nouvelle Génération or Atlantique 2 , with new equipment and avionics was introduced, which included a new radar, sonar processor, forward-looking infrared camera turret, and the ability to carry the Exocet anti-shipping missile. By 2005, French manufacturer Dassault Aviation had decided to terminate marketing efforts for the Atlantic, promoting

4446-436: The Atlantic to reduce the warning available to surfaced U-boats , while US Navy aircraft transitioned from an upper light blue-gray and lower white to an all-over dark blue due to the increasing threat of Japanese forces at night-time. In the decades following the Second World War, the MPA missions were partially taken over by aircraft derived from civilian airliners. These had range and performance factors better than most of

4560-399: The British Air Ministry proceeded to formulate and release Specification B.14/43 , which sought an improved piston-engined heavy bomber to replace the wartime four-engine bombers, the Short Stirling , the Handley Page Halifax , and the Avro Lancaster . One Lincoln B Mk XV pattern aircraft was completed in Canada by Victory Aircraft ; a follow-up order for a total of six RCAF variants

4674-413: The British, including the SS class airship of which 158 were built including subtypes. As the conflict continued, numerous aircraft were developed specifically for the role, including small flying boats such as the FBA Type C , as well as large floatplanes such as the Short 184 , or flying boats such as the Felixstowe F.3 . Developments of the Felixstowe served with the Royal Air Force until

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4788-478: The Cape. In March 1971, Shackletons successfully intervened in the SS Wafra oil spill , deliberately sinking the stricken oil tanker with depth charges in order to prevent an ecological disaster. The only operational loss incurred was 1718 K, which crashed into the Wemmershoek mountains at night time on 8 August 1963 with the loss of all thirteen crew. Due to an embargo imposed by the United Nations over South Africa's policy of apartheid , acquiring components for

4902-409: The Government Aircraft Factory (GAF), to construct the earlier Lancaster Mk III. In its place, it was decided to proceed with manufacturing a variant of the Lincoln I, re-designated the Lincoln Mk 30, to replace the Consolidated Liberators . This model was manufactured between 1946 and 1949, and is the largest aircraft ever constructed in Australia. Orders for a total of 85 Mk 30 Lincolns were placed by

5016-565: The Lincoln had proceeded relatively smoothly. On 9 June 1944, the prototype conducted its maiden flight from Ringway Airport. Testing of the prototype quickly proved it to have favourable flight characteristics. In February 1945, the first production Lincoln was completed. The type was mainly produced at Avro's Woodford, Cheshire and Chadderton Lancashire factories; additional aircraft were also constructed by Armstrong Whitworth at their Coventry facilities. Separate production lines were also established in Canada and Australia, although, as

5130-436: The Lincoln was replaced by a new generation of bombers using jet propulsion . In 1967, the last Lincoln bombers in Argentinian service were retired. The Avro Lincoln originated from a design produced by Roy Chadwick as a development of the earlier Lancaster bomber which had been produced with the purpose of conforming with the requirements of the Specification B.14/43. Known initially as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V ,

5244-448: 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. Various armaments and equipment were carried by

5358-505: The MPA is an important asset. To perform ASW operations, MPAs typically carry air-deployable sonar buoys as well as torpedoes and are usually capable of extended flight at low altitudes. The first aircraft that would now be identified as maritime patrol aircraft were flown by the Royal Naval Air Service and the French Aéronautique Maritime during the First World War , primarily on anti-submarine patrols. France, Italy and Austria-Hungary used large numbers of smaller patrol aircraft for

5472-466: The MR 2s. Due to the arms embargo against South Africa, the SAAF's MR 3s never received these upgrades but were maintained independently by the SAAF. The Type 719 Shackleton IV, later known as the MR 4 , was a projected variant intended to meet a Canadian requirement for a long-range patrol aircraft. The MR 4 would have been practically a new aircraft, sharing only the nose, cockpit, and outer wings with earlier variants; it would have also been powered by

5586-447: The MR.Mk 31 standard, which included an updated radar. Further aircraft were also derived from the Lincoln. A dedicated maritime patrol aircraft , designated the Avro Shackleton , was developed for the RAF and the South African Air Force (SAAF). Additionally, Avro decided to develop a commercial airliner, known as the Tudor , which harnessed elements of the Lincoln, such as its wings, in combination with various new elements, such as

