Lancaster at Lincolnshire Aviation, East Kirkby, England

[old man emu]

The local BBC TV news on 3/1/13 broadcast a story about two elderly brothers who purchased a Lancaster bomber from a museum with the intention of getting it back into the air.

 

Although the plane hadn't flown for 40 years, they got it up to taxiing standard and as a way to get reconditioned Merlins, used to give people rides in the plane as it taxied around the airfield. It appears that they now have the reconditioned engines.

 

The plane is about 30 minutes' drive from where I am at the moment. Hopefully I'll be able to get over there next week when the weather is supposed to be dry and sunny. I'll take heaps of photos, but I can't post them until I get back home to Aus as I didn't install a photo editing program on my laptop, and I haven't got much mobile broadband credit.

 

OME

 

 

[Deskpilot]

A bit more info here.

 

http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/lancaster-taxy-rides/

 

 

[Bryon]

OME, I have sat in the tail turret whilst they diid a four engine full runup and taxi

 

I did not realise just how much that tail lifted off the ground during a runup

 

It is agreat experience, go for it

 

Have you ever heard 4 Merlins at full power close up....amazing....

 

 

[Guernsey]

Go for it OME but make sure you sign up for the 'Taxy' ride rather than the 'Taxi' ride, just in case.

 

Alan.

 

p.s. I suppose that your next ride will be in an Avro Lincoln in Lancashire somewhere.

 

 

[Neil_S]

The local BBC TV news on 3/1/13 broadcast a story about two elderly brothers who purchased a Lancaster bomber from a museum with the intention of getting it back into the air.Although the plane hadn't flown for 40 years, they got it up to taxiing standard and as a way to get reconditioned Merlins, used to give people rides in the plane as it taxied around the airfield. It appears that they now have the reconditioned engines.

 

The plane is about 30 minutes' drive from where I am at the moment. Hopefully I'll be able to get over there next week when the weather is supposed to be dry and sunny. I'll take heaps of photos, but I can't post them until I get back home to Aus as I didn't install a photo editing program on my laptop, and I haven't got much mobile broadband credit.

 

OME

Hi OME,

 

Yes - they certainly are going to try and get it flying again. I have a mate who lives nearby and he took me there a couple of years ago when I visited him. We saw it taxiing (although it was rather miserable weather), and as Bryon said , the sound of 4 Merlins is absolutely amazing!

 

Make sure you look round the rest of the site too, as they have lots of other goodies on display.

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[Gentreau]

And there's an article on it in this weeks Flyer newsletter.

 

http://www.flyer.co.uk/aviation-news/newsfeed.php?artnum=1397

 

 

[old man emu]

Today (Monday) I went to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which is where the RAF Battle of Britain Flight is based. Luckily today was the first day after the Christmas/New Year break, so when I got there, there were hardly any visitors. I went on a hangar tour with two visitors and the Guide. Since it is winter, all the planes are undergoing maintenance (like Annuals) so most have them had panels opened up. Because there was only three of us in the tour group, I was allowed to get up close and personal with the planes. As we were finishing the tour, the Air craftsmen came back from lunch, so I was escorted around the hangar and allowed to get even closer to the Lanc.

 

I've mentioned before that I haven't loaded a program on my laptop that will allow me to resize the file size of the pictures so I can post them here. I'll do it when I get home and post the photos.

 

After I left Coningsby, I went up the road to East Kirkby where the privately owned Lanc is located. I didn't go into the hangar to see it as I had seen enough at Coningsby. However, I did find out that the Lanc they are reconditioning was once owned by an Australian organisation much like HAAS. That was back in 1965. In the same year, two other Lancs were sold to Perth. (The three Lancs had been sold by the French Air Force, which had bought them from the British after WWll for use in French Indo-China.)

 

After that I went to the hotel at Woodhall Spa which was where the officers of the Dam Buster squadron were billitted.

 

I went into the Dam Buster's bar and took another heap of photographs which you will have to wait for until I get back home.

 

OME

 

 

[DGL Fox]

Good story OME, we are going back to the UK in June, these places are on our must see travel agenda this time around, I look forward to seeing your pic's when you get home mate.

