Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

Post Reply
Message
Author
More Aviation

Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#1 Post by More Aviation » Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:27 pm

The SAAF purchased eight Shackletons in 1953 to replace the Short Sunderland maritime patrol aircraft and they subsequently served an extremely long and distinguished operational career being operated by 35 Squadron SAAF where they patrolled the sea lanes around the Cape of Good Hope as well as search and rescue operations around the Cape. The aircraft finally succumbed to lack of spares and the running out of the fatigue life of the aircraft in 1984 but one aircraft has been restored and is still airworthy although the crew, some in their 70's, are starting to feel their age. Here is a video of the aircraft flying around the Cape peninsular in 2008. (Video kindly pointed out by a poster on another aviation site. Quality of videos not great but the aircraft begs forgiveness of all that).

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc85UGhum50&feature=share[/bbvideo]

Here is a longer and very interesting BBC2 history of the Shackleton...

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elENLa01XHA[/bbvideo]

MA

User avatar
ian16th
Chief Pilot
Chief Pilot
Posts: 10029
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 9:35 am
Location: KZN South Coast with the bananas
Gender:
Age: 87

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#2 Post by ian16th » Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:41 pm

I believe that they still do engine runs with the one at Ysterplaat.

The supporters main problem is simply cash. Whereas the old NP government subsidised them, the ANC one doesn't.
Cynicism improves with age

More Aviation

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#3 Post by More Aviation » Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:45 pm

ian16th wrote:I believe that they still do engine runs with the one at Ysterplaat.

The supporters main problem is simply cash. Whereas the old NP government subsidised them, the ANC one doesn't.


You are correct ian16th, unfortunately the ANC see little point in funding the current SAAF, let alone the Shackleton, save for ensuring corporate jets are at the beck and call of ministers and ANC cadres.

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQbrKf-lFRY[/bbvideo]

MA

54Phan
Snr FO
Snr FO
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 7:23 pm
Location: The GTA, usually
Gender:
Age: 69

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#4 Post by 54Phan » Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:29 pm

Wow! Excellent videos, I know what I will be doing the rest of the day. Thanks for posting!

User avatar
izod tester
Capt
Capt
Posts: 519
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:27 pm
Location: Forest of Dean
Gender:
Age: 76

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#5 Post by izod tester » Thu Feb 23, 2017 5:52 pm

Monique Lyons used to be a volunteer at the Ysterplatt museum. She is now in UK where she has constructed a 60" wingspan model of a SAAF Shackleton. Video of it flying is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtk_PMPWIw

Capetonian

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#6 Post by Capetonian » Thu Feb 23, 2017 8:34 pm

Last time I was at Ysterplaat, they tried to stop me taking photos of the Shack. No idea why. I did anyway!

Cacophonix

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#7 Post by Cacophonix » Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:39 pm

I have very warm memories of the Ysterplaat as it was back in the 70's when one Afrikaans Major invited my best friend and me onto the base after we had cycled from Rondesbosch (at the age of 12) to watch the helicopters practising for an upcoming air display. A really kind man who saw two kids sitting outside the perimeter fence and made a point of having us invited in to watch him and his men flying the Wasps. One of those thing you remember for the rest of your life.

Ysterplaat.JPG
Ysterplaat.JPG (70 KiB) Viewed 1468 times


Ysterplaat1.JPG
Ysterplaat1.JPG (47.73 KiB) Viewed 1461 times


Caco

Cacophonix

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#8 Post by Cacophonix » Fri Feb 24, 2017 10:05 pm

izod tester wrote:Monique Lyons used to be a volunteer at the Ysterplatt museum. She is now in UK where she has constructed a 60" wingspan model of a SAAF Shackleton. Video of it flying is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqtk_PMPWIw


How lovely is that? Well done to Monique. :-bd

Caco

Cacophonix

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#9 Post by Cacophonix » Fri Feb 24, 2017 11:27 pm

I see she has also modelled the SAAF Buccaneer! ^:)^

Image

http://www.pssaonline.co.uk/gallery-pag ... caneer.htm

[bbvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gLlHYkBd_s[/bbvideo]

The video has a McCully Workshop theme! :-bd

Caco

Cacophonix

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#10 Post by Cacophonix » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:41 pm

Bleak times for 35 Squadron based at Ysterplaat!

The SA Air Force (SAAF) is currently not able to perform any maritime patrol taskings because none of its C-47TP aircraft are operational.

This was revealed in reply to a Parliamentary question posed by Democratic Alliance (DA) shadow defence and military veterans minister, Kobus Marais.

He was told by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, in writing, that “none of the seven Dakotas are currently operational or serviceable due to the implementation of air worthiness directive on the primary flight controls”.

The directive apparently relates to a wiring corrosion problem, which has neither been confirmed nor denied by the SAAF, after questions going back to last year. This all but ensures current and future deployments for the Southern African Development community (SADC) anti-piracy tasking, Operation Copper, will be limited to maritime and electronic listening platforms.

With no apparent intent to acquire new maritime aviation platforms the airborne arm of the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will also not be able to contribute to maritime security, as expected in the blue economy sector of Operation Phakisa. It is also not able to deliver when it comes to search and rescue operations in South African waters and further.

The Ministerial answer appears to leave AFB Ysterplaat-based 35 Squadron grounded until such time as the corrosion problem can be eliminated and at least some of its more than 70 year-old aircraft made airworthy and returned to the flight line.

While not completely grounded, 28 Squadron finds itself in a precarious condition.

The AFB Waterkloof-based transport squadron’s fleet of nine C-130BZ aircraft are also – understandably – showing signs of age. They have been operational for more than 50 years and according to Mapisa-Nqakula only three aircraft are currently serviceable.

Her written answer to Marais’ question states: “six of the nine C-130s are operational with three of those six being serviceable”.

She was not nearly as forthcoming in replying to another question asked by Marais.

He wanted to know whether the board of inquiry established to look into possible irregularities at 21 Squadron, the SAAF VIP transport unit, has completed its work and compiled a report on its findings. If not, Marais wanted the Minister to provide him with a date when the report would be available to the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. As far as can be ascertained the board was established more than a year ago but this could not be confirmed.

The Ministerial response reads: “the board of inquiry is not completed yet”.


http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?o ... Itemid=242

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/35_Squadron_SAAF

Caco

Capetonian

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#11 Post by Capetonian » Thu Mar 23, 2017 12:59 pm

I am not sure which is sadder, the fact that these beautiful historic aircraft are no longer flying, or the fact the governmunt does not see fit to supply the SADF/SAAF with the funds to procure more modern and appropriate aircraft.

User avatar
izod tester
Capt
Capt
Posts: 519
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2015 5:27 pm
Location: Forest of Dean
Gender:
Age: 76

Re: Ysterplaat to nostalgia - The Avro Shackleton

#12 Post by izod tester » Thu Mar 23, 2017 4:53 pm

For those of us that are in CT on Saturday:

Image

Not me unfortunately.

Post Reply