TIME’S UP !!!!!!! 🙁 THE EXTENDED ‘DEADLINE’ OF SUNDAY 3RD APRIL 2005 HAS PASSED.
I THANK THOSE PEOPLE WHO RESPONDED TO THIS INVITATION – MORE DETAILS WILL BE SENT TO YOU INDIVIDUALLY. 😉
WITH REGARDS TO ANY OTHER ‘ELIGIBLE’ PEOPLE, WHO DISCOVER THIS FORUM THREAD IN THE WEEKS TO COME, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND EAST KIRKBY ON 14th MAY 2005 – THE REUNION IS ‘OPEN’ TO ALL OF YOU. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE TO THOSE WHO HAVE REGISTERED THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE INVITATION BY THE DEADLINE COULD BE THE FACT THAT IT CANNOT BE GUARANTEED THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BENEFIT FROM SOME OF THE DAY’S ACTIVITIES 😮 (i.e THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE A ‘TAXI RIDE’ IN “JUST JANE” !! 😀 )
ORIGINAL INVITATION :-
CALLING ALL AVIATION PRESERVATIONISTS WHO WERE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE ‘HISTORIC AIRCRAFT PRESERVATION SOCIETY’ (HAPS) AND / OR ‘REFLECTAIRE LTD’ (REFLECTAIRE PRESERVATION GROUP) DURING 1960s / 1970s – BIGGIN HILL / LAVENHAM / RAF HULLAVINGTON / BLACKPOOL (SQUIRES GATE) :-
A number of us who were actively (and very personally!) involved with the preservation of Lancaster NX611, together with other famous historic aircraft and military vehicles, during the 1960s – 1970s, are currently in negotiations with the present owners (the Panton Brothers) in order to organise a memorable reunion event at East Kirkby, Lincolnshire. 😉 😀 🙂
This reunion event is scheduled to take place on
SATURDAY 14th MAY 2005 at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire (Website: http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/home.cfm ).
As part of the day’s commemorative celebrations it is promised that Fred and Harold Panton will be putting on a very special treat for us, in the form of a ‘Taxi Run’ by NX611 “Just Jane”.
THIS ‘DOUBLE ANNIVERSARY’ EVENT IS BEING ORGANISED TO COMMEMORATE LANCASTER NX611’s 60TH ANNIVERSARY (FIRST ROLLED OUT APRIL 1945 AT ‘AUSTIN MOTORS’ LONGBRIDGE, BIRMINGHAM WORKS) TOGETHER WITH THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘HER’ RETURN TO UK SOIL (ARRIVAL AT BIGGIN HILL, KENT ON 13TH MAY 1965 AS G-ASXX “SPIRIT OF SURFERS PARADISE”).
If any ‘Forum’ member reading this thread was involved with active support / membership of ‘HAPS’ and / or ‘Reflectaire’ Preservation Groups during the 1960s/1970s, or knows somebody who was, and would be interested in joining us at East Kirkby on the 14th May reunion celebrations, will you please register your interest by initially replying to this ‘Forum’ thread and providing a contact e-mail address or send me a confidential ‘Forum’ Private Message (PM) with your details and where / when / how you were involved with these Preservation Groups.
Because of the need to get some idea of numbers hoping to attend on 14th May, I would be grateful for early responses.
I AM THEREFORE HAVING TO SET A CUT-OFF DATE OF SUNDAY 3rd APRIL 2005 FOR REGISTERING INTEREST.
We look forward to hearing from you and re-awakening memories (good and bad!!). 😉
[IMG]
By: R J A Taylor - 27th February 2005 at 22:05
Thanks Richard! I think you only have to look at the messages posted on this board and others regarding NX611 and VP441 to see that your early preservation efforts are very highly egarded……………………………Best wishes Alan.
Ps welcome to the forum and I am sure if you would like to share any more of your experiences,they would be greatly received!
Your comments are very much appreciated Alan. Keep up your own valued contribution to the Aviation Preservation Scene – as your ‘Forum Signature’ profoundly states “Those that can, ‘DO’, those that can’t be bothered ‘TALK ABOUT IT’ !!! Alright we’re talking about it now, but at least we can be proud of having ‘DONE’ something of value to benefit others, young and old alike.
With regards to my sharing more of my personal experiences with you in future ‘Forum’ threads, rest assured I’ll continue to contribute wherever my input is of interest or potential value.
Kindest Regards
Richard
By: alanl - 27th February 2005 at 21:00
Thanks Richard!I think you only have to look at the messages posted on this board and others regarding NX611 and VP441 to see that your early preservation efforts are very highly regarded and I hope that my small contribution to the historic aviation scene goes some way to ensuring the legacy that yourselves and many others, pioneered over the years continues for the generations to come.
