treadigraph:
Thanks, I must get some print from the colour slides I took at Biggin Hill in 1965 and let the East Kirkby people have copies.
Was a bit surprised that this is the same aircraft as the Scampton gate guardian, because I have a "family posed in front of" shot at Scampton gate with the Lancaster, and these photographs are dated 23rd August 1960. I accept of course that there could have been more than one gate guardian Lancaster at Scampton over time.

Regards

EGCA

EGCA, sorry, only time I have ever seen Just Jane she was on the gate at Scampton - that would have been in the 1980s.

Quick bit of belated research: Scampton + 1960 = R5868, now in the RAF Museum at Hendon.

Cheers

Treadders

treadigraph,

Thanks. (I'd forgotten all about Blackpool until this thread reminded me)

Scampton gate guard
 

Slight thread drift possibly.

When I was a young space cadet in the 80's, we visited Scampton fairly frequently to go gliding in the old Sedbergh barges. I have 2 abiding memories of those trips, none of which involve Sedberghs. :p

Firstly, I recall our troop being driven over to the far hard standings to have a good look around a series of Vulcans (4 or 5) which were awaiting their fate with the scrap man. I well remember how heavy the crew door was when I 'accidentally' released the door catch...

Secondly, we had a look round the gate guard, which was of course the Lancaster. I recall it had red spinners? Also, I seem to recall that the crew entry door had a Yale lock on it, but the guardroom staff couldn't find the key for it, so we didn't get a look inside. Dammit.

Can anyone confirm whether these recollections of the Lancaster are accurate?

treadigraph:

Cheers. I can now just make out an "8" at the end of the registration on the photo, so that checks out.

Good that it is under cover and well cared for now.

EGCA

G-asxx/nx611
 

There is a booklet available that details the whole story of the Lanc's trip back to the UK, including spells at Blackpool, and ultimately ending up at Scampton. It is titled 'Story of a Lanc' and has been reprinted at least once. I will try and find an ISBN number later today. :ok:

Last year I went for a taxi ride in NX611. It was an amazing experience. As the engines were brought up to 2000rpm you where able to feel what it must have been like for those young airmen many years ago.
The museum at East Kirkby is one of the finest in the country. They have recreated a WW11 bomber airfield, with 'Just Jane' as the main attraction. Some of the museum staff had concerns about getting her flying as any serious incident could mean the closure of the museum if 'Just jane' was written off. This view was stated by one of the Panton brothers in the video that I bought at the museum.
Hundeds of people a year have the unique opportunity to ride inside a Lancaster and experience the emotion that four Merlins at close quaters brings. Would it not be better to keep it that way? I would feel differently if there were no airworthy Lancs, but it seems to me that we have the best of both worlds at the moment.
What do you think?

Dave

PS. Off for another NX611 taxi ride on 23/7 thanks to Mrs A's generous birthday present.

I was luck enough to have a 'TAXI RIDE' a few years back. Chatting to the Brothers then , they ( as has already been stated here) were not going to put it back into the air. If it was 'lost' then it would be irreplacable.
I thoroughly agreed with that then! However if they are going to put it back 'in the air', I for one would support that decision.
I hope that it would be possible for 'fare paying passengers' to be able to get airborne in her. Should be able to get round the latest daft EU rules as its
not a passenger aircraft!

Lets hope...

mystic meg:

The booklet title is "Story of a Lanc (NX611)" by Goulding B and others, first published in 1974, 32 pages card covers. Looks as though it does not have an ISBN.
Available in the secondhand market.

EGCA

A few years back when chatting to the Brothers, they told me they would need one million pounds to get the aircraft airworthy and they did not have the money.

A brilliant museum, a must visit for everyone.

nacluv

I was at Scampton in the '80s and your recollections are spot on, the crew door did have a yale lock on it, but the guard room staff didn't keep the key to it, that was kept safely locked away in SHQ

Thanks Pete T for the confirmation - much appreciated.

The old synapses still have the correct firing order then! :ok:

Pete T wrote:


You beat me to it. In fact, visitors could have a look round if they pre-booked with the station - but only at weekends IIRC. The key, with the names of the visitors was given to the Orderly Sgt. On one of my weekends when I was the "custodian", I had to escort some visitors - who all seemed to be TV personalities of one sort or another - who were visiting their "friends" in the Red Arrows(that's another story - NOTW stuff!). During a quiet moment, I took the opportunity to have a look round Just Jayne, and yes, she did have red spinners.

nacluv, I hope you didn't aquire any "souvenirs" off those Vulcans. They were a good source of spares (especially the air-to-air refuelling probes) for our colleagues over at Waddo during that little business down in the Falklands.

It would be brilliant if there was another Lanc flying, but how are they going to cope with the insurance problem? That nearly grounded Sally B.
I suppose it is a question of money, if the Vulcan project succeeded I don't see why the Kirby Lanc couldn't. Incidentaly last year I visited an annex of the le Bourget Museum, they have a Lanc project there but unfortunately the project is advancing at a snails pace.

Written by Brian Goulding, Mike Garbett and Sqn Ldr John Partridge RAF. No ISBN reference, :sad: but the latest(?) copy was produced by Melton Printers of Lincoln In 1991. Somewhere I also have an original copy (1974) that was available by mail order from one of the UK papers.
To quote from the inside back cover of the 1991 booklet:
:ooh:

All this talk of Lancasters stirred the memory of a Air Training Corp camp at Upwood in 1949.

This is the aircraft that I and another cadet had a ride in to Heligoland, we we only allowed to stay in the rear and mid-upper turrets.
My lasting memory ? very cold and noisy. :)



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7.../upwood491.jpg

Just jane
 

Apparently the brthers are looking into permission to extend the runway by 1000 feet. Hmm wouldnt it be great to see PA474 land there and one day they both do a stream take off?

4mastacker -
 

Being a stupid teenager at the time, I can't say hand on heart that the thought never cross my mind, however please rest assured that I did no such thing. I was sh1tt1ng myself enough as it was, having got the bloody door open and trying to get it pushed back shut again before our WO spotted me! I can't believe how heavy it was...

The possibility of NX611 returning to the air even made the local TV news last night. The young Mr Panton seemed very up-beat and optomistic that it could be achieved in about a year. I look forward to the day she flies again.

Here is the link to the TV interview
Central - Home - Welcome To ITV Local for the Midlands