Page 32 - Aviation News - September 2017

The aircraft was unpressurised but could climb “The intention long time, often more than three hours, to get
to higher altitudes with the crew on oxygen. anywhere at our cruising speed of around
“As we were ying towards our barrier line, initially was for 8 160kts [184mph].” The long transit times also
we determined the level of the isothermal enabled the radar to warm up properly.
layer, as that easily screwed up our radar Sqn to rapidly build “We mostly helped with intercepts of Soviet
performance.” Tu-95 Bears crossing the Iceland-Faroe Islands
Several issues also markedly reduced up experience by Gap, heading for Cuba or West Africa, and at
the radars’ effectiveness – including general becoming a joint RAF/ other times aircraft operating in the North Sea
weather, sea state and surface shipping – so off the UK and Norway,” David noted.
crews generally calculated their optimum Royal Navy unit to The AN/APS-20F performed well against
operating altitude for the day during their transit. large aircraft like the Bears, but less so with
David explained: “The sea state, benefi t from the FAA more modern, streamlined aircraft – David
in particular, often adversely affected saying: “When we worked with the Danes and
performance. In the North Sea, searching operators’ considerable Norwegians, their F-16s were often sneaky
eastwards in westerly winds, the radar looked little beasts trying to evade us.”
out ‘over’ the waves – so there was a smaller experience with the The 1981 Defence White Paper, under
sea return, making it easier to distinguish Conservative Defence Secretary John Nott,
aircraft from the sea clutter. AN/APS-20F radar.” saw the Shackleton AEW force halved to
“When on station we were pretty much just six aircraft – justi ed at the time on the
operating beyond the range of the ground- “But when it worked properly we exercised basis of saving money; and anticipating the
based radars and ground control intercept with Phantoms out of Leuchars or Coningsby rst replacement Nimrod AEWs would enter
[GCI] stations. or Lightnings from Binbrook, altogether as squadron service during 1983. As a result, 8
“We often saw the targets coming in one unit under the sector master controller.” Squadron’s QRA responsibility was reduced
long before the sector control or the ghter In theory, the squadron covered the to a weekday-only capability.
controllers. There were really two options Greenland-Iceland-UK gap but rarely got that
available to us. We could relay the tracks far although, said David, “we did sometimes DIY ‘HUSH’ KIT
of incoming aircraft to the ground stations, get up to Ke avík in Iceland”. A far from usual sound barrier also faced
known as ‘Voice Tell’ until they detected them, He added: “We kept an aircraft on QRA crews in this ageing aircraft as they struggled
or talk the ghters onto the approaching [quick reaction alert] at two hours’ standby, to hear all radio transmissions.
targets ourselves from the Shackleton. although it was usually airborne much “Shackletons were always noisy aircraft
“As the air battle developed it was quicker. But even when launched it took a internally,” said David. “But in the AEW.2
sometimes frustrating from the Shackleton’s the noise really got to you. By then, all the
mission crew point of view. We were Top: Shackletons regularly ew AEW patrols original rubber seals around the hatches had
able to set up the intercepts from greater up to 100 miles off the coast on the look-out perished. So, one important task after take-
distances but were often reduced to just for intruders. Key Collection off was to pass a loo roll up front and use it
reporting position changes, because the Below: Two Shackletons on the 8 Sqn line to block up all the cracks, reducing the noise
ghter controllers didn’t want to release their at Lossiemouth with a 226 Operational considerably.
authority for the engagement to our crew. Conversion Unit Jaguar behind. Peter R Foster “We needed as much quiet as possible

32 Aviation News incorporating Jets September 2017

28-33_shackletonDC.mfDC.mf.mfDC.mfDC.indd 32 04/08/2017 17:41