Best wishes Alan.
Ps welcome to the forum and I am sure if you would like to share any more of your experiences,they would be greatly received!
By: R J A Taylor - 27th February 2005 at 18:54
Mr Taylor may I take this opportunity to say how much I enjoyed the article in Flypast on the rescue and trial and tribulations involved with NX611’s early years and to say thank you to yourself and your colleagues for all your efforts in securing all the aircraft that you did so that we can still enjoy them today,and if a book was written I would certainly be interested in a copy!
Regards Alan Longstaff.
Hi Alan
Thanks for the kind words. It’s totally gratifying to know that today’s generations of people (young and old), especially those that weren’t even ‘a twinkle in their mother’s eye’ when our somewhat pioneering preservation efforts were in full swing, so to speak, are today able to enjoy the rewards of our hard (but totally enjoyable in retrospect) work and ‘youthful enthusiasm’ (not to mention nievity and gullability !!).
I see from your Profile and previous ‘Forum’ postings that you are a volunteer with the Air Atlantique Classic Flight and your young son seems to share your enthusiasm. You have probably experienced similar ‘highs’ and ‘lows’ in your involvement with that organisation so I am sure you will have some appreciation of the mix of emotions that can so often be generated when taking an active role.
I wish you well with your own worthwhile efforts and again thank you for expressing your appreciation of our (hitherto unsung) efforts to preserve some of this country’s finest examples of aviation heritage.
Very Best Wishes 😉 🙂
Richard
By: alanl - 27th February 2005 at 17:13
Mr Taylor may I take this opportunity to say how much I enjoyed the article in Flypast on the rescue and trial and tribulations involved with NX611’s early years and to say thank you to yourself and your colleagues for all your efforts in securing all the aircraft that you did so that we can still enjoy them today,and if a book was written I would certainly be interested in a copy!
Regards Alan Longstaff.
By: R J A Taylor - 27th February 2005 at 14:18
Richard,
Just seen your post. I would very much like to attend but it is 2 days too late for me. I fly to the States on 12 May! There will be a side trip whilst there. Guess where and for what!!
Regards,
Laurie.
Good to hear from you again Laurie.
I just had a feeling that, as soon as the ‘reunion’ date was fixed, it would conflict with some people’s diary commitments!!!!!!! Martin has ‘fixed’ the 14th May date with Fred and Harold so we can’t change that. Is your UK departure date ‘set in stone’ or ‘moveable’ ? It would have been great to meet up with you at LAHC and share memories ‘in person’ – any remote chance of you being able to delay departure, say until the Sunday or Monday after reunion?????
When are you actually arriving back in UK?
Re your US “side trip” (he says with ‘total’ jealousy inflection in voice!!!), I hope you’re going fully equipped with (digi) camera / camcorder and plenty of film / memory card(s) !!!! Have you had any offers of a spare seat on camera chase plane to secure more air-to-air shots of VP441 as she performs over that magnificent Montana countryside??? YES I’M TURNING YELLOW at the very thought !!!!! Post as many pics. as you can on your return won’t you.
[IMG]
By: R J A Taylor - 27th February 2005 at 13:42
‘RJA’
must say I found the articles ref NX611 fascinating as she is now located just down the road from where I live and I pop in to EK when I’m passing plus of course for the taxi runs.. from the article, its clear that the group involved did a great job firstly getting her here and then ensuring her survival..I think we owe you a vote of thanks!! hope your get together is a success..
Neil.
Neil
Thanks for that. It’s taken 25+ years for the “real” story (some at least – much still has to be related by those of us deeply involved at the time on the ‘front line’ as it were !!!) behind the back-breaking and (often) heart-breaking efforts to ensure the preservation of Lanc. NX611 and Seafire FR47 VP441 for the Nation (not to forget the Canadair F.86E Sabre (XB733/MM19607/G-ATBF) who’s current whereabouts still remains unclear – other ‘Forum’ threads have attempted to solve this puzzle).
‘HAPS’ and ‘Reflectaire’ were only a couple of the aircraft preservation groups that struggled to survive in those days; there was no ‘Lottery Fund’ money available in those early days of the British Aircraft Preservation scene and a great reliance was held on securing ‘sponsership’ from local / national businesses in return for a degree of free advertising. In our case this mainly took the form of ‘credit bombs’ which were painted on the port side of the Lanc’s nose (my earlier photo illustrates these).
