Been to see the Lanc running at East Kirkby - bootiful!
Discussion
Went to Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre today, otherwise know as East Kirkby airfield for a running demo of the Lanc they have there - sadly the Spitfire has now gone.
Luckily the weather was fine and thank god there is still somewhere in the UK you can enter without having your bag searched ...
Everyone there was really welcoming and it was a good day out. If you read the facts and figures about the guys who flew and manned these things, it doesn't bring it home to you how lucky we all are really. Average of three Lancasters lost a day so we were told. 21 men. Just like that. Average no. of sorties was 15 before you met your fate.
Makes you think ...
LAHC link
Movie1
Movie2
Luckily the weather was fine and thank god there is still somewhere in the UK you can enter without having your bag searched ...
Everyone there was really welcoming and it was a good day out. If you read the facts and figures about the guys who flew and manned these things, it doesn't bring it home to you how lucky we all are really. Average of three Lancasters lost a day so we were told. 21 men. Just like that. Average no. of sorties was 15 before you met your fate.
Makes you think ...
LAHC link
Movie1
Movie2
Edited by MikeyT on Thursday 10th July 01:18
deviant said:
Does anyone know why this aircraft is not allowed to become airworthy? Seems a real shame that the gumbyment wont help get a bit of English herritage flying.
From time to time I bump into Charlie Brown, warbird driver, vintage moustache maintainer and all-round top-bloke, who has on occasion operated some of the grounded-but-working Lancs. To hear him describe the way 4 merlins are coaxed into life is pure poetry.But the truth is, to make any of these airworthy would mean ripping out a lot of the original wiring and associated plumbing, which would in turn mean gutting the whole airframe. They are maintained in as near an original condition as possible for a reason.
deviant said:
Does anyone know why this aircraft is not allowed to become airworthy? Seems a real shame that the gumbyment wont help get a bit of English herritage flying.
There's no "law" saying it couldn't be returned to airworthy condition. It is privately owned by two brothers who don't seem to have any intention to take it back into the air. I'm sure its as much down to cost, time and effort as anything else.As it is, she is more representative of a wartime Lanc than the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's airworthy example. NX611 still has a lot of her wartime kit on board and she is configured for single pilot operations - just like all Lancasters were during the war.
We were told yesterday by one of the guys that taxis this thing that the money is there (and the will) to get Just Jane airworthy ... and a decision has to be made by the end of August about whether they are going to do it.
This does contrast though with what we heard over lunch from the granddaughter who works there that that isn't in the pipeline.
So either she's not letting on or the decision has been made.
The whole thing has to be stripped apparently and everything gone through from scratch and given airworthiness certificates in order to get it airborne again.
In many ways that would be good and in many ways not so good.
This does contrast though with what we heard over lunch from the granddaughter who works there that that isn't in the pipeline.
So either she's not letting on or the decision has been made.
The whole thing has to be stripped apparently and everything gone through from scratch and given airworthiness certificates in order to get it airborne again.
In many ways that would be good and in many ways not so good.
"Just Jane" is a tribute to the Panton brothers third brother who was killed in a Lancaster in WW2. It would be lovely to see her fly but I would imagine the cost would be prohibitive - insurance if nothing else. A gentleman of my acquaintance is fortunate enough to be about to return a Spitfire to flying condition. The annual insurance is £40k! Imagine what it would be for a Lancaster. It's for this reason that I believe the only flying Lancaster in the UK will be PA474, with the military not having to worry about insurance in the conventional sense.
The only flying Lancaster in civilian hands remains in Canada. There have been plans to bring it to the UK to fly with the BBMF Lancaster but whether or not that will happen remains to be seen. Anyone who has followed the saga of "Sally B", the B-17 will appreciate how difficult it is to operate a large old warbird in the UK.
eharding: You seem awfully familiar!
The only flying Lancaster in civilian hands remains in Canada. There have been plans to bring it to the UK to fly with the BBMF Lancaster but whether or not that will happen remains to be seen. Anyone who has followed the saga of "Sally B", the B-17 will appreciate how difficult it is to operate a large old warbird in the UK.
eharding: You seem awfully familiar!
Edited by JW911 on Friday 11th July 22:54
MikeyT, do they normally allow you on board the Lancaster to have a look around?
I would love to go and have a look inside one.
My Father flew in Lancasters during the latter part of the war, he is fairly elderly now as you would imagine, doing very well though I should add. He lied about his age to join up and flew 8 missions before the end of the war.
I would love to be able to take him on a visit to see Just Jane, especially if they allowed him inside as that would make his year!
Great photos by the way.
On a slightly different note, I recently purchased the Haynes manual on the Avro Lancaster for my Dads birthday, excellent book with a level of detail and depth not found in the usual Lancaster books, I can recommend it for all you plane fans. The book also had quite a lot about Just Jane and explains in detail why she does not fly but could and may, one day in the future.
I would love to go and have a look inside one.
My Father flew in Lancasters during the latter part of the war, he is fairly elderly now as you would imagine, doing very well though I should add. He lied about his age to join up and flew 8 missions before the end of the war.
I would love to be able to take him on a visit to see Just Jane, especially if they allowed him inside as that would make his year!
Great photos by the way.
On a slightly different note, I recently purchased the Haynes manual on the Avro Lancaster for my Dads birthday, excellent book with a level of detail and depth not found in the usual Lancaster books, I can recommend it for all you plane fans. The book also had quite a lot about Just Jane and explains in detail why she does not fly but could and may, one day in the future.
Edited by dustybottoms on Saturday 12th July 02:20
Edited by dustybottoms on Saturday 12th July 02:21
The original "Pilots' Notes" handbook on the Lancaster is also available these days as a reprint.
