There are three Avro Lancaster Bombers in the world that can manoeuvre
under their own power, one is the RAF’s Battle of Britain Memorial Flights PA474 aircraft, the second is the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum’s FM213 and the final one is in private hands deep in the RAF’s wartime
bomber country. Checksix went to East Kirkby in Lincolnshire to meet Lancaster NX611 “Just Jane” and her owners Fred and Harold Panton at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre. The airfield was built in 1942
originally as a decoy site to take the bombing meant for RAF Coningsby, the Luftwaffe were not fooled for long though says Andrew Panton who kindly took time out to talk to us about the Centre. The RAF realising that the
deception was no longer working made the airfield operational. During its operational life the airfield was home to the Lancaster’s of No 57 Squadron who’s B flight became 630
Squadron who stayed on site throughout the bomber offensive. Over 200 operations were flown from East Kirkby and 121 Lancaster’s were lost during those missions, 29 aircraft were lost in training and other accidents.
630 Squadron disbanded in July 1945 and was replaced by 460 Squadron
who were to become with 57 Squadron part of the Tiger Force and transfer to the Far East, with the surrender of Japan this force was no longer required and 460 and 57 Squadron disbanded in September and October.
The Mosquitoes from RAF Coningsby occupied the airfield during repairs to Coningsby’s runway in 1947. The USAF developed the airfield during the cold war with B-29 Super Fortress being on station, the station was sold to
private ownership in 1964. In 1981 the Panton brothers bought the site, now a chicken farm and set about creating a memorial to Bomber Command and in particular to their older brother, Pilot Officer Christopher Panton of
No. 433 Squadron, lost on a mission over Nuremberg on March 30/31, 1944 while flying in a Halifax Bomber from Skipton on Swale. The LAHC would have had a Halifax if one had been
available but failing that a Lancaster would fill the gap. Purchased from Lord Lilford in 1983 Lancaster NX611 had been on loan to the RAF and at that time was the gate guard at RAF Scampton. Built in 1945 at
Longbridge by Austin Motors the aircraft became surplus to requirements when Japan surrendered and the Tiger Force was no longer required. After a period in storage the aircraft was purchased by the French in
1952 serving with the French Navy in the maritime patrol role, after 10 years she was redeployed to Noumeau, New Caledonia for air sea rescue and cartography operations. In 1964 the French presented
NX611 to the Historical Aircraft Preservation Society, she was flown to Sydney Australia for a overhaul before undertaking the nine day 12000 mile journey back to the UK.
After returning the aircraft was grounded due to expiry of permitted flying
hours, she flew again in 1967 but the cost involved were prohibitive, in 1972 she was up for auction. Fred and Harold Panton had been looking for a way to commemorate the death of their older brother and the many
others in bomber command and had been looking for a Halifax Bomber but at the time their father would not allow a bomber to be kept on his farm. Their plans were brought to the fore again later when they owned their
own farm and land was put up for sale incorporating part of the old airfield at East Kirkby. They purchased the land and put some of it to commercial use and set about restoring some derelict original buildings, they also
installed a replica T-2 hangar on the spot of an original T-2. The auction of the Lancaster caught their attention as the Halifax had long since gone, at the auction at ”Squires Gate”
Blackpool the reserve price was not reached and the aircraft was withdrawn from the sale.
She was eventually sold privately to Rt Hon Lord Lilford and remained at
Squires Gate. In 1973 the RAF agreed to preserve the aircraft after some lobbying from Fred Panton and NX611 was removed to RAF Scampton. Lord Lilford offered the aircraft to the RAF on long term loan and after the
preservation works were completed NX611 became the Scampton Gate Guard. Fred and Harold kept in touch with Lord Lilford and in 1983 agreed a purchase with Lord Lilfords agent, NX611 stayed as RAF Scamptons gate
guard for another four years before being transported by the RAF to East Kirkby sixteen years after Fred had first seen her at the auction. Engine restoration began in 1993 with ex RAF engineers working on them, the
work on No3 engine and its controls alone took 700 man hours and £7000. The process was repeated for all four engines until all were ready to taxi.