5700-412: The MR1. The radar was upgraded to ASV Mk 13 , and the radome relocated from the aircraft's nose to a ventral position aft of the bomb bay, the radome was retractable and could be fully extended only with the bomb bay doors open. It had improved allround radar coverage and minimised the risk of bird strikes. Both the nose and tail section were lengthened, the tailplane was redesigned, the undercarriage

5814-508: The Mk 2 force was progressively upgraded, with Phase I, II and III modifications introducing improved radar, weapons and other systems, as well as structural work to increase fatigue life. Production of the MR 2 ended in May 1954. The Type 716 Shackleton MR 3 was another redesign in response to crew feedback and observations. A new tricycle undercarriage was introduced, the fuselage was increased in all main dimensions and had new wings with better ailerons and tip tanks. The weapons capability

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5928-408: The P-3C, which later became the sole ASW type operated by the service. The Soviet Union developed the Ilyushin Il-38 from a civilian airliner. Similarly, the Royal Canadian Air Force derived the Canadair CP-107 Argus from a British airliner, the Bristol Britannia . The Argus was superseded by the CP-140 Aurora, derived from the Lockheed Electra. Since the end of the Cold War , the threat of

6042-415: The RAAF, although only 73 were produced. The first five Australian examples ( A73–1 to A73–5 ), were assembled at Fishermans Bend using a large proportion of imported British-made components. On 17 March 1946, A73-1 conducted its début flight; the first entirely Australian-built Lincoln, A73-6 , was formally delivered in November 1946. The Mk 30 initially used four Merlin 85 engines, this arrangement

6156-422: The RAF. The true figures suggest rather differently in that some of its contemporaries fared far worse, such as the Gloster Meteor with over 430 fatal losses of aircrew against the Shackleton's 156. Several programs to support and extend the fatigue life limits of the Shackleton's airframe were required; the fatigue life problems ultimately necessitated the rapid introduction of a whole new maritime patrol aircraft in

6270-426: The Shackleton fleet became increasingly difficult and thus the aircraft's serviceability suffered. The fleet had been modified to Phase III standards prior to the implementation of the arms embargo, albeit without the auxiliary Viper engine. Two of the aircraft were re-sparred, 1716 J in the United Kingdom and 1717 O in South Africa by the SAAF, but the lack of engine spares and tyres, together with airframe fatigue, took

6384-920: The Shackleton in order to perform its missions. In ASW operations, the ASV Mk 13 radar was the primary detection tool; it could detect a destroyer at a range of 40 nautical miles (46 mi; 74 km), a surfaced submarine at 20 nautical miles (23 mi; 37 km), and a submarine's conning tower at 8 nautical miles (9.2 mi; 15 km), although rough seas considerably reduced the radar's effectiveness. Other equipment included droppable sonobuoys , electronic warfare support measures and an Autolycus diesel fume detection system . A special camera bay housed several reconnaissance cameras capable of medium altitude and nighttime vertical photography, and low-altitude oblique photography. The crew would also perform visual searches using various lookout positions that were provided for this purpose. Weapons carried included up to nine bombs, three homing torpedoes or depth-charges ;

6498-559: The Shackleton was thwarted by the need to provide AEW coverage in the North Sea and northern Atlantic following the withdrawal of the Fleet Air Arm 's Fairey Gannet aircraft used in the AEW role in the 1970s. As an interim replacement, the existing AN/APS-20 radar was installed in modified Shackleton MR 2s, redesignated the AEW 2 , as an interim measure from 1972. These were operated by No. 8 Sqn , based at RAF Lossiemouth . All 12 AEW aircraft were given names from The Magic Roundabout and The Herbs TV series. The intended replacement,

6612-476: The UK for this role. The Shackleton had also replaced the Avro Lincoln in the colonial policing mission, aircraft often being stationed in the Aden Protectorate and Oman to carry out various support missions, including convoy escorting, supply dropping, photo reconnaissance, communication relaying, and ground-attack missions; the Shackleton was also employed in several short-term bombing operations. Other roles included weather reconnaissance and transport duties, in

6726-441: The US Navy, which saw service late on in the Pacific theatre. During the conflict, there were several developments in air-to-surface-vessel radar and sonobuoys , which enhanced the ability of aircraft to find and destroy submarines, especially at night and in poor weather. Another area of advancement was the adoption of increasingly effective camouflage schemes, which led to the widespread adoption of white paint schemes in

