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Project Shackleton Update Oct 2025

This is an update on the progress of the reconstruction and restoration of the Avro Shackleton – WR963 – courtesy of the team leader, Richard Woods.

Since the beginning of the year – and with the advent of some good weather – we’ve been working steadily and diligently away behind the hangar, intent on turning the six lorryloads of Shackleton parts into something resembling an aeroplane again!

The first work involved positioning the centre section in the middle of the assembly area. As its the heart of the aircraft everything is added outward from this. The rear fuselage section was attached in March with the cockpit having to wait until some repair work along the bomb bay floor was completed – carried out to a high standard by members of YAM Engineering volunteers and the Shackleton team.

This repair work culminated in a momentous day in May when the cockpit was lifted and reattached to the centre section, with us now having a complete fuselage end to end since the cold days of January and Coventry!

In August we repositioned the fuselage to be more level, finally being able to remove the stacks of pallets under the bomb bay. We took the decision to refit horizontal stabilisers and the two tail fins, and suddenly WR963 started looking very much bigger…! The No 2 and No 3 engines were positioned in place, ready to be fitted after some cleaning of the firewalls and connections.

Continuing elsewhere, hundreds of bolts have been refitted making everything secure, some redundant wiring systems for the AEW equipment has been removed (having not been operational since 1991..) allowing us to focus on the systems that make WR963 run andoperate – engine services, lighting, hydraulics, pneumatics, etc. This essential work is mainly internal and will take us easily over winter and into 2026.

The rest of this year’s work will see us refitting the two inboard engines, inboard wing trailing edges, and if weather and time permits we hope to be able to lift WR963 back on to her own undercarriage – having her on her wheels by Christmas!

Looking ahead, 2026 will see the refitting of the outer wing sections, and 2027 will be focussed on the two remaining engines, propellers, and lots of new paint.

If you are a journalist and require more info about this story don’t hesitate to email pr@yorkshireairmuseum.org

Blackburn Mercury Monoplane 1911 (Replica) AH (BAPC) 130 YAM Jan.1995

The Blackburn Mercury Monoplane is regarded as the first truly successful aircraft made by Blackburn at their factory in Leeds. The Mercury I, powered by a 50 hp Isaacson radial engine, was displayed at the Olympia Aero Show in March 1911 and made its debut flying from the beach at Filey with the newly formed Blackburn Flying School. In May 1911, it flew from Filey to Scarborough and back in 19 minutes at an average speed of 50 mph, reaching an altitude of 1200 feet.
This aircraft crashed the next day when the engine seized and the propeller flew off! The Mercury I was followed by two Mercury II aircraft powered by 50 hp Gnome engines, and six Mercury III aircraft, with a number of different engines. Sadly, a Renault powered Mercury crashed at Filey in December 1911, killing an instructor and passenger.
The Museum’s replica was built for Yorkshire Television in 1979 for the Edwardian drama series ‘Flambards’, and was taxied with a car engine. It came to YAM on 10th January 1995 and after a long period in storage it was painstakingly restored to a superb display standard, and was unveiled in June 2000 by Professor Robert Blackburn, grandson of Robert Blackburn, the aviation pioneer.

AVRO 504K ‘H1968’ (Replica) AH (BAPC) 42 YAM Oct. 1994

The Avro 504 first flew in 1913. In the opening phases of the First World War, it served with front-line squadrons in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service for bombing and reconnaissance, but from 1915 onwards the aircraft entered the training role for which it is most celebrated.

Over 8,000 Avro 504s were built. In 1918, the Royal Air Force had about 3,000, of which 2,276 were trainers.

The Avro 504 was stationed at many Yorkshire airfields, including Tadcaster near the A1/A64 junction, where a period hangar can still be seen.

The Yorkshire Air Museum’s replica was built by apprentices at RAF Halton and appeared at the Royal Tournament in 1968 to commemorate what was then fifty years since the end of the First World War. The aircraft was refurbished in early 2015 to be transported to Thiepval, Northern France, for the Somme Centenary commemoration event, on request of the British Government. In May 2018, it was also displayed at the impressive Hotel Les Invalides in central Paris for a joint RAF / French Air Force event to mark the Centenary of the Royal Air Force and over 100 years of British and French Air Force collaboration.