Earlier I posted a subject on The Dam Busters which included a terrific shot of Lincoln Cathedral from the air.

In the film The Dam Busters there is a sequence where we see the Lancaster Bombers fly over Lincoln.

Follow this link below for a brief look at Lincoln Cathedral :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9vk3v-MD0I&feature=player_detailpage

 Just down the road is the wonderful Lincolnshire  Aviation Heritage Centre.

I WOULD VERY MUCH RECOMMEND ANY READERS HERE TO VISIT. If you can’t make it however click on this link below and you will be taken there. You will see the only airfield in the world where you can see a Lancaster Bomber taxi on the runway – Thrilling !!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnVqQQ0Jyno&feature=player_detailpage

Now Below click on the Link and YOU will fly over Buckingham Palace in the Lancaster for the Queens Diamond Jubilee earlier this year:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=_BoUIvfO3ys

History of the Museum

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is a privately owned and run Museum and was set up by two farming brothers, Fred and Harold Panton. It has been built up as a memorial to Bomber Command and primarily as a tribute to their eldest brother Christopher Whitton Panton; who was shot down and killed on a bombing raid over Nuremberg on 30/31 March 1944.
For a short time after the war there was interest from the brothers to visit Christopher’s grave in Germany, but their father denied them the chance as he wanted ‘nothing more to do with the war’. Until, in the 1970’s Mr Panton called Fred over and told him to ‘get off to Germany and bring me a photograph of Chrisy’s grave’ which of course Fred did as soon as he could. This reignited Fred’s interest in the War and when NX611 came up for sale it was eventually purchased by the brothers and brought to their land at East Kirkby. Even though they had planned to keep it only for their private collection it was suggested that they should make it into an exhibit for the public and this Museum was set up with the Lancaster and Control tower as its centre pieces.
The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre was then opened in 1988 and has hosted visits from many famous people both from the aviation and show-biz worlds. We are all extremely proud of the accomplishments of the Centre, one of the biggest independent museums receiving no funding or Lottery grants. We can only hope that we will be able to continue to educate the following generations to the sacrifices and roles of Bomber Command.

Only a few miles away is the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at RAF Coninsby again in famous Lincolnshire.

Above Picture is of the City of Lincoln  PA474 which was transferred to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1973.   This is not the Lancaster at the Heritage Museum though.

In 1975 a mid-upper turret was found in Argentina and fitted.

The  City of Lincoln  now wears the KC-A markings from the 617 Dambusters squadron and wears the Thumper MKiii nose art, originally painted by Flt Lt Bob Knights upon posting to the 617 squadron . She displays the markings of bombs for operations over Germany, ice-cream cones for operations over Italy, and poppies for when she has released poppies during exhibition flights.

She had appeared in two films- Operation Crossbow and The Guns of Navarone.

Lincolnshire Countryside with Lincoln Cathedral in the distance.