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[Martin_1962]

The Shackleton had Griffon engines, (with contra rotating props) which were a later & much more powerful version of the Merlin. So powerful in fact, they could actually fly on 1 engine.

Merlin 27l (PV12 project)

Griffon 36l (Descended from the R type racing engine)

[Olympia5776]

Ahhh.... The Shackelton  
I looked after some "equipment" at RAF Lossimouth which required regular trips there in the mid to late Eighties. Shackletons were still in front line service then and I used watch them slowly and I mean sloooowwlyyy set off down the runway rattling and shaking always wondering if they were going to make it , but they did .
Incredible planes ,what was the saying " fourteen thousend rivetts flying in formation".     Respect......
My mate launched the last transatlantic Shack flight from Goose Green twice but thats for him to say why.....
If you want to cry then look at this
http://www.skippyscage.com/aviation/az/wl790/
They also had the last ( I believe ) Canberra  in service which I seen on two occassions with a set of golf clubs in the second seat and a squadron of Buccaneers .
Ah happy daze.....
Don

[Olympia5776]

Ahhh.... The Shackelton  
I looked after some "equipment" at RAF Lossimouth which required regular trips there in the mid to late Eighties. Shackletons were still in front line service then and I used watch them slowly and I mean sloooowwlyyy set off down the runway rattling and shaking always wondering if they were going to make it , but they did .
Incredible planes ,what was the saying " fourteen thousend rivetts flying in formation".     Respect......
My mate launched the last transatlantic Shack flight from Goose Green twice but thats for him to say why.....
If you want to cry then look at this
http://www.skippyscage.com/aviation/az/wl790/
They also had the last ( I believe ) Canberra  in service which I seen on two occassions with a set of golf clubs in the second seat and a
squadron of Buccaneers .
Ah happy daze.....
Don

PS click on each of the three photos for the show....

[Mr Skrunts]

Should live where I do

Hawk's spending all day in the air, F18's visit often, and the od GR1's

but nothing is better than having a pair of long bow's and chinook flying level with the office windows...

It's great living and working on the flight path to RAF Valley

Oh and free air shows too !

Red arrows live there

Imagine one of these flying by.    WoW.



Planes are just getting bigger , more powerfull and more devastating.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Although of cource the Shackleton was NOT the successor to the Lancaster....it was simply a modified Lanc to support a different role.

The successor was a truly massive leap forward for what was a design out of the same team as produced the Lanc.

This picture is a current favourite of mine.......note the new modern up-start in the middle, both the two old planes currently have a more proven and effective weapons system at the moment!

[HerefordElite]

After commenting on Mike F's great avatar in his thread "Wow, what an offer..........NOT"  it prompted me to consider the aircraft I have most admired in my life.  This is basically anything with four piston engines!

As a child in Malta I used to love the sight and sound of RAF Shackelton maritime patrol planes, the successor to the wartime Lancaster (and its four wonderful Merlin engines, the ultimate V12! ) which  sounded so sweet.   (Yes I also love the Spitfire for it's looks and that beautiful Merlin engine; but that is the exception not for this thread!)  There was also the B17's and B24's that reminded you of the 80,000 American airmen who lost their lives flying from England fighting tyranny.

Then you had civilian four engine prop planes; the DC6 I flew in when 10; the Constanation; the Vanguard.  In modern times there is the Hercules, which I used to admire flying in and out of RAF Lynham in the 80s and 90s; what a site they were, and with the sound of power with often exhaust trails, you could just imagine them being Lancasters on bombing runs (with those handsome heros inside). Wow!    How sexy!  

You just cannot beat four V12 piston engines in motion; even wonderful four engined jets ('V' bombers, Comets, Concord, etc)do not  have the same element of visual and audio excitment.

