MY TIME ON SHACKLETONS - Flt Lt Ken Moore

[Shippo]

The Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre has a packed agenda beginning with their first aviation lecture of the 2015 season by Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Moore, now retired from the Royal Air Force, who was a navigator for the E3D Sentry aircraft. His 34 plus years service has been eventful while serving operationally on aircraft such as the Shackleton, Phantom, Tornado F3, and the Sentry AEW Mk 1.

Ken has been made famous by his utube video of "Hitler learns RAF Waddington Airshow 2015 cancelled" which went viral in 2014 when it became known that the Airshow was not taking place (see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auZ62rS2eyQ ).

He still lives in the Lincolnshire village of Navenby, but remains active as a tour guide for Lincoln Castle. Perhaps folk in visiting the City of Lincoln and deciding to look inside of the Norman castle, Ken will show you what lies within the walls of the famous ancient building, and the coming Magna Carta Experience opening 1st - 2nd April 2015.

Ken's talk is called "My time on Shackletons.’"

The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft. The aircraft is known as the Grey Lady and often called the Growler with "ten thousand rivets flying in close formation."

The nearest one that can be seen on show for those living in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire is Shackleton WR977 based at Newark Air Museum (see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9CcWWv_apw ).

The last four flying Shackleton's were sold at auction by the Ministry of Defence in July 1991. WR963 and WL790 were bought for £42,000 each by the Shackleton Preservation Trust, and flown to Coventry airport, the other two were flown out to Paphos, Cyprus, where they still sit corroding in the sun.

In 1996 it was decided that a Shackleton would be returned to flight. WL790 was chosen, and WR963 became the parts 'christmas tree' to achieve this. Instruments, pumps, valves, all went to the other aircraft. In 1997 WL790 flew across the Atlantic where it was flown for another 10 years on the United States airshow circuit. It was then retired to Pima Air Museum in Arizona. However, Avro Shackleton WR963 based at Coventry Airport is slowly and surely being restored to flying condition (see link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e5TVCUo3EM ).
The last four flying Shackletons' of No 8 Squadron were based at RAF Lossiemouth before retiring from active service on 1st October 1991.
At this moment there are no Shackletons capable of flight anywhere in the world.

Today, South Africa has the one Shackleton Mk.3 which is only allowed to taxi and have ground runs. The aircraft is called Pelican 22. She was flying but is now grounded due to a number of reasons, but is maintained in an airworthy condition in Cape Town (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itBsamC751g ).

The lecture will be held in the WW2 gymnasium at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre, Lincoln, on the Wednesday, 25nd March, beginning at 7.30pm. Admission is £5.00 for visitors to include refreshments. It is free to Friends of Metheringham Airfield and veterans of 106 Squadron.

For further enquiries contact 01526 378270

John Shipton
Friends of Metheringham Airfield
Wartime home to 106 Squadron
Lincoln