NEWSMAKER
The Shackletons featured in the news from day one - in mid-February 1958, while still awaiting for the last three aircraft, one Shackleton hit the headlines by setting what was then a local record: a non-stop 14,5-hour flight that took it from Waterkloof AFB, to Beit Bridge, then the Bechuanaland (now Botswana) border, Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi Strip, the Cunene River mouth on the South West African (now Namibia) northern border and then onto Cape Town. Total distance 4600km! About 10 days after this flight - 1721, 1722 and 1723 arrived, and the squadron became fully operational in its main task of patrolling the sea-route around southern Africa. Another much-publicized incident, was the search carried out by two of them on 30 October 1965 when a SAAF Buccaneer crashed into the Atlantic while being flown from Britain. Helped by a distress call a commercial airliner relayed to one of the searchers, 1722, the Shackletons were able to find the Buccaneer crew in their dinghy and pin-point their position so that a passing ship could pick them up.

The remaining seven thundered out to sea, day after day - flying up and down the extremely long coastline of South Africa and Namibia - while going about their assigned tasks. The endless hours of patrol over open water - the search and observation - in the constant presence of the Griffon growl, must have placed a heavy toll on the crews. The main task of the Shackleton was long-range maritime reconnaissance, and the effective protection of the ships around Southern Africa. It is estimated that only a handful (if any) of the Russian warships, supply vessels and spying fish trawlers, that circled Africa's southern tip, escaped the Shackletons' prying eyes and ready cameras. The Shackletons contributed largely towards peace, by ensuring the safety of the shipping lanes around SA, during the Cold War. These lanes were of the up most importance to the West. Even in 1981 a Russian task force was effectively shadowed, until they left South African waters. The aircraft carried torpedoes, free-fall bombs and depth charges in the anti-shipping and submarine role. In March 1971 the damaged tanker Wafra - condemned to be sunk but still afloat in spite of the attempts of SAAF Buccaneers - was finally sunk with depth-charges dropped by a Shackleton. But, in all the years with the SAAF - the nose mounted twin 20mm cannons were never fired in anger. These cannons were originally fitted, due to a Royal Navy requirement in case submarines decided to fight it out on the surface.

Early seamen described the seas around southern tip of Africa as the 'Cape of storms'. Therefore, the Shackletons were also birds of peace and carried out many air-sea rescues and other mercy missions. From the first day in SAAF service the Shackleton could carry a Saro Mk 3 airborne lifeboat under the bomb-bay when used in an air-sea rescue role. Three Saro boats were delivered and one was accidentally destroyed during a dropping trial, while the other two were presented to the SAAF Museum Swartkop and the SA National Museum of Military History. The Saro boats were replaced by Lindholme-type rescue gear and later by the modern day inflatable gear. Many seamen of yachts and large vessels owe their lives to these huge aircraft. In times of these rescues, South Africa ignored all political barriers and rescued many so called "enemies" of the then South Africa. Thousands of refugees of the 1975 phase of the Angolan War have reason to remember the trusty old `Shacks' as well. Many of them suffered extreme distress as they poured southwards into Namibia. Ill-equipped for the journey along the barren, terrible 'Skeleton Coast' (the name says it all), many of them might not have reached safety, had it not been for the Shackleton's keeping a regular eye on them, reporting their progress and, when necessary, dropping supplies. Hardly surprising - few people disagreed with the Cape Town newspaper, 'the Argus', which in 1978 described the Shackletons and the men who flew them as `the St Bernards of our skies'.

It is not widely known fact that the Shackletons were also used to deliver mail and other goods to SA Navy vessels out at sea. It must have been a great feeling to see the familiar shape on the horizon after weeks at sea. The mail bag was dropped with pin-point accuracy on the stern. On occasion the mail bag was even dropped on the bow and not a single one missed the target!

A SHAKY START | RETIREMENT