6840-468: The ability to operate over the Indian Ocean , the resulting aircraft was designated the Shackleton MR 3. On 18 August 1957, the first two Shackletons were delivered to D.F. Malan Airport , Cape Town . Two more followed on 13 October 1957 and the remainder arrived in February 1958. Delivered to the same basic standard as the RAF's MR 3s, they were assigned single letter codes between "J" and "Q" and operated by 35 Squadron SAAF . The type typically patrolled

6954-411: The addition of toebrakes and a lockable rudder system. One production Mk 1 aircraft was modified on the line at Woodford with the Mk 2 changes and first flew on 17 June 1952. After trials were successful, it was decided to complete the last ten aircraft being built under the Mk 1 contract to MR 2 standard and further orders were placed for new aircraft. In order to keep pace with changing submarine threats,

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7068-415: The addition of two Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines at the rear of the outboard engine nacelles to be used for assisted takeoff. The wing main spars had to be strengthened due to the additional engines. A new navigation system was also fitted and there were some modification to the internal arrangement, including a shorter crew rest area to give more room for the tactical positions. A complete list

7182-406: The adoption of a pressurised fuselage , to perform passenger operations. During 1945, the RAF received its first Lincoln, which was delivered to No. 57 Squadron based at RAF East Kirkby , Lincolnshire . In August 1945, No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron began to re-equip with the Lincoln at RAF Spilsby , Lincolnshire. However, No. 75 (NZ) Sqn had received just three aircraft prior to VJ Day , and

7296-449: The aircraft also had two 20 mm cannon in a Bristol dorsal turret. An in-flight refueling receptacle could be accommodated, but was not fitted on production aircraft. The Merlin engines were replaced with the larger, more powerful and slower-revving Rolls-Royce Griffons with 13-foot-diameter (4.0 m) contra-rotating propellers . This engine's distinctive noise often caused crew members to develop high-tone deafness. The Griffon

7410-408: 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. Maritime reconnaissance was a large element of the Shackleton's service. This mission was often performed to identify and monitor naval and merchant shipping and to demonstrate sovereignty. During

7524-447: The aircraft lost during stalling trials. An additional eight aircraft were exported to South Africa . The aircraft underwent several phased modifications. The Phase 1 update introduced changes mainly to the internal equipment. The Phase 2 update introduced electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment, the distinctive Orange Harvest 'spark plug' and an improved High Frequency radio. The third of three MR 3 modification phases including

7638-438: The aircraft with a 13-hour flight endurance , and a modified bomb bay to accommodate torpedoes . According to pilot feedback, the Lincoln Mk 31 was particularly difficult to land at night, as the bomber had a tailwheel undercarriage and the long nose obstructed the pilot's view of the runway. In 1952, 18 aircraft were rebuilt to this standard, and were reallocated new serial numbers accordingly. Ten were subsequently upgraded to

7752-603: The anti-submarine mission was required. Work had begun on the requirement for a new maritime patrol aircraft in 1944, at which point there had been an emphasis for long-range platforms for Far East operations; however, with the early end of the war in the Pacific, the requirement was refined considerably. In late 1945, the Air Staff had expressed interest in a conversion of the Avro Lincoln as general reconnaissance and air/sea rescue aircraft; they formalised their requirements for such an aircraft under Air Ministry specification R.5/46. Avro's Chief Designer Roy Chadwick initially led

7866-453: The avionics were known for their unreliability, and the aircraft proved to be fairly maintenance-intensive. The prototype MR 3 was lost due to poor stalling characteristics; this was rectified prior to production, although a satisfactory stall-warning device was not installed until 1969. The Shackleton is often incorrectly assigned the unfortunate distinction of holding the record for the highest number of aircrew killed in one type in peacetime in

7980-499: The changes included the addition of Lancastrian nose and tail cones, additional fuel tanks, and removal of armament; this led to the aircraft becoming the first Avro Lincolnian. Modified as such, the aircraft received a civilian registration and was named Cruz del Sur ; it undertook its first aerial supply flight to the Antarctic San Martín Base in December 1951. Lincolns were frequently employed as testbeds in new jet engine development. RF403 , RE339/G and SX972 flew with