I’m sure you’ve already purchased a copy of the publication “Story of a Lanc’ (still available through LAHC at East Kirkby) which I contributed to in the mid 1970s by providing photos and personal information on NX611’s past history. This publication gives a very comprehensive history of ‘her’ life (to date) but I’m sure there is still a niche in the market for another book (at some stage) which would give an insight into the more ‘personal’ experiences and recollections of the relatively small band of preservationists who put so much of their own time and money into securing and working towards the restoration and public display of both historic aircraft and vintage civil and military vehicles. Events (and certain personalities……I’ll say no more!!) may have prevented us from ultimately achieving the successful Aviation and Military Vehicle Museum that we all aspired to in those heady days, but we still “tingle with great pride” every time we see the wonderful and highly successful East Kirkby ‘Aviation Heritage Centre’ and at least one of “OUR” historic aircraft as the central attraction!! Thanks go out to Fred and Harold (and their dedicated ‘team’) for their unswerving fortitude and foresight in rescuing NX611 from an uncertain future and for ensuring that this country retains such a valuable piece of its history in a ‘live’ state which young and old alike can enjoy and wonder at !
Getting back to you Neil, how about sending me a Private Message (PM) and giving me a little bit of personal background on your interests, in particular those surrounding LAHC. Would be nice to maintain contact, either via this ‘Forum’ or maybe by meeting up sometime in the future at East Kirkby. My wife and I travel up to Lincs. quite often these days as we are actively considering ‘retiring’ to “Bomber Country” (We almost bought a property in Dogdyke Road, Coningsby in 2003 but our sale fell through!!).
Look forward to hearing from you. 🙂
[IMG]
By: lauriebe - 27th February 2005 at 01:58
There was a an article in flypast recently about this aircraft and one of the pics had a caption of whats left of the aircraft?? It showed a small pile of parts including the tail section. I was wondering if this aircraft was scrapped or had an accident or something or was this photo taken up[on its reassembly??
Any ideas?
Peter,
This is how the Seafire looked on its first flight in over 50 years. Quite different from the pile of bits in the other photo. This shot was taken over Breckenridge, Texas just after 10.00am on 14 April last year.
If you want to see the full history of VP441, get hold of the July 2004 issue of FlyPast and check out pages 58 – 66.
Richard,
Just seen your post. I would very much like to attend but it is 2 days too late for me. I fly to the States on 12 May! There will be a side trip whilst there. Guess where and for what!!
Regards,
Laurie.
By: Guzzineil - 27th February 2005 at 01:30
‘RJA’
must say I found the articles ref NX611 fascinating as she is now located just down the road from where I live and I pop in to EK when I’m passing plus of course for the taxi runs.. from the article, its clear that the group involved did a great job firstly getting her here and then ensuring her survival..I think we owe you a vote of thanks!! hope your get together is a success..
Neil.
By: R J A Taylor - 27th February 2005 at 00:50
There was a an article in flypast recently about this aircraft and one of the pics had a caption of whats left of the aircraft?? It showed a small pile of parts including the tail section. I was wondering if this aircraft was scrapped or had an accident or something or was this photo taken up[on its reassembly??
Any ideas?
Peter
The Flypast article (Jan. 2005 Edition) featured one photo of Lancaster NX611 at Lavenham Airfield, Suffolk, England during an engine run on 21st July 1969. The tail unit, cowling and props. of the Seafire FR47 VP441 were laid out on the hardstanding in front of the Lanc. whilst the main airframe was being re-assembled by the Royal Navy personnel from RNAS Culdrose, Cornwall. Those lads had delivered the aircraft to Lavenham on a ‘Queen Mary’ low-loader the previous day (20th July) (picture on Page 82 of the Flypast article) and successfully had ‘her’ standing on her undercarriage, wings etc. fitted by the end of the day. The tail unit was the last to be attached as the fuselage had been supported on a metal trellis whilst the re-assembly took place.
I hope this has answered your question. As “Guzzineil” has pointed out, this aircraft is now in Montana, USA and fully restored to flying condition, thanks to the stalwart efforts of Ezells Aviation. Her first post-restoration flight took place on 14th April 2004. She’s really a sight for sore eyes – a real credit to her restorers.
I see from your ‘Public Profile’ that your interests include “Restoring a Lancaster Bomber” . Would that be the “Lucky Lancaster FM159” (Nanton Lancaster Society, Alberta) by any chance? Have you been actively involved with that aircraft’s preservation?
By: Guzzineil - 26th February 2005 at 22:23
Peter.. sure youre aware this is how she ended up..
http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=31725&highlight=vp441
Neil.
By: Peter - 26th February 2005 at 22:18
seafire…
There was a an article in flypast recently about this aircraft and one of the pics had a caption of whats left of the aircraft?? It showed a small pile of parts including the tail section. I was wondering if this aircraft was scrapped or had an accident or something or was this photo taken up[on its reassembly??
Any ideas?
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February 26, 2005 at 6:13 pm