In 1995 NX611 moved under her own steam for the first time in 24 years on
two engines and in August she was taxing using all four engines. Although on the day Checksix visited the taxi runs were slow on previous occasions she has taxied fast and lifted the tail wheel off the ground at just below
take off power. For £200 anyone can pre book to ride in the Lancaster during the taxi runs, can you do that anywhere else in the world I wonder. On the day of our visit, there were a great many re-enactors on site in
1940’s civil and military clothing adding to the atmosphere of the centre, even the cabaret was in the 1940’s theme. On occasion when all the people visible were in period dress the effect was a little off putting and the
illusion was completed by the air traffic control recording made especially for the centre. The only give away was the age of the men in uniform, mostly middle age men when during the
war the same uniforms would have been filled by teenagers and men in their twenty’s. This fact was clearly visible on the many memorial plaques erected by the Lincolnshire Aircraft Recovery Group who work from the
centre and have many exhibits at the centre and by the attendance of Ted Cachart “Ted The Lad” who joined the RAF as a 15 years old and was today promoting his autobiography “Ted the Lad”. Numerous other
ex Bomber Command personnel were also in attendance and gave a talk on their experiences from the stage in the Lancaster hangar to an attentive audience.
So what next for NX611, there has for some time been rumours of a return
to flight project and having taken the aircraft from static through a long restoration, return to flight would be a logical progression. Andrew Panton tells us that there are 3 real considerations here, “1 Finance, 2 The will to
do it and finally The ability to do it “ Last year a feasibility study was undertaken on the aircraft that concluded that it was quite capable of being returned to flight. The main wing spare has 1600 hours flight life left on it
but the Design Authority for the aircraft the British Aerospace have instructed that this should be reduced by 50% 800 hours due to the long gap in service. The engines would need some none destructive testing but
its believed that all four will make the grade, another engine has been restored to taxing status and two more have been acquired and are being restored to flying condition. New
propeller blades and tyres have also been recently acquired so the ability question seams to have been settled. The finance question looks to be of secondary importance to the real issue of the will to get it flying.
The Lancaster is the central attraction of the Heritage centre and the required overhaul would leave the aircraft in the hanger for an extended period, and once the works were complete NX611 would be away from
the centre for periods of time to participate in displays, this could have a detrimental affect on the centre it ‘self. And of course there is the increased risk to the aircraft of accidents that could rob the Heritage Centre
of its main attraction, on the other hand Andrew Panton also tells us that once in flying form the aircraft would in some ways have a more secure future and maintenance regime would also be stepped up so there
are benefits. The ground crew also had a view on the proposal to get NX611 back into the air, an enthusiastic and definite yes! The ground crew includes ex BBMF Ian Hickling as the Chief Engineer and two
ex BBMF pilots Mike Chatterton and Ed Straw so the staff aspect of flying is also well covered. The existing runway would need extending and this is also being investigated but it’s basically a land acquisition
operation and not a construction issue.
The decision is not yet made but the temptation is obviously great indeed
and much soul searching is still to be done by the Panton family. Imagine two Lancaster’s in formation over UK air shows and even perhaps a three aircraft bomber formation with the Vulcan, we will post any news on this as
it becomes available as this would be the most high profile return to flight project since Avro Vulcan XH558 took to the sky’s. In the short term another new item is taking place at the LAHC, their first air show is
scheduled for the 1st August 2009 and includes NX611 taxi runs and two hours of display flying including the list below to support the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund in its 90th year.
P-51 Mustang
Harvard T-6 Texan
Supermarine Spitfire
Hawker Hurricane
Dennis Neville Flying Circus
Slingsby T67M
SM205
RV8
Cap 232
Brousard
Fairchild Cornell
Taylor Titch
Chipmunk
Auto Gyro
Bird-dog
Tutor
Swift Aerobatic Team
Models
The BBMF Lancaster cannot make an appearance at this years show but perhaps next time we could see NX611 on a taxi run, with the BBMF Lancaster’s overhead perhaps even in formation. Tickets must be pre booked so please call 01790 763207 to avoid disappointment or look the centre up on http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/home.cfm for more information. For readers in Europe thinking of attending its worth mentioning that the Shuttleworth Collections Military Pageant Air Display is on the 2nd August and together with the LAHC event would make a great weekend of classic UK air show action. We would like to thank the whole team at LAHC and in particular the Panton family for their hospitality.
Will Moore / CHK6 UK
Release 1.0/2010
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Release 1.0/2010
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