8094-537: The discovery of corrosion in the wing spars led to the type's premature retirement in 1961. The Lincoln MR.Mk 31 was the final variant to see service in Australia. From 1947, the Lincoln bomber served with the Fuerza Aerea Argentina ; Argentina had procured a total of 30 aircraft, together with a batch of 15 secondhand Lancasters. The adoption of the Lincoln effectively gave Argentina the most powerful bombing force in South America. Eighteen of these Lincolns were newly built, along with twelve ex-RAF aircraft. In 1947,

8208-634: The effort to build an aircraft to this requirement, designated as the Avro Type 696 . The Type 696 was a significant development upon the Lincoln. Elements of the Avro Tudor airliner were also reused in the design; Lincoln and Tudor had been derivatives of the successful wartime Avro Lancaster bomber. Crucially, the new aircraft was to be capable of a 3,000-nautical-mile (3,500 mi; 5,600 km) range while carrying up to 6,000 pounds (2,700 kg) of weapons and equipment. In addition to featuring

8322-479: The engine's power and torque , this not being possible due to space limitations imposed by the undercarriage length and engine nacelle positioning; the contra-rotating propellers gave greater blade area within the same propeller diameter. Numerous problems were encountered during the Shackleton's operational service. In practice, the diesel fume detection system was prone to false alarms and thus received little operational use. The engines, hydraulics, and elements of

8436-594: The envisioned aircraft, while bearing considerable similarity to the Lancaster, featured numerous improvements, such as the adoption of stronger, longer span, higher aspect ratio (10.30 compared with 8.02) wings along with two-stage supercharged Rolls-Royce Merlin 85 engines fitted within Universal Power Plant (UPP) installations. The new bomber also possessed an enlarged fuselage that accommodated increased fuel and bomb loads and allowed up to 11 tons of various armaments and equipment fittings including

8550-500: The first AEW.2 flew on 30 September 1971 and the type entered service with 8 Squadron on 1 January 1972. The AEW.2 was retired on 1 July 1991. Shackleton MR.Mk.3 Maritime reconnaissance, anti-shipping aircraft. The tailwheel configuration was replaced by a tricycle undercarriage, addition of a nose entrance hatch, wingtip tanks to increase fuel capacity. To increase crew comfort the inside was sound proofed, better crew seats and rearranged tactical team positions. To make room for some of

8664-506: The form of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod , which began being introduced to RAF service in 1969. 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 type soon came to be nicknamed The Growler , on account of the engine noise from the four Rolls-Royce Griffon engines. The first operational deployment of the Shackleton occurred in 1955 as

8778-524: The four detached crews and aircraft became No. 1426 Flight RAF , officially a photographic reconnaissance unit. It was later sent to Aden , carrying out patrols in the lead-up to the Aden Emergency . As the RAF Lincolns became unserviceable, primarily due to progressive wear and tear, they were replaced by a variety of jet-powered aircraft. The Lincolns of Bomber Command were phased out from

8892-657: The interior parts of Oman. The RAF made 1,635 raids, dropping 1,094 tons and firing 900 rockets at the interior of Oman between July and December 1958 targeting insurgents, mountain top villages, water channels and crops in a war that remained under low profile. 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 programmes being carried out to strengthen

9006-418: The internal rearrangement the dorsal turret was not fitted. The first MR.3 flew on 2 September 1955; the aircraft had problems with stalling characteristics and crashed on 7 December 1956. The variant entered service with 220 Squadron at RAF St Eval in August 1957. The RAF ordered 52 aircraft but later following the 1956 Defence Review it was reduced to 33 aircraft. An additional aircraft was also built to replace

9120-527: The late 1940s, the RAF introduced the Avro Shackleton  – a specialised MPA derivative of the Avro Lancaster bomber – in anticipation of a rapid expansion of the Soviet Navy 's submarine force. An improved model of the Shackleton, the MR 3 , was introduced, featuring various structural improvements, along with homing torpedoes and Mk 101 Lulu nuclear depth bombs . During

9234-643: The late 1960s, a jet-powered replacement in the form of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod , a derivation of the De Havilland Comet airliner, begun to be introduced. During the 2000s, an improved model, the BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4 , was in development, but was cancelled and eventually substituted for by the Boeing P-8 Poseidon . The U.S. Navy flew a mixture of MPAs, including the land-based Lockheed P2V Neptune (P2V) and

