An historic RAF plane is arriving in York. But not all at once.
Avro Shackleton WR963 is being transferred from its current home at Coventry airport to the Yorkshire Air Museum at Elvington, as the Coventry site is due to close.
But it is too big to move in one go. Instead, it is being transported bit by bit, to be rebuilt at Elvington like an enormous aviation jigsaw puzzle.
The first components have now arrived – three of the four massive Rolls Royce Griffon engines, each producing two and a half thousand horsepower.
And while the aircraft doesn’t fly, its engines do run.
The rest of the Shackleton, a four-engined relative of the famous Lancaster bomber, will arrive at the Yorkshire Air Museum in stages over the coming weeks.
All the parts are due to be on site before Christmas. Work will then begin to put the pieces back together and this is expected to last into 2026.
The goal is to have all four engines up and running again, to be able to run at the Museum in front of the public.
The Shackleton was developed during the late 1940s as part of the UK’s response to the rapid expansion of the Soviet Navy, in particular its submarine force.
And the Griffon was both the last piston engine produced by Rolls Royce and the last piston engine in front line RAF service, retiring in 1991.
Rich Woods from the Shackleton Aviation Group, which has been caring for WR963 at Coventry, said: “After a year of hard work, fighting bad weather and corrosion from 30 years of being sat on an exposed area of Coventry Airport, my team and I are delighted that WR963 is now beginning her move north into well-deserved preservation.
“It’s sad to see the Griffons depart, but comforting to know they’ll run again at the museum, and in such good company.”
Jerry Ibbotson, Yorkshire Air Museum communications manager said: “This is an enormous, highly complex jigsaw puzzle and the Griffons are the first of many parts.
“The Coventry crew have done an amazing job taking the Shackleton apart and they will continue to have a huge role in putting it back together.
“For now, we’re overjoyed at seeing the engines arrive and can’t wait for the next deliveries to make their way to Elvington.
“This is an iconic aircraft that patrolled the skies above British waters, searching for Soviet vessels above and below the surface, as well as playing a vital role in search and rescue operations. To have her here is a real joy.”