SHACKLETON DATA

 

POWER PLANTS

Four 12-cylinder, 60’ Vee, pressure liquid-cooled, two-speed, single-stage supercharged Rolls-Royce

Griffon engines producing 1960 hp (2435 hp with water methanol) at maximum power.

 

                    Variants

MR I/T.4     MR 2           MR 2           MR 3           MR 3*         AEW/T.2

                                                            Ph I/II          Ph III           Ph IIII          Ph III

57/57A        57/57A        58                57A             58                58

*and two 2500 lb thrust Rolls-Royce Viper 203 power plants.

 

PROPELLERS

De Havilland 13 ft-diameter counter-rotating, constant-speed, fully feathering units.

 

FRONT:      Left-hand tractor DF 1 60/3 34/1 or DB 171/334/1

                     with basic setting and fine pitch 23’, feathered 90’.

 

REAR:         Right-hand tractor DF 1 60/336/1 or DB 171/336/1

                    with basic setting and fine pitch 24’, feathered 91’.

 

FUEL SYSTEM

AvGas 100/ 130 NATO F-18.

 

                    Tank Capacities (gallons)

                                        MRI/T.4      MR 2           MR 2

                                                           Ph I/II          Ph III

Tank 1                             2 x 497        2 x 497        2 x 497

2                                      2 x 541        2 x 541        2 x 570

3                                      2 x 297        2 x 297        2 x 297

4                                      2 x 311        2 x 311        2 x 311

5

6 (tip)           -                  -                  -

Totals*                             3292            3292            3350

 

T.2/AEW     MR3            MR3

                                                            Ph 1/11        Ph III

Tank 1                             2 x 497        2 x 539        2 x 539

2                                      2 x 570        2 x 541        2 x 573

3                                      2 x 297        2 x 297        2 x 297

4                                      2 x 3 1 1      2 x 311        2 x 311

-                                                          2 x 185        2 x 185

6 (tip)                                                  2 x 251**    2 x 253**

Totals*                             3350            4248            4316

 

* all variants could carry 400 gal auxiliary tanks in the bomb bay.

** wing-tip tanks nominally 256 gal but actual capacity varied.

 

DIMENSIONS              (ft)

                                        MR I/T.4     MR2            MR3

Wing span                        120              120              119.83

 

Length                             77.5             87.3             87.3

 

Height                              17.5             17.5             23.35

 

Tailplane span                  33                33                33

 

Wheel track                     23.75           23.75           23.75

 

AREAS (sq ft)

                                        MR I/T.4     MR 2           MR 3

Wing (inc. ailerons)          1421            1421            1458

Ailerons                           110.1           110.1           133.4

Flaps                                146.96         146.96         146.96

Tailplane(inc. elevators)    285.4           285.4           285.4

Elevators                          87.3             87.3             87.3

Fins                                  116              116              116

Rudders                           106.4           106.4           106.4

 

WEIGHTS (lb)

                                        MR 1/T.4     MR 2           MR 2/T.2

                                                                               Ph III

Empty                              49,600*       51,400         59,000

Loaded (normal)              82,000         84,000         89,000

Loaded (max T/0)            86,000**     86,000         95,500

Landing (normal)              72,000         72,000         80,000

Stores load (with full fuel) Approximately  6000 lb

Stores load (max)             12,000         15,000         15,000

 

                                        AEW.2        MR 3           Ph III (Viper)

Empty                              58,800         57,800         64,300

Loaded (normal)              89,000         85,000         95,000

Loaded (max T/0)            96,100         100,000       108,000***

Landing (normal)              80,000         86,000         88,000

Stores load   Approximately 6000 lb

(with full fuel) stores load  12,000         12,000 (max)

 

* Ph II T.4 54,500 lb

** Grapple aircraft 87,500 lb

*** MR 3 Ph III (non-Viper)               104,000 lb

 

PERFORMANCE

Tables showing performance figures need to be used with caution because it is extremely difficult to ensure that the same parameters are being used when obtaining details from different sources. This particularly applies to range and endurance figures, where ‘still-air range’ usually means the range to dry tanks, but not always, while ‘normal’ range will have an allowance built in for diversion and/or contingencies. This allowance may be up to 20% of the total fuel, 20% of the ‘off-task’ fuel (in the case of maritime operations), or, in the case of some Avro calculations for the Shackleton, 10% of the overall fuel. Unless otherwise stated, range and endurance speeds/times assume 20% reserve of total fuel. Maximum speeds are almost meaningless in the case of maritime aircraft, but are included as approximate figures for reference purposes, and wherever possible all those quoted have been cross checked to ensure that they are strictly comparable.

 

                                        MR I/T.4     MR 2           MR 2           AEW.2        MR 3*

                                                                                Ph III

Max speed @                  294              299              286              262              297

12,000 ft**

 

Max cruise @                  245              249              249              -                  253

10,000 ft * *

Long-range cruise                                180-200 mph depending on weight

@1500 5000ft

 

Landing speed**              114              114              116              116              118

 

Stalling speed**               88                88                92                92                96

 

Initial rate                         1005            920              900              900              850

of climb (ft/min)

 

Initial rate of climb            592              495              463              460              200

(3 engine)(ft/min)

 

Ceiling (ft)                        20,700         20,200         18,800         -                  18,600

 

Range (nm)***                2160            1980            1720            -                  2300

 

Radius of 4 hr                                      780              700              670              -                  970

patrol (nm)

 

Endurance (hrs)                14.8             14.6             13                13                16

(20% reserve)

 

Max still                           3090            2900            2780            2700            1660

air range (nm)

 

T/O distance                                        3750            3750            5460            -                  5550

(ft) to 50 ft using Water Methanol

 

*                  Mk 3 Ph III (Viper) had improved T/O performance (4750 ft to clear 50 ft screen), but reduced range and endurance.

**                speeds in mph.

***              at 5000 ft at 190 mph (full load - 20% reserve)

 

Data Conversion

                    Imperial

                    1 nautical mile (nm)          = 1. 136 statute miles

                    1 mile/hour (mph)             =0.88 knots

                    1 gallon (gal)                                        = 7.2 lb

 

Imperial to metric

                 1 foot      =     0.3048 metres

                 1 nm       =     1.828 kilometres

                 1 sq ft     =     0.0929 square metres

                 1 ft/min   =     0.005 m/sec

                 1 mph     =     1.61 km/hr

                 1 lb         =     0.454 kg

                 1 gal       =     4.546 litres