9348-519: The latter role each Shackleton could carry freight panniers in the bomb bay or up to 16 fully equipped soldiers. In 1969, a jet-powered replacement patrol aircraft, the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod , began to enter RAF service, which was to spell the end for the Shackleton in most roles. While radically differing in external appearance, the Shackleton and the initial version of the Nimrod shared many sensor systems and onboard equipment. The intention to retire

9462-589: The mid 20s, and with the US Navy as the Curtiss F5L and Naval Aircraft Factory PN whose developments saw service until 1938. During the war, Dornier did considerable pioneering work in all aluminium aircraft structures while working for Luftschiffbau Zeppelin and built four large patrol flying boats, the last of which, the Zeppelin-Lindau Rs.IV , influenced development elsewhere resulting in

9576-607: The mid-1950s and had been completely replaced by jet bombers by 1963. The last Lincolns in RAF service were five operated by No. 151 Squadron, Signals Command, at RAF Watton , Norfolk , which were retired on 12 March 1963. From late 1946, Australian-built Lincolns were phased into No. 82 Wing , based at RAAF Base Amberley , Ipswich, Queensland . The type quickly replaced the Liberator bombers that had been operated by 12 , 21 and 23 Squadrons. In February 1948, these units were renumbered 1 , 2 and 6 Squadrons respectively;

9690-505: The military and, more specifically, the disbanding of many squadrons of the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a part of cost-saving measures. A new emphasis was soon placed on 'quality over quantity' during the rationalisation process, seeking to employ fewer but more capable aircraft to perform their envisioned roles; while there was no longer any urgency in bringing new types of aircraft into service, limited procurement of equipment that fell within this ethos did proceed. In accordance with this aim,

9804-485: The original radar fittings removed. 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

9918-544: The performance of the prototype had been such that, in addition to the go-ahead for the MR1's production, a specification for improved variant was issued in December 1949, before the first production Shackleton had even flown. By 1951, the MR1 had become officially considered as an interim type due to several shortcomings. The MR 2 was an improved version of the Shackleton, featuring numerous refinements that had been proposed for

10032-420: The radome was moved to the ventral position. Lookout position in tail. Dorsal turret and two more 20 mm cannons in nose. Twin retractable tailwheels. One aircraft, WB833, originally ordered as an MR.1 was built as an MR.2 prototype and first flew on 17 June 1952. The last ten MR.1s on the production line were completed as MR.2s and orders for 80 new-build aircraft were placed; the last 21 were completed as MR.3s and

10146-454: The rapid expansion of the Soviet Navy , in particular its submarine force. Produced as the primary type equipping RAF Coastal Command , the Type 696 , as it was initially designated, incorporated major elements of the Lincoln, as well as the Avro Tudor passenger aircraft, and was furnished with extensive electronics suites in order to perform the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) mission along with

10260-734: The replacement of wooden hulls with metal ones, such as on the Short Singapore . The success of long range patrol aircraft led to the development of fighters specifically designed to intercept them, such as the Hansa-Brandenburg W.29 . Many of the Second World War patrol airplanes were converted from either bombers or airliners , such as the Lockheed Hudson which started out as the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra , as well as older biplane designs such as

10374-589: The sea lanes around the Cape of Good Hope, often monitoring Soviet vessels traversing between the Indian and Atlantic oceans. The Shackleton was briefly used in low-level overland patrols along the Southern Rhodesian border, but these duties ended following concerns of the disturbance of wildlife. Often, the Shackleton would be called in to perform search and rescue operations in the treacherous waters around

10488-450: The small escort carriers of WWII became available to cover the deep oceans, and the land air bases in the Azores became available in mid-1943 from Portugal . As technology progressed the bombs and depth charges were supplemented with Acoustic torpedoes that could detect, follow and then explode against an enemy submarine. The US Navy began fielding the Mark 24 mine in 1943, labelled as

10602-677: The so-called "GIUK Gap" of the North Atlantic that extends from Greenland to Iceland, to the Faroe Islands , to Scotland in the United Kingdom . Air bases for NATO patrol planes have also been located in these areas: U.S. Navy and Canadian aircraft based in Greenland, Iceland, and Newfoundland; British aircraft based in Scotland and Northern Ireland ; and Norwegian, Dutch, and German aircraft based in their home countries. During

