Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre facts for kids
Lancaster NX611 in front of the museum's buildings (2007)
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| Established | 1988 |
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| Location | East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, England |
| Type | Military aviation museum |
| Visitors | 40,000 per year |
The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is a special museum in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, England. It's all about airplanes and their history. The museum first opened its doors in 1988. Two brothers, Fred and Harold Panton, who were farmers, created it. They wanted to remember their older brother, Christopher Whitton Panton. He was a brave airman who sadly passed away during World War II.
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The Museum's Story
Christopher Panton was a Flight Engineer in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He flew in a large bomber plane called a Handley Page Halifax. On a mission in March 1944, his plane was attacked over Germany. It caught fire and exploded. Christopher and five other crew members lost their lives. This mission was a very difficult one for many aircrews.
Years later, in the early 1970s, Fred and Harold Panton wanted to honor their brother. They decided to find a World War II aircraft. They managed to get a chance to buy an Avro Lancaster bomber, NX611. This plane was being used as a display at RAF Scampton at the time.
In 1981, the brothers bought part of an old air base. It was called RAF East Kirkby. This was where they planned to put the Lancaster. The plane finally moved there in 1987. Since then, it has been the main attraction at the museum. Many other aircraft and exhibits have joined it.
The airfield itself was built in 1943 during the war. It was a busy base for bomber planes. After the war, the United States Air Force used it for a few years. Then, in 1958, military use stopped. Today, parts of the runway are still there. Local farmers even use them. People say the old control tower might have ghosts!
In 2008, the museum opened a small airfield. This allows some planes to land there if they get permission first. You can also find a monument marking the Prime Meridian at the site. There's another memorial for the brave airmen who served at the base.
Meet Just Jane the Lancaster Bomber
The most famous plane at the museum is the Avro Lancaster bomber, NX611. It's lovingly called Just Jane. This name comes from a popular cartoon character from the war years.
Just Jane was built in April 1945. It was meant to fly missions against Japan. However, the war ended before it could see any action. The plane was stored for a while. Then, it was sold to the French government. The French Navy used it for patrols over the ocean. It also helped with air-sea rescue missions. They even changed it to carry a special Airborne lifeboat.
The French flew Just Jane over the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas. Later, it went to the Pacific Ocean. In 1964, the French gave the plane to a historical group. They flew it back to the United Kingdom. But keeping such a big plane flying was very expensive. So, it was put up for sale in 1972. The Panton brothers tried to buy it then, but they couldn't.
Instead, the plane became a display at RAF Scampton. The Pantons eventually bought it later. The deal was that it would stay at Scampton until 1983. It actually stayed there until 1987.
In 1987, NX611 finally arrived at East Kirkby. Its restoration began in 1992. The powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engines were brought back to life. Today, Just Jane regularly performs taxi runs. This means it drives along the runway, but doesn't fly. These runs help raise money to keep it maintained. In 2011, it even appeared in an episode of the TV show The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe.
The museum is still working hard to get Just Jane flying again. They acquired the last of its four working engines in late 2012. As of late 2021, the aircraft was still being restored. It's a big project, but many people hope to see it fly one day!
Other Cool Aircraft
The museum has more than just Just Jane. You can also see the front part of an English Electric Canberra jet, WH957. There's also the remains of a Supermarine Spitfire Vb, BL655. This Spitfire crashed in July 1943, and its Canadian pilot, Norman Alexander Watt, sadly passed away.
Two other planes are being restored to be displayed. These are a Percival Proctor and a Handley Page Hampden. The museum also has a De Havilland Mosquito HJ711 that can taxi. Another plane that can fly is a Dakota RFH4H7, nicknamed "Drag Em Oot". In 2022, the centre added a B-25 Mitchell Bomber 44-29366. This B-25 and other museum planes were used in the TV series All Creatures Great and Small. They filmed scenes about RAF training at the museum.
More to See
Beyond the planes, the museum has other interesting items. There are twelve ground vehicles from World War II. These were used by the RAF. You can also see a practice Upkeep bomb. This was a special bomb designed to bounce over water.
The centre also has a working German anti-aircraft searchlight. It's 60 centimeters wide and comes with its own generator. It's a powerful piece of history!
See also
- List of aerospace museums
