Shackleton Boys: Volume 2: True Stories from Shackleton Operators Based Overseas

The Royal Air Force retained a maritime reconnaissance role after World War II, with the Shackleton being introduced in 1951. Overseas stations included Gibraltar, Malta, Singapore, Aden, and Sharjah, where the Shackletons took part in significant operations such as dealing with rebellion in Aden, Rhodesias Unilateral Declaration of Independence, and the Indonesian Confrontation. The last overseas RAF Shackletons were based at Sharjah until late 1971, with a detachment from the UK remaining in Singapore until 1972. The South African Air Force was the only other operator of the type, flying eight examples of the MR.3 from 1957.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 02 September 2019
Publisher: Grub Street Publishing

After World War II, the Royal Air Force (RAF) underwent significant downsizing, but it retained an essential maritime reconnaissance role to protect British interests overseas. These areas included the Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East, and Hong Kong, along with associated trade routes linking them to Britain and each other. With the introduction of the Shackleton aircraft in 1951, the RAF began re-equipping its fleet with the new type, initially focusing on the home fleet of Coastal Command. The first overseas station to receive the Shackleton was Gibraltar in 1952, followed by Malta, Singapore, Aden, and finally Sharjah. In addition to their daily routine of maritime patrols, the overseas squadrons were involved in numerous significant operations. They played a vital role in dealing with rebellion in Aden, the Rhodesias Unilateral Declaration of Independence, and the Indonesian Confrontation. Additionally, there was a permanent detachment on the island of Gan for search-and-rescue cover for aircraft transiting to and from the Far East. The last overseas RAF Shackletons were based at Sharjah until late 1971, with a detachment from the UK remaining in Singapore until 1972. The only other operator of the Shackleton was the South African Air Force (SAAF), which flew eight examples of the MR.3 from 1957. The survivors were finally withdrawn from use in November 1984, bringing the Shackletons' overseas story to an end after almost thirty-three years. Following the success of Volume 1, published in 2018 and still available, Steve Bond has gathered another exceptional group of Shack operators who share their tales of derring-do in Another one for the Boys kitbag!

Weight: 912g
Dimension: 165 x 243 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781911621331