File:Avro Lancaster B.VII ‘NX611 LE-H’ “Just Jane” (G-ASXX) (51685176399).jpg

Built in April 1945, NX611 was allocated to ‘Tiger Force’ in the Far East, but was still in the UK when the Japanese surrendered and was instead put in long-term storage at Llandow. Sold to France in April 1952, she joined the Aéronavale (French Navy) where she was given the identity ‘WU-15’. Initially in overall dark blue (a lovely scheme!) and used for maritime patrol, she was transferred to New Caledonia in 1962 and repainted overall white for air-sea-rescue and surveying work. In 1964 she was presented to the Historical Aircraft Preservation Society (HAPS) and flown to the UK, arriving at Biggin Hill on 13th May 1965 after a 12,000 mile journey taking nine days. Repainted in RAF markings, she next flew in May 1967, now with the British civil registration G-ASXX. The cost of keeping her flying was high and in March 1969 she was flown to Lavenham in Suffolk for storage, moving to Hullavington in February 1970 and then Blackpool in June 1970, now as part of the Reflectaire museum. The museum closed in April 1972 and NX611 was sold at auction. She was moved to RAF Scampton where she went on display as a gate guard, although she was still privately owned and only on-loan to the base. After the agreed ten years on display, she was sold to Fred and Harold Panton and in April 1988 she was moved to their farm on the disused airfield at East Kirby. Here she serves as a memorial to their brother Christopher, who had been killed in March 1944 during a raid on Nuremburg, and all the men who served with Bomber Command. She has been taxiable since 1995 and gives regular rides, but the long term plan is to get her flying again and restoration work is ongoing towards that. Other Lancaster sections have been brought to East Kirby and will be swapped on to NX611 to allow her to keep taxiing while her own components are restored to an airworthy standard. These include the rear fuselage section of KB976, loaned from the South Yorkshire Air Museum in Doncaster and the port outer wing of NX664, loaned from Ailes Anciennes Ile de France in Paris. Currently without wingtips, NX611 is seen here during the 2021 ‘Lanc, Tank and Military Machines’ event. Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, UK