Major Shackleton Repaint Now Underway

Newark Air Museum Shackleton

The major repaint of Avro Shackleton WR977 is now underway at Newark Air Museum.

Scaffolding started to be erected around the whole of the sixty (60) year old aircraft on Monday 4th April and the scaffold installation was completed and officially handed over to the museum on Thursday 7th April.

Some initial pressure washing work was undertaken on the airframe on Friday 8th April. After a short induction session on Saturday 9th April from the museum’s Restoration Manager the first restoration team went on to the airframe later that day. In reasonably benign weather conditions some excellent progress was made by nine members of the newly established WR977 Painting Team, who travelled to the museum from around the UK.

This project will involve cleaning, de-corrosion and repainting work and will be carried out with major support of the aircraft’s owners, the Lincolnshire’s Lancaster Association.

Opportunities still exist to support this work programme, which is running seven days a week, as and weather allows. Details of this volunteer appeal can be found in the News & Events section of the Newark Air Museum website www.newarkairmuseum.org

Avro Shackleton WR977 was moved from RAF Finningley in spring 1977, just prior to Her Majesty the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Review of the Royal Air Force. WR977 is believed to be the longest serving Shackleton Mk3 Phase 3 airframe to have flown with the RAF.

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