On a separate note, although it did not have four engines, and never (well I don't think so!) took off and flew, there was a car called 'The Beastie' in the 1970s and 80s which had that beautiful Merlin V12 engine fitted.  It could do a minimum of 70 mph in reverse, and an uknown top speed (250 mph?) in forward gear .  Rolls Royce objected to it wearing their grill (the car itself wasn't a RR) but it seemed to represent a great memorial to THAT engine and all those pilots who sadly lost their lives flying planes with it.

you might like this then Lizzie http://www.ppcmag.co.uk/projectcardetail.asp?id=4 it's a Rover SD1 with a Meteor engine which is the tank version of the RR Merlin V12 !!!

sounds like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-aC5B348rA&feature=related

turn the sound up it's glorious

[Elite Pete]

My favorite

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=jZLnOlaFGac&feature=related

[bedders]

Some time ago, I worked at Bae Systems, Brough, where the Buccaneer was & currently the Hawk is made. They still have a "Bucc" as a gate guardian, but it's not in a very good state now. It was very interesting to listen to the old hands recounting the dare devil flying of the test pilots.
As the Buccaneer was designed for Carrier work, it had fold up wing tips, but on at least one occassion, the pins which held them in the flying position, sheared and the poor test pilot didn't stand a chance.
They are a big aircraft & built for flying at zero altitude over the sea, with all the buffeting associated, hence the strength of the things.

[FRE07962128]

Just for Lizzy,

A shackleton with it's replacement in the background.

   Thanks Growler!  

[FRE07962128]

Red Arrow -> ->





I have always admired these beuts

My favourite Plane

I know its not 4 pistons but i dont know much about planes so i just said my favourite plane

So do I Jim, and I loved the Black Arrows of the late 1950s / early 1960s too.

I will always remember looking at a photographic display featuring the Red Arrows in the window of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society window in Cirencester with my ex, when suddenly those very aircraft flew low overhead.  Quite surreal!

[FRE07962128]

I saw a programme on a team who restored a super constellation. The sound of the 72 air cooled cylinders of the 4 wright cyclones was described as being like "a hell's angel's funeral".  

I pity the poor sod who gets to change the spark plugs though.

Heard a few tasty sounding aircraft earlier when I was in the garage LPGing. Have just remembered there's a war re-enactment at the Watercress Line. Should have had a look. Last time I was treated to a Spitfire, a P51 and a Dakota display visible from my own back garden.

Kevin

Kevin

What a marvelous, beautiful and magical mix Kevin!  I am so envious! 8-) 8-)

[FRE07962128]

lizzi you should live near me then you would get to see all the planes you spoke of most days
and i must admit i still get a lump in my throat when i see the Lancaster and Spitfire fly over the house just the thought of the men who died so i can live brings a tear to my eyes

I know exactly what you mean Andy!  We owe those wonderfully brave men so much!  May we never forget and all the time those magnificant living memorials can be kept flying the majority of us never will.

[FRE07962128]

Should live where I do

Hawk's spending all day in the air, F18's visit often, and the od GR1's

but nothing is better than having a pair of long bow's and chinook flying level with the office windows...

It's great living and working on the flight path to RAF Valley

Oh and free air shows too !

Red arrows live there

Wow, you are lucky to be there Jon!

[Growler]

Perhaps you might like this in your garden Lizzie

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1319775,00.html

[Kevin Wood]

I saw a programme on a team who restored a super constellation. The sound of the 72 air cooled cylinders of the 4 wright cyclones was described as being like "a hell's angel's funeral".  

I pity the poor sod who gets to change the spark plugs though.

Heard a few tasty sounding aircraft earlier when I was in the garage LPGing. Have just remembered there's a war re-enactment at the Watercress Line. Should have had a look. Last time I was treated to a Spitfire, a P51 and a Dakota display visible from my own back garden.

Kevin

Kevin

What a marvelous, beautiful and magical mix Kevin!  I am so envious! 8-) 8-)

It gets better. I had a tip off that the spitty was overnighting at the gliding club where I am a member so I saw another impromptu display when it arrived there, and even got to have a look over it at close quarters.

Kevin


EDIT: As I hit the send button I heard a rumble, turned and looked out of the window to see a Dakota doing a tight turn over my back garden!