Just Jane - taxi run
Lancaster NX611 ("Just Jane") was built and commissioned in Birmingham (UK) in April 1945. It was due to be deployed to Tiger Force in the Far East, but as Japan surrendered before deployment, NX611 never saw action. She was sold to the French government to be used by the French Naval Air Arm before being flown back to Biggin Hill in 1965 (via Australia).
Engines running
The next few years were not kind to NX611, she was temporarily grounded, and then rare flights before being unsuccessfully auctioned in 1972. She became the Gate Guardian at RAF Scampton before being bought by the owners of (what was to become) the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre in East Kirkby, in Lincolnshire (known as "Bomber County"due to the high number of bomber bases located in the area. Over the next few years, the Panton brothers - the owners - worked on NX611, getting her engines back running and re-christening her "Just Jane". The idea is that eventually Just Jane will be made airworthy once again and join her two sisters - PA474m based at RAF Coningsby and FM213 housed at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum.
Just Jane and her two sisters
In 2014, Canadian Lancaster FM213 made the trip across the Atlantic and for a brief few weeks two Lancasters could be seen in the skies of "Bomber County" and beyond. I was lucky enough to be at East Kirkby to see these two magnificent aircraft fly over Just Jane with her engines running. The sound of three Lancasters together was incredible and sent chills through everyone watching. It must have been some sight (and sound) to see a couple of squadrons of Lancasters flying over head.
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I can mostly be found shooting models, aviation, motorsports and, when I can, wildlife. But I enjoy most aspects of photography. You can find more of my work on the links below.
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