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By: 7th June 2021 at 16:27 Permalink
-Have you considered it being an observer’s chair?
By: 7th June 2021 at 17:07 Permalink
-Oracal I know it is an Avro chair and that is about all is fact.
It is very similar to the Shackletons pilot seat. But there are a few design changes.
Although there are similarities to the Lanc/Lincoln/York pilots seat it is a step further away.
My issue is that there are very few images inside the MR1/T4. The vast majority of images are from the later versions. There are only two nose sections still around and there are not many images inside.
I think it is a crew seat from an early version -what position I don't know. It looks simialr to the WOPS in the britmodeller image but could be from any of the crew positions ??
By: 8th June 2021 at 23:27 Permalink
-Hi,
The pilots seats in VP293 are the same as in most surviving Shackletons, but as he was the last in service can't be relied upon as being accurate to T4 specification. There is a slight variance in headrest, harness, and armrests, but the basic seat and frame is the same. The leg extensions are there, but hidden by the castings of the raise/lower mechanism - more so when the seat is at its lowest setting.
Early versions didn't have the big headrests, as seen in WG511. But for the fixed armrests, I'd have said pilots or copilots seat, but I'm more inclined to think wireless or radar operator, the others are all pedestal style seats.
Regards,
Rich W
By: 9th June 2021 at 08:50 Permalink
-Rich thank you for taking the time to find the AP and respond.
You also align with my thoughts that match the AP and the britmodeller image from Flambards being a WOPS or radar chair.
By: 9th June 2021 at 16:13 Permalink
-A copy of Barry Jones book on Shackletons arrived today and although it does not show the chairs in discussion it has pics of the met and electronic seats in an MR1 that fit in with the AP.
By: 16th June 2021 at 17:03 Permalink
-Some of my shack pics, they might help.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/142550108@N08/albums/72157675463196243
By: 16th June 2021 at 20:28 Permalink
-Thank you Tony.
By: 8th July 2021 at 13:49 Permalink - Edited 8th July 2021 at 17:15
-I picked up this chair at Newark at the weekend. From the part number and inspectors stamp I assume it is Shackleton.
I also assume it is Mk 2 ( it is not in the Mk3 parts list) and does not look like any of the pics we have of Mk 1. The seat belt is dated 69.
No armrests. It does have the black leather back cushion with foam insert but they are currently undergoing a repair shop type restoration.
It looks like the Nav seat in Tonys pics. In black cf brown.
From the AP above for the Mk1. only the flight engineer seat was armless.
It came with a Delco fuel booster pump that looks more B17F than Avro.
By: 9th July 2021 at 21:33 Permalink
-It looks like the front gunner's chair.
I'll check WR963 tomorrow.
By: 10th July 2021 at 18:11 Permalink
-Thank you Rich. The sliding rails are offset to the RHS and not central and there is a cutout in the front RHS which implies a restriction in situ.
By: 11th July 2021 at 17:40 Permalink
-Hi,
I checked over the gunners chair in WR963, but at the moment no inspectors stamps or numbers are visble due to thick layers of paint!
The offset rails give it away though, as shown in the photo attached. It gives room for the mechanism to revolve and slide the seat back for access.
Regards,
Rich
By: 10th August 2021 at 15:25 Permalink - Edited 10th August 2021 at 15:31
-The Mk1 Shackleton chair arrived from Scotland today and was pleasantly surprised to find an aircraft code scribed into the armrest = WB846 P.
There is also a map pocket on the RHS. I though the base was on slider bearings but they appear to be grab points as it is very back heavy.
By: 10th August 2021 at 17:19 Permalink
-I doubt that the a/c registration was scribed on while it was in service; “Chiefy” would of had a fit! Even the use of pencil was frowned upon.
By: 10th August 2021 at 21:13 Permalink
-It probably had many visitors when it was sitting on the dump at Kinloss....
By: 12th August 2021 at 14:28 Permalink
-Chiefy must have been looking the other way quite a bit.
I've found WG555, XF700, XF701, WR985 WL741 Wl747, WL747 on our aircraft, as well as a lot of boredom induced other graffiti! Some of it is in pen/indelible pencil, some of it is paint stencils.
Rich
By: 20th August 2021 at 16:29 Permalink
-Shackleton chairs seem to be everywhere... Some interestingly priced ones on ebay
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184974386263?hash=item2b11552457:g:jfAAAOSwy…
By: 3rd December 2021 at 14:23 Permalink
-Two Shackleton chairs back from upholsterer yesterday - with new black leather cushions.
Posts: 1,668
By: FarlamAirframes - 7th June 2021 at 14:28 - Edited 7th June 2021 at 14:34
I have wasted several hours looking through books and the Internet and can find little information. Also the only parts lists available are for the later MR3.
So I have a question on Avro Shackleton crew seats -
Pilot and co Pilot seats - similar to this one with leg extensions ; fore aft movement and armrests with buttons etc. Also square profile at lower front.
https://www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/89952-shackleton-bomber-co-pil…
Bombardier crew seat - bucket seat on a set of spindly legs like the one shown
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-upcycled-shackleton-bomb…
Other crew seats low curved back swivel seats - as shown at Newark and elsewhere in green or brown leather.
http://data3.primeportal.net/hangar/howard_mason4/shackleton/images/sha…
There are few pictures inside the earlier MR1 or T4
There is also this view forward into the T4 nose that shows a seat type which could be an early swivel type or something different as it is not the same as the otehr swivel in this T4?
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.546151105480290.1073741825.34…
The pilot seats in the same aircraft do not seem to have the leg extensions ?
https://s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/abpic-media-eu-production/pictures/f…
This one shows a "signaller" seat which is like the pilot seat but without headrest or armrests
https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234990355-airfix-1…
So I assume that the MR1/T4 had slightly different seats to the later versions?
Hence is the attached picture of a seat from an early Shackleton crew seat ?
It is an Avro stamped piece with an Avro part number 4N1044. It has fore/aft movement but curved bottom rail, no headrest and different armrests. It has the same side profile as the pilots seat .
It does not appear to be Lincoln, Tudor, Aston , York, Lancastrian etc and too uncomfortable for later aircraft.
Any Shackleton or AVRO seat connoisseurs ?
Thank you.