Avro Shackleton MR3 WR982 Engine Run & Walk Around - Gatwick Aviation Museum

Avro Shackleton MR3, WR982, coded 'J' Juliet, having her engines run at Gatwick Aviation Museum on 27 July 2024, followed by a walk around.

Construction of this Shackleton was completed in February 1958 (construction number 26.2.58) and she was delivered to 23 Maintenance Unit (MU), Royal Air Force (RAF) on the 4th of March 1958, before being issued to 206 Squadron, coded B. She was dispatched to Woodford on the 21st of April 1958 for investigation into engine fading incidents on Ministry of Aviation (MoA) free loan to Avro (Contract KD/L/ 035/CB6(a)).

WR982 returned to the RAF at St. Mawgan on 13th of June 1959 and was then re-issued to 206 Squadron.

The aircraft was allocated to 49MU during November 1959 for Phase I modification by Avro and this was completed in January 1960. She was then issued to 203 Squadron and coded G. In November 1961 she was sent to Avro at Langar for Phase II update, and was retained for Phase III Trial Installation work from 26th January 1962 and was handed over to the MoA Air Fleet. Following the conversion and contractor's trials, WR982 was delivered to the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), Boscombe Down on the 14th of April 1964 for Controller Aircraft Release and trials of Phase III armament, including bomb-bay heating, auxiliary fuel tank jettisoning, special stores drops and an investigation into vibration problems. On completion of these trials on the 20th of May 1965, the aircraft was allocated to Hawker Siddeley Aviation (HSA) for refurbishing prior to RAF service.

She arrived at HSA Langar (a former RAF, USAAF and RCAF airfield in Nottinghamshire) on the 25th of May 1965 and on completion was ferried to RAF Kinloss on the 12th of November 1965 and issued to 120 Squadron coded as A. During the period of March 1966 to July 1966 a pair of Armstrong Siddeley Viper turbojet engines were installed by HAS, fitted to the rear of each outboard engine nacelle for assisted take off. Once this work had been completed, WR982 was transferred to 201 Squadron and coded J. During February 1967 she was moved to RAF Kinloss on Flying Wing charge, retaining J code.

From March 1967 to May 1967 WR982 was at 60MU for fitment of an STR.70 (Standard Telephones & Cables Radio Division) radio altimeter. On the 4th of August 1967 she was allotted to MinTech on loan for Viper (with water methanol) take-off trials and clearance of the radar altimeter at the A&AEE.

WR982 was ferried to Boscombe Down on the 7th of August 1967 and remained there until the 28th of November 1967, when she was returned to RAF Kinloss, still as 'J'. She retained this code until withdrawn from service in September 1970. She was flown to RAF Cosford on the 6th of October 1970 for use as an instructional airframe at No. 2 School of Technical Training (SoTT). At this time she received the maintenance serial 8106M. The aircraft was sold by the Ministry of Defence during 1988, in 'fair condition', to Peter Vallance who founded and located her at the museum where she now rests.

http://www.gatwick-aviation-museum.co.uk


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