 

David

 

 

[Deskpilot]

OME, I think I've mentioned it before that the Petwood Spar Hotel (Woodhall Spa) is joint owned by a few of my cousins. Never been there myself but have an invitation for this coming Early Spring Bank Holiday seeing as I will be in the UK. Not sure if I can fit it in as I have a full itinerary and a short stay.

 

 

[old man emu]

Deskplot,

 

You would do yourself a dis-service not to go to Petwood Sap Hotel. It is absolutely beautiful. I hope you can see my pictures of it before you leave. I did ask if there were Australians managing the hotel, but the receptionist couldn't help me. (I was looking to scrounge a beer).

 

If I was visiting the area, I would stay at the hotel and hang the expense.

 

OME

 

 

[Deskpilot]

All my rellies are Brits mate, except those of us that now call Australia home of coarse.

 

 

[planedriver]

Today (Monday) I went to RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire which is where the RAF Battle of Britain Flight is based. Luckily today was the first day after the Christmas/New Year break, so when I got there, there were hardly any visitors. I went on a hangar tour with two visitors and the Guide. Since it is winter, all the planes are undergoing maintenance (like Annuals) so most have them had panels opened up. Because there was only three of us in the tour group, I was allowed to get up close and personal with the planes. As we were finishing the tour, the Air craftsmen came back from lunch, so I was escorted around the hangar and allowed to get even closer to the Lanc.I've mentioned before that I haven't loaded a program on my laptop that will allow me to resize the file size of the pictures so I can post them here. I'll do it when I get home and post the photos.

 

After I left Coningsby, I went up the road to East Kirkby where the privately owned Lanc is located. I didn't go into the hangar to see it as I had seen enough at Coningsby. However, I did find out that the Lanc they are reconditioning was once owned by an Australian organisation much like HAAS. That was back in 1965. In the same year, two other Lancs were sold to Perth. (The three Lancs had been sold by the French Air Force, which had bought them from the British after WWll for use in French Indo-China.)

 

After that I went to the hotel at Woodhall Spa which was where the officers of the Dam Buster squadron were billitted.

 

I went into the Dam Buster's bar and took another heap of photographs which you will have to wait for until I get back home.

 

OME

That private one being reconditioned, must surely be the one I went over at Biggin Hill when it first arrived in 1965. I remember it had a small kangaroo logo on it.

 

The paint firm that my father worked after retiring from the police force, were possibly going to donate camaflage paint for it's restoration.

 

It apparently arrived virtually on 2 engines, one was dead and another was just about running on its last legs.

 

It had to be issued with a special C of A to fly it to fly it the short distance north (to Derby I think, from memory) where the engines were to be overhauled.

 

At that stage of it's life, I think it had just been aquired by The Historic Aircraft Preservation Society? (I think thats what they were called)

 

Crawling to the rear gunners position, I realised just how vunerable those poor buggers were, having lost an uncle in that position after they got hit by flak over Germany.

 

The second time I went over it with a friend of my dads, (the name Mick Ronaine springs to mind) who had something to do with it being brought back to the UK, I was allowed on the flight deck when they ran a couple of the engines. The whole fuselage seem to almost shake itself to pieces, and it was just so bloody noisey, I couldn't wait to get out of the thing.

 

Mick had been a pilot in the RAF during WW2, then left to join Londons Metropolitan Police Force where my Dad worked for 32yrs.

 

The calling of the air, got the better of him, so Mick went back to running The Pheonix Flying Club/Metropolitan Poice Flying Club at Biggin Hill where his enthusiasm got me to take my first flying lesson.

 

It would be so interesting to learn more about this old Lanc, i'll have to do some more research, but if anyone else has information on it, please pass it on.

 

Kind Regards

 

Planey

 

 

[planedriver]

Just found some more info OME

 

http://www.on-target-aviation.com/Lanc%20NX611%20&%20PA474.html

 

You and others might find this interesting reading.

 

 

[Neil_S]

That private one being reconditioned, must surely be the one I went over at Biggin Hill when it first arrived in 1965. I remember it had a small kangaroo logo on it.The paint firm that my father worked after retiring from the police force, were possibly going to donate camaflage paint for it's restoration.

It apparently arrived virtually on 2 engines, one was dead and another was just about running on its last legs.

 

It had to be issued with a special C of A to fly it to fly it the short distance north (to Derby I think, from memory) where the engines were to be overhauled.

