Preview Avro Shackleton click the links below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHk5uQR2Amg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc85UGhum50&feature=related

The Avro Shackleton served the Royal Air Force for 40 years, from 1951 to 1991. The only other Air Force to operate the Avro Shackleton was the South African Air Force.

This is a comprehensive documentary on the legendary "Shack", from the design stages on the desk of Roy Chadwick through to today, where the last flying Shack is lovingly cared for and devotedly maintained by Henry Potgieter, Buks and Pat and the team at the South African Air Force museum.

The Making of Shackleton 1722.

Like many good things that occur in our lives they happen by chance and pure luck, and being in the right place at the right time. I happened to be in Cape Town for a weekend and my friend Peter phoned and asked if I would like to go and see the Shackleton at Ysterplaat Air Force base. ( is a ducks ass waterproof I hear you say) Please understand that although I am a conservationist I love aeroplanes and flying and when we got to the air force base I soon realised we were actually going to fly in this incredible aircraft.

I really cannot describe to you the flight except to say it was just out of this world. Four Griffons lifting this beautiful grey lady skyward, out over the ocean with Table Mountain as a backdrop, just unbelievable. I soaked up every moment. Afterwards I met the crew and the people who keep her flying. This was just amazing, to see the passion and dedication to this remarkable aircraft. So as a film maker I asked?? Who is documenting the story of her life?? Nobody was the answer. And I grumbled something like get somebody soon or I will do it.

Anyway back into the bush to finish a doccie on White lions and a year later I popped into the air base again and had a chat with the Shack crew. Still nobody documenting the story??? Well I then just took over, I don’t think that I really asked permission, just got all the release papers in order and arrived with the camera. From then on I have had the honour of, hearing some outstanding jokes, drinking some very good wine with some great food in some really incredibly good company, and just as an added bonus flying in the Shack.

From the Officer commanding Col. Butler down, the support for the film and the Shackleton is incredible. 22 Squadron is a maritime helicopter unit who fly the Oryx, and the team there are a very professional outfit. I was listening to a conversation between a very experienced instructor ( Maj. Willie Burger and a student ) while flying down a valley of some very high mountains and his words of wisdom at methods of flying down valleys ended with OPTIONS….ALWAYS MAINTAIN OPTIONS. How true these words are for almost everything we do. I am very proud to know we have such dedicated professionals in our Air Force.

35 Squadron is the fixed wing maritime squadron flying turbo Daks ( yes C 47s ) and we were going to get an opportunity to film the Shack from the Dakota. At the briefing the pilots were discussing the safety levels and what I wanted etc. Well I had my son Adrian with me ( he is a chef but is a really good second camera ) and the two pilots winked at each other and the one asked what should the height difference be when the Shack overtakes the Dak, and the answer (with a straight face) was a near miss is good for me. Adrian actually sucked in air at this point and started digging me in the ribs. Until the horror on his face made us laugh.

35 sqdn, s OC Lt.Col.Marcelle Engelbrecht at the launch of the film said something that really impressed everybody there, he said that his sqdn flies the Dak and they are special and older than the Shack but the Shackleton has SOUL.

As those of you who have a military aviation background will know certain tasks, instruments and actions are all preceded by the well known word F--- sometimes ending in ing or ed. So many a time I had to stop the camera rolling while one of my subjects was describing how some instrument worked so …..ing well. Or how something else got ----ed up when landing, many a blooper went to the bin but one I really enjoyed was when Buks was checking fuel levels with a dipstick on top of the wing, and Pottie was standing below waiting to write down the amount in the service book. Buks shouted down the amount for tank number 3 and Pottie starts writing the figure in the book ( camera follows this whole procedure and I am getting perfect images ) when Pottie turns around looks straight at the camera and says, you know sometimes this Buks he just talks shit. Well I had to stop rolling because my shoulders were shaking from a fit of laughter , what then happened was Pottie went on to describe that there was now more ------ing fuel in this tank than before she had taken off on her previous sortie. Oh yes for those of you from outside of SA when our locals say this word the F sounds more like a V.

Some very sad moments occurred aswell we said goodbye to General Ben Kriegler, A great Shackleton pilot and family man. Nicknamed Ben Gunn his ashes were dropped from the Shackleton out over the sea on a memorial flight. Eric who built the Shackleton simulator also passed away suddenly and he too had his last ride in 1722, I must compliment Lionel Ashbury for his sensitive handling of this delicate procedure, he has a very deep voice and always reads a chapter from the bible before the drop. I must be perfectly honest with you, when I go I would love to take my final ride in Shackleton 1722, cant think of a better way than having four Griffons giving the final soundtrack.

Well the relationship with the museum is not over and I have already started the filming of the next documentary which is on the Dakota –DC3- C-47 or any other name you want to call her. It is wonderful to get such support from so many people and places, and mostly how many people there are out there who hold these old aircraft close to their hearts. Chris Teale at the museum in Cape town who is assisted by Des and Tammy are great support and are very forthcoming with help and information and to them I must say a very big thankyou. The crew of the plane are just fantastic and it has been a great privilege to be with them and I am carrying on filming her till her last flight when she is bedded down so to preserve our heritage. Which I hope will not be too soon.

Testimonials

Hi Andrew

Your DVD has found it's way safely into my hands and I have just finished viewing it.

A real labour of love. A beautiful tribute to a magnificent plane and quite clearly a dedicated support crew.

My compliments and thank you for the effort.

Cheers

Peter

Ive viewed the Shackleton DvD and would like to thank you and all of the team for such a wonderfully produced film...at times i was overjoyed and then felt quite saddened and moved to hear of the loss of the brig-general.I never really fully appreciated the shackleton as an aircraft but now its a machine that i am quite attatched to...
Yours sincerely
Dave Newton
Coventry
England.

Hi Andrew,

re Avro Shackleton DVD I was very impressed with the quality and content and must award you full credit for a wonderful , interesting and historical production which will go into my memorabilia collection of excellence. The dedicated members of the SAAF must be very proud...true professionals of the highest order. Such skills and dedication will never be replaced and I am so glad that I took the trouble of contacting you. It really made my day and being an old softy I had tears in my eyes.

Peter Olpin