The Lancaster is a great aircraft and I really must get up to see "Jane" some day.
Also worth looking at is the Halifax restoration at Elvington. The Halifax gets overlooked somewhat but played an equally important role in WW2. One has also been restored in Canada and it is just fantastic. The Canadians have plans to restore another one. Halifaxes seemed to have a propensity for sinking into lakes and both the wreck at Hendon and the restored example in Canada were both recovered from lakes.
Unfortunately none of thes restorations have been to airworthy conditions.
Now, if only someone could locate a Stirling.
The Lancaster is a great aircraft and I really must get up to see "Jane" some day.
Also worth looking at is the Halifax restoration at Elvington. The Halifax gets overlooked somewhat but played an equally important role in WW2. One has also been restored in Canada and it is just fantastic. The Canadians have plans to restore another one. Halifaxes seemed to have a propensity for sinking into lakes and both the wreck at Hendon and the restored example in Canada were both recovered from lakes.
Unfortunately none of thes restorations have been to airworthy conditions.
Now, if only someone could locate a Stirling.
Eric Mc said:
The original "Pilots' Notes" handbook on the Lancaster is also available these days as a reprint.
The Lancaster is a great aircraft and I really must get up to see "Jane" some day.
Also worth looking at is the Halifax restoration at Elvington. The Halifax gets overlooked somewhat but played an equally important role in WW2. One has also been restored in Canada and it is just fantastic. The Canadians have plans to restore another one. Halifaxes seemed to have a propensity for sinking into lakes and both the wreck at Hendon and the restored example in Canada were both recovered from lakes.
Unfortunately none of thes restorations have been to airworthy conditions.
Now, if only someone could locate a Stirling.
Do you know if there is any large part of a Stirling that survives,nose section or... ? The Lancaster is a great aircraft and I really must get up to see "Jane" some day.
Also worth looking at is the Halifax restoration at Elvington. The Halifax gets overlooked somewhat but played an equally important role in WW2. One has also been restored in Canada and it is just fantastic. The Canadians have plans to restore another one. Halifaxes seemed to have a propensity for sinking into lakes and both the wreck at Hendon and the restored example in Canada were both recovered from lakes.
Unfortunately none of thes restorations have been to airworthy conditions.
Now, if only someone could locate a Stirling.
A friend of mine and his wife were flying their lethal contraption (aka flexwing) a couple of years ago and this flew under them. I'm sure he wont mind me posting it here....
There are a few more here...
http://www.adamanda.org/travel/gb/06/longmarston/
There are a few more here...
http://www.adamanda.org/travel/gb/06/longmarston/
Edited by Orb the Impaler on Saturday 12th July 11:29
Orb the Impaler said:
Nice pics - not often you get to see the inside views.
On a related note - Mrs Orb(s) dad passed away last week: he was tailgunner in a Lancaster in WWII
I've been left his considerable collection of bomber books, which is touching.
Very nice collection to have I'm sure. My Dad is similar, he has a large collection of books on various fighter and bomber aircraft from WWII including several lovely and large framed prints of Halifax's, Lancasters (some signed by Bomber Harris and the pilots etc) Spitfires and a Sopwith Camel (his father flew a Sopwith in WWI)that take pride of place in his lounge. These aricraft really are special to their generation which is understandable, and although my dad loves the Lancaster the most he also has a soft spot for the Halifax as this was the first Bomber he flew in.On a related note - Mrs Orb(s) dad passed away last week: he was tailgunner in a Lancaster in WWII
I've been left his considerable collection of bomber books, which is touching.
All these men who flew in these aircraft seem to have a very quiet dignity and respect about them, a couple of my dads friends flew 50+ combat missions each in Lancaster’s, both were heavily decorated, both are still alive and well I'm pleased to say, and both are the most quiet, humble, unassuming gents you could ever wish to meet.
What makes me smile the most is that my Dad is incredibly proud of the achievements of these two gentlemen and wouldn't hesitate to bring them up in a conversation with a stranger regarding WWII and Lancaster’s and yet I know, he wouldn't be anywhere near as forthcoming about mentioning his own experiences. I only found out by accident three months ago that my dad has several medals, I never knew that until then. They really are a unique generation of people!
ETA, all credit to your late father in law Orb, I know that my dad has tremendous respect for the guys who were the tail gunners. Their lot was a rough one and the life expectancy shorter than most.
Edited by dustybottoms on Saturday 12th July 12:00
Edited by dustybottoms on Saturday 12th July 12:00
Edited by dustybottoms on Saturday 12th July 12:01
dustybottoms said:
Very nice collection to have I'm sure. My Dad is similar, he has a large collection of books on various fighter and bomber aircraft from WWII including several lovely and large framed prints of Halifax's, Lancasters (some signed by Bomber Harris and the pilots etc) Spitfires and a Sopwith Camel (his father flew a Sopwith in WWI)that take pride of place in his lounge.
By way of contrast, there is apparently at least one B52 pilot in the USAF whose father and grandfather were also USAF pilots, also on the B52.Thanks for pics Mikey1 I hope to visit there one day.Are you allowed to inspect the interior.Have been to see the Lanc at Duxford but it was being prepared for a BB flight so wasn't allowed inside.
After 19 operations on the Halifax 111, our squadron was converted to Lancasters and I completed 12 operations on them.Flew from August 1944 to March 1945.
I still have copies of the Pilot/engineer's notes for Lancaster and Halifax 111.
After 19 operations on the Halifax 111, our squadron was converted to Lancasters and I completed 12 operations on them.Flew from August 1944 to March 1945.
I still have copies of the Pilot/engineer's notes for Lancaster and Halifax 111.
Edited by Sprey on Sunday 13th July 12:34
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