10716-503: The total number of MR.2s built was 69. The first aircraft entered service with 42 Squadron at RAF St Eval in January 1953. The aircraft were later modified, in parallel with phased modifications to the Mk.3: MR.Mk.2 Phase 1 or MR.Mk.2C As per Mk.3 Phase 1. Also received the sonics plotting table from the Mk.3 The Shackleton MR.Mk.2 Phase 2 was as per Mk.3 Phase 2. The MR.Mk.2 Phase 3

10830-486: The type entered service with I Grupo de Bombardeo of V Brigada Aérea . By the beginning of 1965, eleven of these remained in operational use, the majority of these were retired during the next year. In 1967, the final examples of the Lincoln were retired. The Argentine aircraft were used in bombing missions against domestic rebels. Lincolns were deployed during an attempted military coup conducted in September 1951,

10944-675: The type was also used by both the government and rebel forces during the 1955 Revolución Libertadora coup which resulted in Argentinian President Juan Perón being deposed. Argentine Lincolns were also used to conduct supply airdrops in support of Argentine operations in the Antarctic region. In 1948, one of the bombers was returned to Avro for modification at RAF Langar in Nottinghamshire to allow it to operate these Antarctic support flights;

11058-540: The wars the British experimented with equipping their patrol aircraft with the COW 37 mm gun . During World War II, depth charges that could be set to detonate at specific depths, and later when in proximity with large metal objects replaced anti-submarine bombs that detonated on contact. Patrol aircraft also carried defensive armament which was necessary when patrolling areas close to enemy territory such as Allied operations in

11172-545: The wartime bombers. The latest jet-powered bombers of the 1950s did not have the endurance needed for long, overwater patrolling, and they did not have the low loitering speeds necessary for antisubmarine operations. The main threat to NATO maritime supremacy throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and the 1980s was Soviet Navy and Warsaw Pact submarines. These were countered by the NATO fleets, the NATO patrol planes mentioned above, and by sophisticated underwater listening systems. These span

11286-424: Was also frequently deployed as an aerial search and rescue (SAR) platform and for performing several other secondary roles such as mail delivery and as a crude troop-transport aircraft. In addition to its service with the RAF, South Africa also elected to procure the Shackleton to equip the SAAF. In South African service, the type was operated in the maritime patrol capacity between 1957 and 1984. During March 1971,

11400-402: Was also upgraded to include homing torpedoes and Mk 101 Lulu nuclear depth bombs . To reduce crew fatigue on 15-hour flights, the sound deadening was improved and a proper galley and sleeping space were included. Due to these upgrades, the takeoff weight of the RAF's MR 3s had risen by over 30,000 lb (13,600 kg) (Ph. III) and assistance from Armstrong Siddeley Viper Mk 203 turbojets

11514-566: Was as per Mk.3 Phase 3, except that the Viper engines were not fitted. Shackleton T.2 Ten MR 2 Phase 3 aircraft were modified in 1967 as T.2s at Langar to replace the T.4s with the Maritime Operational Training Units as radar trainers, with master and slave radar positions for training installed. Shackleton AEW.2 In 1971 twelve MR.2s were converted at Woodford and Bitteswell as Airborne Early Warning aircraft,

11628-552: Was cancelled shortly following the end of hostilities. Along with two additional Lincoln (Mk I and Mk II) aircraft on loan from the RAF, the type was briefly evaluated postwar by the RCAF. The Lancaster V/Lincoln II differed mainly in that it was fitted with Merlin 68A engines. Prior to the Lincoln being developed, the Australian government had already formulated plans for its Department of Aircraft Production (DAP), later known as

11742-678: Was deployed on operations during the 1950s. RAF squadrons equipped with the type fought against guerrilla fighters during the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya; the RAF and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also operated the Lincoln during the Malayan Emergency . The type also saw significant peacetime service with the RAF, RAAF and the Argentine Air Force . Lincolns were also operated in civil aviation, including use as aerial test beds for aero-engine research. In RAF service,