 

At that stage of it's life, I think it had just been aquired by The Historic Aircraft Preservation Society? (I think thats what they were called)

 

Crawling to the rear gunners position, I realised just how vunerable those poor buggers were, having lost an uncle in that position after they got hit by flak over Germany.

 

The second time I went over it with a friend of my dads, (the name Mick Ronaine springs to mind) who had something to do with it being brought back to the UK, I was allowed on the flight deck when they ran a couple of the engines. The whole fuselage seem to almost shake itself to pieces, and it was just so bloody noisey, I couldn't wait to get out of the thing.

 

Mick had been a pilot in the RAF during WW2, then left to join Londons Metropolitan Police Force where my Dad worked for 32yrs.

 

The calling of the air, got the better of him, so Mick went back to running The Pheonix Flying Club/Metropolitan Poice Flying Club at Biggin Hill where his enthusiasm got me to take my first flying lesson.

 

It would be so interesting to learn more about this old Lanc, i'll have to do some more research, but if anyone else has information on it, please pass it on.

 

Kind Regards

 

Planey

Hi Planey,

 

There is actually a book produced by Brian Goulding and Dick Taylor (Revised Edition 2010) called "Story of a Lanc" NX611 - "Just Jane" which details the entire history of this plane, and I bought it at the Museum when over there. It doesn't seem to have an ISBN that I can see but gives details as :-

 

Printers :- Melton Printers of Lincoln, Industrial Unit 3, Sleaford Road, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln LN4 2ND, UK

 

Website :- www.meltonprinters.co.uk

 

Publishers : Brian Goulding and Dick Taylor on behalf of

 

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Near Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4DE, UK

 

Website :- www.lincsaviation.co.uk

 

Perhaps if you contact one of the above you may be able to get a copy sent to you. It is good read, and lots of great pix! It cost 10 pounds from the museum.

 

Cheers

 

Neil

 

 

[planedriver]

Hi Planey,There is actually a book produced by Brian Goulding and Dick Taylor (Revised Edition 2010) called "Story of a Lanc" NX611 - "Just Jane" which details the entire history of this plane, and I bought it at the Museum when over there. It doesn't seem to have an ISBN that I can see but gives details as :-

 

Printers :- Melton Printers of Lincoln, Industrial Unit 3, Sleaford Road, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln LN4 2ND, UK

 

Website :- www.meltonprinters.co.uk

 

Publishers : Brian Goulding and Dick Taylor on behalf of

 

Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Near Spilsby, Lincolnshire PE23 4DE, UK

 

Website :- www.lincsaviation.co.uk

 

Perhaps if you contact one of the above you may be able to get a copy sent to you. It is good read, and lots of great pix! It cost 10 pounds from the museum.

 

Cheers

 

Neil

Thanks Neil, that was very informative.

 

I checked out the lincsaviation site, and they obviously have a wealth of information on there, books and dvd's etc.

 

That certainly points me in the right direction for information that I want to persue, as it brings back many memories for me.

 

Many thanks

 

Planey

 

 

[old man emu]

Maybe I should go back there and buy a heap of books & DVDs to on-sell in Austtralia.

 

OME

 

 

[bernieh]

Maybe I should go back there and buy a heap of books & DVDs to on-sell in Austtralia.OME

Talking of Lancs........

 

 

 

 

[old man emu]

These Brits cheat a bit. They often change the squadron markings and nose art of the one Lanc they have so that it flies as a memorial to some particular Squadron or operation.

 

OME

 

 

[planedriver]

These Brits cheat a bit. They often change the squadron markings and nose art of the one Lanc they have so that it flies as a memorial to some particular Squadron or operation.OME

Some say "imitation is the finest form of flattery" and with whats available at their disposal, surely that's simply a reflection of the esteem held of those that they wish to be honoured.

 

This sort of thing happens wordwide with historic aircraft.

 

The replica Avro 504K with it's Sunbeam engine at Sydney Airport is no different.

 

It looks good, creates the right atmosphere for what's intended, even if you can't get the ok for a couple of trial circuits:tongue in cheek:

 

 

[planedriver]

Looks like they're making progress with the restoration.

 

Anyone who's interested can follow it here http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/news/lancaster-nx611-return-to-flight/?page=1