Cypriot Shackletons

[QUOTE=Twilight2002]LAHARVE: Compliments on your photos. This is very likely the first ever pic of the Cypriot Ka-32 Helix-B’s published on the net. The colour scheme is very interesting. A pair of Ka-32’s in mustard-yellow primer were used during 18 month trials between 2000 – 2002, and am not certain if these are the ones or not, which were purchased in 2003 after lengthy tender.

Four (not to good) pics of the Ka-32’s flying over the appartment we were staying in October 2003.

What a shame to see these Shacks in this state. Surely, even if scrapping them is the only option, there must be plenty there worth saving. I think particularly of the fact that many of the running Griffon engines have at least partial Shack lineage…and the fact that CWH’s Lancaster only flies because it is fitted with Shackleton wheels (on Lincoln gear), the original Lanc parts having been an impractical proposition. And then there’s that recurring idea about sticking a Shack Griffon on a Fury airframe…! Beyond that, there’s the surely-achievable notion of restoring the Shack cockpit sections. Wish I were in a position to do something…anything…about these… 🙁

S.

LAHARVE: Compliments on your photos. This is very likely the first ever pic of the Cypriot Ka-32 Helix-B’s published on the net. The colour scheme is very interesting. A pair of Ka-32’s in mustard-yellow primer were used during 18 month trials between 2000 – 2002, and am not certain if these are the ones or not, which were purchased in 2003 after lengthy tender.

I go through Paphos routinely and have seen the Shackeltons along with a French made plane in a cluster at the edge of the cargo sidings by the main airport road. I am afraid that the last time I saw them they were in pretty bad shape, and I have previously enquired about them. There was some plan (you obviously know this already), to build a museum as a business venture next to the Paphos terminal, but the plan went bust about 12 months after the aircraft arrived. For reasons unknown, the two planes were impounded, though I am led to believe that that impound permit expired years ago, and the owner has not reappeared to move the planes (!). As far as I have been able to tell from 20 yards, both planes could be salvaged as static-displays in good condition, but the cost of putting them back in to flying operation would be high, and one might need to be cannibalised to do it.

Thanks Peter it looked like a late addition thought maybe someone was living in them!

It a heater for keeping the crew warm on cold winter nights.
It was the final attempt to keep the temperature inside warm for those crew who were not Naviagtors, who somehow always got the warmth!

whats the silver looking tube thingy on the left side below the nuber 8??

Just in time for Rememberance Day.. We shall never forget what WL747 used to look like!

In that last pic it looks as though there’s a hatch open above the wing on 747. I bet the inside’s as bad as outside.

Regards,
Richard

This is such a pity. I flew in one of them in 1991 (WL757) and it is so sad now to see them like this.

I would still like to know why are the props missing? as well as that wing skin panel…?

Moondance, those pictures are absolutely awesome.

If that was 1994 they must be in a terrible state now.

Regards,
Richard

they do look the same…

Papa Lima,
it does look like they have had their tires pumped up since the last pics I saw of them. Makes one wonder what shape the engines are in?

The sad thing is that IIRC they actually flew in after the auction. I think they have stood in exactly the same place since the moment they were parked.

The eggbeaters look a bit like Hormones…

Yep. Ka-32s they are.

what the…..?

Why the missing prop was it nearby or damaged or…??

Does anybody know how they ended up there, were they on there way to some other destination or was Cyprus their intended new home?

sadly maybe it is about time that they were scrapped??

No new info, but a couple of shots, taken from out at sea as we passed by during August 2004, left to right unidentified Flament, Shackleton XL757, and Shackleton XL747. Also noted were two unidentified Russian helicopters, any ideas.

The last mention I saw on here was that the wheels had sunk into the ground and the airfield was after getting them moved. 🙁
mmitch.