Book Review: by Andrew Collins.

 

Shackleton Boys - By Steve Bond

 

The “Boys” books from publishers Grubb Street are now an established feature of aviation literature.  Dr Steve Bond’s Shackleton Boys volume 2 is the latest addition to that stable, following on from his volume 1 published last year.  Volume 1, which deals with the UK based squadrons, has a long introduction with a comprehensive history of the Shackleton, from its genesis as a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, through the development of various marks and phases to its final iteration as a stopgap AEW aircraft.  Volume 2, which deals with the overseas squadrons, has a shorter introduction relating mainly to overseas operations.  Excellent appendices are included in volume 1, giving a list of all operating units, details of each production batch and a worryingly long list of accidents.  Abbreviated versions of those appendices appear in volume 2, relating only to the overseas operations.

 

The main body of each volume is divided logically into chapters relating to an operating base or to a particular operation, and each chapter has a short but comprehensive introduction setting the scene.  What follows is a series of reminiscences from aircrew and groundcrew.  Some give a general narrative of operations in one theatre or detachment;  many others relate to a particular incident that generated varying levels of terror in the raconteur.  The tales very definitely relate to an era before the invention of Health and Safety;  some of the procedures adopted by hard pressed groundcrew to keep the aircraft serviceable and in presentable condition are truly horrifying:  groundcrew going out in a sandstorm in Aden to deflect flying oil drums from hitting the aircraft;  cleaning oil-stained engines with rags soaked in avgas; finding snakes in the wheel bay at Changi.  Most of the stories, however, come from the aircrew.  Surprisingly, although there are a couple of dozen accidents described, many of them with fatalities, this was a popular aircraft.  Despite the fact that they describe some very hairy incidents, none of the writers expresses a dislike for the aircraft, and most express a definite affection, notwithstanding the exhaustion of long sorties, noise, extreme heat or cold or general discomfort.  And through it all comes the camaraderie of the crews and the team spirit of those who worked on the aircraft.

 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these volumes and can certainly recommend them.  There are a couple of minor errors in volume 1, with corrections included in volume 2, but overall I found this to give a realistic impression of Shackleton operations over the years.  The work includes chapters on the AEW Shackleton and on operations by the South African Air Force, so is a comprehensive history of the aircraft.  With each volume having a hardback cover price of £25 it is not a cheap read, but they are available from Amazon for £17.50 each.  If your budget stretches only to one volume, then volume 1 contains a larger amount of general “spotter” information on the aircraft, while volume 2 perhaps contains the more exciting tales of derring-do overseas.  Both volumes contain some excellent photographs, my personal favourite being in volume 2, showing a Shackleton of the SAAF overland with about 45° angle of bank against a backdrop of some very rugged South African hills.

 

 

Publisher - Grubb Street Publishing.

ISBN-10 : 1911621335

ISBN - 13 : 1911621331

Cover Price : £25