As per Jetstream Man’s previous thread regarding the two Shackletons at Paphos, Cyprus, please find below a number of pictures I took yesterday. They show their basic condition, inside and out, plus just how close the construction has got – bulldozers actually worked under the wings, with instructions not to damage them!
The new (French) Airport Manager and the recently privatized operating company for Paphos Airport realise the historic significance of the airframes and they will be moved on Monday, along with that French thingymajig, to the opposite end of the airfield. A crane will be used if it proves too difficult to tow them and engineering support from the local RAF base will assist – I understand that a few ex Shack men are serving there at present.
Precise ownership of the aircraft is a little cloudy, but whether it’s the Government, the CAA or the airport, it is hoped that at least one of them will be put on public display.
Should I get any updates, I’ll post…
John
By: Nashio966 - 21st February 2008 at 01:16
Originally posted by Jon H
Or we send Camlobe over there and tell him his return flight is on whichever one he gets flying first!
Tell you what. I’ll do you all a deal. You guys and gals make sure it is fully and properly funded, and I’ll fix one of them and fly it back. 🙂
Did I mention that, as well as having some bits of paper that say I can certify American and European registered aircraft, I also have some bits of paper that say I can fly American and European registered multi-engined aircraft.:D
camlobe
Could you give me an estimated bill by the end of the month? afterwards you can start on XR223 thats in my garage :diablo:
By: mike currill - 21st February 2008 at 01:08
Somewhat tongue in cheek JB, but a tempting thought nonetheless.
By: J Boyle - 20th February 2008 at 23:48
Maybe we can form a “Shackleton to the sky” association, get a lottery grant, get them airworthy to take to airshows! :rolleyes:
Sorry, couldn’t resist.:o
By: Camlobe - 20th February 2008 at 23:14
Originally posted by Jon H
Or we send Camlobe over there and tell him his return flight is on whichever one he gets flying first!
Tell you what. I’ll do you all a deal. You guys and gals make sure it is fully and properly funded, and I’ll fix one of them and fly it back. 🙂
Did I mention that, as well as having some bits of paper that say I can certify American and European registered aircraft, I also have some bits of paper that say I can fly American and European registered multi-engined aircraft.:D
camlobe
By: Steve Bond - 19th February 2008 at 16:43
Will do, give me a few days.
By: Binbrook 01 - 19th February 2008 at 14:28
Steve, did you get your slides back from Fuji?
Any chance of posting the pics of the Phaphos Shacks?
Tim
By: Marauder - 5th January 2008 at 10:20
I’ve just been looking on google earth… At less that 150meters from the sea, I cant think of a much worse environment for them. Does anyone know who actually owns them?
Aircraft are owned by the airfield operator “Hermes”, a consortium of companies that acquired Paphos and Larnaca airports from the government in 2006. When they were moved from their long-term parking position to allow for construction of the new terminal building, the plan was to have them on display in some kind of picnic area. However, this initial (and genuine) enthusiasm appears to have stalled somewhat…
By: Oovebei - 4th January 2008 at 23:21
ah but at least they are in one piece, far too many Good aircraft have been scrapped in this country. as had already been mentioned, they would probably have been scrapped if they were in the uk, neither would have lasted this long in our weather or with the people 🙂
Your absolutely right, however as a fan of the aircraft in question I would prefer to see a more stable long term option.
As you say at least for the moment they are fairly safe and will not suffer the fate of other great planes such as the Woodford Vulcan (which I must pop by and see soon)
By: Nashio966 - 4th January 2008 at 17:58
ah but at least they are in one piece, far too many Good aircraft have been scrapped in this country. as had already been mentioned, they would probably have been scrapped if they were in the uk, neither would have lasted this long in our weather or with the people 🙂
By: Oovebei - 4th January 2008 at 17:55
It’s another case of who was going to buy and preseve them in the U.K if Savvas hadn’t bought them? I would suggest they have survived at lot longer than they could have potentially done in the U.K. Look at the overall condition of the Duxford MR.3 – certainly not sparkling and thats a preserved aircraft. The environment for preserving aircraft outside is better in Cyprus than the U.K.
True but their current position does not help their cause – sea air is not ideal 🙁
By: David Burke - 4th January 2008 at 17:29
It’s another case of who was going to buy and preseve them in the U.K if Savvas hadn’t bought them? I would suggest they have survived at lot longer than they could have potentially done in the U.K. Look at the overall condition of the Duxford MR.3 – certainly not sparkling and thats a preserved aircraft. The environment for preserving aircraft outside is better in Cyprus than the U.K.
By: Jon H - 4th January 2008 at 16:48
It wasn’t a flyer when I saw it at Lossie in 1989.
I was amazed when they scrapped the gate guard as that was MR.2 dummied up to look like an AEW.
My comment was meant very much tongue in cheek 😛
Jon
By: pagen01 - 4th January 2008 at 16:45
A one off ferry flight perhaps?! 😉
Jon
It wasn’t a flyer when I saw it at Lossie in 1989.
I was amazed when they scrapped the gate guard as that was MR.2 dummied up to look like an AEW.
By: Jon H - 4th January 2008 at 15:55
Does anyone know how the AEW (Dodo) trainer got to Paphos?
A one off ferry flight perhaps?! 😉
Can’t remember exact details but remember seeing a picture of it waiting on a dockside to be shipped….
Jon
By: pagen01 - 4th January 2008 at 15:28
I’m not sure thats right Nashio, they might look bad, but as you suggest that could be climate damage. They need a good survey really. I’m led to believe that they are still internally intact.
Does anyone know how the AEW (Dodo) trainer got to Paphos?
By: Nashio966 - 4th January 2008 at 15:06
so all in all these two are, out of the survuving shacks (bar the long marston example) in the worst condition, sad really, because they are both mostly complete arent they? 🙁
By: Binbrook 01 - 4th January 2008 at 14:48
Here is an idea, althought I doubt it will ever be more than a pipe dream:( 🙁 sadly….
Given that 23 Squadron (part of the RAF E-3D Sentry community) at RAF Waddington has preseved one of the ex Coningsby decoy Phantoms, how about 8 Squandron going one or maybe two better…
Bring them back and stick one on display in Alpha dispersal at Waddington and the other one could go to East Kirkby….I wish.
Oh well back to reality:eek:
Althought I have a question, whatever happened to the original owner, I assume he washed his hands of them and did a runner long ago?
Tim
By: Steve Bond - 4th January 2008 at 13:44
When I get my films back from Fuji, I will post some shots I took last week, so that you can see just how bad things are.
By: Jon H - 4th January 2008 at 13:41
Even if cockpit/fuselage sections and Griffons could come back to the UK and be preserved, that would be better than what’s happening to them at the moment. They would make great walk through exhibits for any museum.
Real shame…… Made all the more worse having checked on demobbed and found the ‘AEW TRAINER’ WR967 is there as well!
Sadly since the type is well represented over here the only way anything (cockpit/engines etc) would find its way back is if a private individual really wanted a chunk of shackleton…..
Or we send Camlobe over there and tell him his return flight is on whichever one he gets flying first! 😀
Jon
By: VX927 - 4th January 2008 at 13:38
I’ve just been looking on google earth… At less that 150meters from the sea, I cant think of a much worse environment for them. Does anyone know who actually owns them?
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