NX611 “Just Jane”

NX611 was built by Austin Motors at Longbridge, Birmingham, in April 1945. It was among the first 150 B.VIIs meant for Tiger Force in the Far East. Japan surrendered first, so it went into storage at RAF Llandow until 1952.

In April 1952 it was one of 22 Lancasters sold to the French naval air arm. Painted midnight blue, it flew maritime patrols. In 1962 it moved to Nouméa, New Caledonia, wore white, and flew air-sea rescue and mapping sorties.

In 1964 France gave it to the Historical Aircraft Preservation Society. After an overhaul in Sydney it flew about 12,000 miles to Britain in nine days, landing at Biggin Hill on 13 May 1965. It flew again in 1967, but running costs kept appearances short.

After a spell at Lavenham, Suffolk, it was offered at auction at Squires Gate, Blackpool, in 1972. It failed to reach its reserve and was later sold privately to Lord Lilford. It then spent about ten years as gate guardian at RAF Scampton, replacing R5868.

Fred and Harold Panton bought it in September 1983 as a memorial to their brother Christopher, killed on the Nuremberg raid of March 1944. The RAF moved it to the family farm at East Kirkby, where the museum opened in 1988.

Engine work began in 1993; the No. 3 engine had not run for 22 years. All four Merlins were brought back to life, and NX611 now taxies under its own power. In 2017 the centre began a long-term programme to return it to the air, working on one section each winter.

NX611 is the centrepiece at East Kirkby and taxies under its own power. Taxi rides, interior tours and winter restoration tours can be booked.