11856-524: Was disbanded quickly thereafter. During the postwar climate, the Lincoln quickly equipped the bomber squadrons of the RAF. Nearly 600 Lincolns were constructed to equip a total of 29 RAF squadrons, the majority of which were based in the United Kingdom. They were supplemented and partially replaced by 88 Boeing Washingtons , on loan from the USAF , which had longer range and could reach targets inside

11970-544: Was fitted with underwing pylons that could carry a variety of common American weapons, including the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, the air-to-ground AGM-65 Maverick , as many as ten of the CBU-100 Cluster Bomb , rocket pods, sea mines, and the standard issue Mark 80 general purpose bombs. The Royal Air Force 's Hawker Siddeley Nimrod was fitted with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles in 1982 during

12084-570: Was introduced during the 2010s by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) as a replacement for the aging P-3C Orion . Both the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Australian Navy met their early postwar MPA needs via a stretched-fuselage modification of the Avro Lincoln bomber. However, the type was soon supplemented and eventually replaced by new aircraft, such as the P2V and later

12198-622: Was known as the Avro 695 Lincolnian . One Lincoln Freighter Mk.2 G-ALPF, former RAF RE290, converted by Airflight Ltd. was used on the Berlin Air Lift by Surrey Flying Services Ltd. Four Lincolnian conversions by Field Aircraft Services for use as meat haulers in Paraguay were not delivered and subsequently scrapped. Data from Jane's all the World's Aircraft 1947, Aircraft of

12312-553: Was later changed to a combination of two outboard Merlin 66s and two inboard Merlin 85s. A further improved later version, designated Lincoln Mk 30A, had four Merlin 102s. During the 1950s, the RAAF heavily modified some of their Mk 30 aircraft to perform anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions, re-designating them Lincoln GR.Mk 31 . These examples had a 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) longer nose to house acoustic submarine detection gear and its operators, larger fuel tanks to provide

12426-534: Was made on 9 March 1949 from the manufacturer's airfield at Woodford, Cheshire in the hands of Avro's Chief Test Pilot J.H. "Jimmy" Orrell. The GR.1 was later redesignated "Maritime Reconnaissance Mark I" (MR 1). The prototype differed from subsequent production Shackletons in a number of areas; it featured a number of turrets and was equipped for air-to-air refuelling using the looped-line method . These did not feature on production aircraft due to judgments of ineffectiveness or performance difficulties incurred. However,

12540-610: Was needed because the Shackleton was heavier and had more drag than the Lincoln. The Griffon provided equivalent power to the Merlin but at lower engine speed , which led to reduced fuel consumption in the denser air at low altitudes; the Shackleton would often loiter for several hours at roughly 500 ft (150 m) or lower when searching for submarines. Lower-revving Griffons, compared to Merlins, reduced engine stress which improved their reliability. Using conventional propellers would have needed an increase in propeller diameter to absorb

12654-513: Was needed on takeoff with a 5-minute limit. The Griffons had to be run at high power for very long periods after a heavyweight take-off so the Vipers were later cleared to run for four hours continuously so lower Griffon power settings could be used which reduced the risk of failures. The extra strain took a toll on the airframe, and flight life of the RAF MR 3s was so reduced that they were outlived by

12768-523: Was short-lived, as opposing pilots adapted their tactics. Equipping submarines with radar warning receivers and the snorkel made them harder to find. To counter the German long-range patrol aircraft that targeted merchant convoys, the Royal Navy introduced the " CAM ship ", which was a merchant vessel equipped with a lone fighter plane which could be launched once to engage the enemy planes. Later,

12882-489: Was shot down 20 mi (32 km) NE of Lüneburg , Germany by several Soviet MiG-15s as it flew to Berlin on a radar reconnaissance flight, killing the seven crew members. In November 1955, four Lincolns of No. 7 Squadron RAF were detached for duties in British territories in the Middle East. In Bahrain , they carried out border patrols of the then Trucial States . When 7 Sqn was disbanded in December 1955,

12996-500: Was strengthened and twin-retractable tailwheels were fitted. The Bristol dorsal turret was initially retained, but was later removed from all aircraft after delivery. The prototype, VW 126, was modified as an aerodynamic prototype at the end of 1950 and first flew with the MR 2 modification on 19 July 1951. VW 126 was tested at Boscombe Down in August 1951, particular attention being paid to changes made to improve its ground handling, such as

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