Going to AFB Ysterplaat tomorrow!

[Trikenut]

Hi Okes
I am going to Ysterplaat tomorrow! I have been invited to join a group called the friends of the SAAF.
They help to restore old planes and so tomorrow I am going to watch a Shackleton have its engines fired up for the first time since it was left to rot 30 years ago!
The flight commander is even going to allow me to sit in the cockpit with him and the engineers and watch whats going on!! I will also be connected to the intercom via a headset so the fligth commander can explain everthinggoing on to me! This is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME experiance! Jelous?????
I PROMISE to post pics!
Ciao
Ross

[Tumbleweed]

Different strokes.....

[Wargames]

I PROMISE to post pics!

I can't wait!! Good for you. It is a special aircraft with a nice history to it. Go and read about it before you go. It will make the experience even better!!

[Stephan van Tonder]

unless you post pictures we will never believe you .......

[The Agent]

Don't they fire those engines every month????????

Surely not the first in all the years.

[sailor]

Trikenut i dont know who gave you information on the Shackleton. 1722 is the one that will be doing an engine run tommorow and she was most certainly not left to rot for 30 yrs, in fact she is still in a perfect flying condition. The only
reason they dont fly her anymore is because she has no hours left on the airframe.

[kloot piloot]

Heard of the Firends of the SAAF. My brother is involved down in Cape Town. Wonderfull work, no pay and only BIG passion.

Good one trikenut, become a volunteer and join them.

[John Boucher]

Saw this wonderful aircraft fly at AAD a couple of years ago - I think it was it's last flight that day!

Just an awesome sound when goes by..... I'm not even going to say anything about the pic's!

[John Boucher]

From www.saairforce.co.za

Shackleton 1722 DVD
Author: Andrew Schofield

Price: 160

ISBN: 978-0-620-38912-9

Reviewed By: Dean Wingrin

The Avro Shackleton was acquired by the SAAF in 1957 and served until 1984 when the last examples were retired. Although only the RAF and the SAAF operated the Shackleton, the aircraft left her mark in the heart of all who flew and maintained her.

Shackleton 1722 is the last airworthy Shackleton flying today, lovingly restored and maintained by 'Pottie' Potgieter, 'Buks' Bronkhorst, Pat and their team at AFB Ysterplaat. The film is directed and produced by Andrew Schofield, renowned wildlife photographer and producer and is the product of four years of close cooperation with the SAAF. As Andrew says, the aircraft has Soul. It is thus no surprise that aviation enthusiasts from all over the world come to Cape Town just to see her fly. It is no easy task to keep such a large aircraft flying, requiring major dedication by those who lovingly restored 1722 after the demise of 1716. This is their story.

The film is told from the side of the air and ground crews, just about all of whom have retired from the SAAF and are now members of the SAAF Reserve. In fact, the average age of the crew is 65! The viewer is made part of the crew, from taking the Shackleton out of her hanger, to maintenance and flight. Interspersed with the flight is a potted history of the Shackleton in SAAF service, interviews with air and ground crew and a visit to the Newark Air Museum in the UK where Sqn Leader Brian Withers, under Shackleton Mk 2 WR977 in typical English showers, discusses the role of the Shackleton in the RAF. A review of a typical airshow flying routine is also included.

Also included is the story of Shackleton 1716 (Pelican 16) and her demise in the dead of the night, amongst the sand dunes in the Western Sahara in 1994 while on her way to an airshow in the UK. Actual footage of their rescue and the Mayday transmission are included.

Shackleton 1722 is a very special lady and this film is about her and, above all, the dedication of 'Pottie' Potgieter and his team. Without them, the Shackleton would not fly. It is no coincidence that the aircraft is also known as 'Potties Private Bomber'! Although brief mention is made of the background and history of the Shackleton, it is by no means an inclusive history of the Shackleton in SAAF service. Included are photos and reminisces relating to the delivery of the first Shackletons to South Africa and a brief mention is made to patrols along the coast of Angola, but no mention is made to her other operational roles, nor of the tragic crash of 1718 in the Stettynsberg mountains in the Western Cape during the winter of 1963 whilst en-route to an exercise with the South African and Royal Navies. These are minor critisms however, as the film is about 1722.

The production is professional, with music by Christa Steyn and the SA Army Band. In fact, my only major critism is that, at times, the commentary does not relate directly to what is being viewed on screen and the extended production duration over four years is evident in, amongst other things, the quality of the footage and sound, as well as the changing weather conditions in the background.

Do not let the above put you off however. This is an excellent film, making the viewer a member of the team and the film is a valuable record of a remarkable story about remarkable people and their passion for a remarkable aircraft! The DVD will certainly take pride of place in any aircraft enthusiasts' library or collection.

Watching and hearing the growl of those four Rolls-Royce Griffon engines will take on a whole new meaning after watching this DVD, knowing what dedication it has taken by her crew to keep her in the tip-top condition that she is.

[AndyG]

Just don't swear at the Flight Commander or engineers Ross. They may not be as tolerant as we are

[Porra]

Hi Okes
I am going to Ysterplaat tomorrow! I have been invited to join a group called the friends of the SAAF.
They help to restore old planes and so tomorrow I am going to watch a Shackleton have its engines fired up for the first time since it was left to rot 30 years ago!
The flight commander is even going to allow me to sit in the cockpit with him and the engineers and watch whats going on!! I will also be connected to the intercom via a headset so the fligth commander can explain everthinggoing on to me! This is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME experiance! Jelous?????
I PROMISE to post pics!
Ciao
Ross

Hey Ross, enjoy. Any excuse to be around an aircraft and the old boys that flu and fly them is good enough.Listen to the old guys, you can learn alot from them.
Jose.

[Renier]

.........and I had the opportunity to have a flip in a still operational one
...but then I'm 60 yrs young...!!

[Arnulf]

Just don't swear at the Flight Commander or engineers Ross. They may not be as tolerant as we are

Ja, they will just moer him.

[Koevoet]

YOUR REMARK ROSS "This is a ONCE IN A LIFETIME experiance! Jelous?????

Your question - Jelous???

What do u think - Think every one on this forum is - i just hope u relize how lucky u are to have that oppertunity.

My father used to worked on them as he was stationed there for a while (Ysterplaat).

Jaco

Ps; He probaly gonna tell the Flight Commander "I'm Here... Please f*** off!!" as he told members on this forum.

[Wallaby]

Yeah Ross, to hear that four Rolls Royce Griffon engines firing up, must have been one hell of an experience. And boy, would I love to hear that. Last time I saw a Shackleton flyin', was nearly 20 years ago and the roar of those engines, oh I would give my left nut to hear that again. Hope you have pics of the cockpit with all the controls. That would be really awesome.

Here is also a link to a video on Youtube with a Mustang with the same type of Rolls engine that is used in the Shackleton. Most of the Mustang actually have the Rolls Royce Merlin engine but this one's fitted with a Griffon. Listen to that awesome sound of that Rolls and just imagine how four of them on one plane would sound.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVWmI1PM ... re=related

Hope you had a awesome experience today and I'm very jealous, you bugger you.

And get them PICS on this site