Avro Shackleton AEW 2 |
The Avro Shackleton AEW 2 was developed from the Shackleton Maritime Patrol aircraft, itself derived from the Avro Lancaster bomber which saw widespread use in World War Two. Twelve AEW 2 variants were modified from surplus Maritime airframes between 1971 and 1974 to replace the decreasing force of Royal Navy Gannet AEW 3. The Shackleton was fitted with the (F) radar in a large bulge under the nose of the aircraft, forcing a change back to a tail wheel configuration as used on the Lancaster and MR Mk 1 variant. The APS 20 Radar dates back to 1944, having been first used of Grumman Avenger and Douglas Skyraider aircraft of the US Navy. The radars fitted to the Shackleton were originally fitted to Royal Navy AD-4W Skyraiders followed by Gannet AEW 3's before being removed and fitted to the modified aircraft. Originally a stop-gap solution, the Shackleton remained in service until 1991 due to the failure of the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod AEW3. The introduction into service of the E-3D Sentry finally saw the retirement the Shackleton after forty years of service by all variants.
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Characteristics
ngine: Four 2,455-hp Rolls-Royce Griffon 57A inline piston engines (Later versions also had two 2,500-pound thrust Rolls-Royce Viper 203 turbojets)
Weight: Empty 57,800 lbs., Max Takeoff 98,000 lbs.
Wing Span: 119ft. 10in.
Length: 92ft. 6in.
Height: 23ft. 4in.
Maximum Speed: 302 mph
Ceiling: 19,200 ft.
Range: 3,660 miles
Two 20-mm cannon in nose
Up to 10,000 pounds of weapons in under-fuselage bomb bay
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