Shackleton guns?

[Maury Markowitz]

I came across a mention of the Reflector Sight Mk III being used on the Shackleton's 20 mm guns, specifically the South African examples. Questions:

1) were the SA examples different from UK examples, or are they specifying SA because those might be the last to be built?

2) I seem to recall a forward turret, later deleted? Did production models have any other guns?

3) which Hispano was used? The H.404 was long outdated by this point, but I can see why it might have been used in this role

Thanks!

 

[Conspirator]

carried included up to nine bombs, three homing torpedoes or depth-charges; the aircraft also had two 20 mm cannon in a Bristol dorsal turret. An in-flight refueling receptacle could be accommodated, but was not fitted on production aircraft.
Role: Maritime patrol aircraft
Developed from: Avro Lincoln
Manufacturer: Avro
First flight: 9 March 1949

apologies but from what i can find there was 2 forward turrets

 

[kitnut617]

The MR.1 and MR.2 also had a dorsal turret located just before the trailing edge of the wing, which was later removed.

 

[Jason Dykstra (Wyvern)]

The guns were intended to be used for strafing undefended targets such as merchant vessels and surfaced submarines, similarly to what Sunderlands used to due in the Second World War. At one point, they were used in Oman during the Jebel Akhdar War, if I am not mistaken.

 

[Fluff]

The guns were intended to be used for strafing undefended targets such as merchant vessels and surfaced submarines, similarly to what Sunderlands used to due in the Second World War. At one point, they were used in Oman during the Jebel Akhdar War, if I am not mistaken.

The gunner would lie on his front on a nice leather 'couch'. great view, all the 'avionics' are racked there on either side, i.e. radios etc.

 

[Hood]

The MR.1 had a Bristol B-17 dorsal turret with two 20mm Hispano Mk.IV or Mk.V cannon.
The MR.1 also had Boulton Paul designed cheek barbettes in the nose for a 20mm Hispano Mk.V cannon. Both guns were controlled from the bomb aimer's position with a Mk.IIA reflector sight. Never a great success they were soon removed, the Shacks then becoming MR.1A.

The MR.2 had another Boulton Paul turret for the nose, the Type N. I'm not sure what reflector sight was used, so will have to do some more digging, but it could well have been the Mk.III.

 

[Maury Markowitz]

The MR.1 had a Bristol B-17 dorsal turret with two 20mm Hispano Mk.IV or Mk.V cannon.
The MR.1 also had Boulton Paul designed cheek barbettes in the nose for a 20mm Hispano Mk.V cannon. Both guns were controlled from the bomb aimer's position with a Mk.IIA reflector sight. Never a great success they were soon removed, the Shacks then becoming MR.1A.

The MR.2 had another Boulton Paul turret for the nose, the Type N. I'm not sure what reflector sight was used, so will have to do some more digging, but it could well have been the Mk.III.

So these would be war-era H.404 models? Sorry, not too familiar with RAF version numbering. I assume the MR.2 used the same guns as the BP MR.1's?

 

[Hood]

So these would be war-era H.404 models? Sorry, not too familiar with RAF version numbering. I assume the MR.2 used the same guns as the BP MR.1's?

I'll have to check on the exact equivalent Hispano model.
Yes, the Type N had the same Hispano Mk.V.

 

[kaiserbill]

Ask on the SAAF forum.
There is a wealth of knowledge there.
The website attached to the forum indicates Hispano Mk5 on the SAAF Shackleton MR3.