BBMF hangar visit

Some time ago, I saw a display box on eBay with three 1:144 models of aircraft from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight: Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane. 

Guess what happened next ...

Given that the BBMF hangar is just 20 minutes down the road from East Kirkby, where we met up with "Just Jane", it would be silly (and rude!) not to drop by for a visit and see the real aircraft. Minus the Lancaster, that is; we were aware that the Lancaster was not present, undergoing major maintenance at Duxford.

So we drove to Coningsby the day after having met "Just Jane".

The BBMF hangar has a small visitor centre ...

... and also offers hangar tours, which, of course, we signed up for. We were there to see the aircraft, after all!

The BBMF currently has five Spitfires, two Hurricanes, one Lancaster and one Dakota. As mentioned already, the Lancaster wasn't present in the hangar, but all other aircraft were (though two of the Spitfires were at the back, with engines removed, undergoing major maintenance).

The first Spitfire we saw is the oldest airworthy Spitfire and the last still-flying Spitfire that saw combat in the Battle of Britain. 

Next up was the first of the BBMF's two Hurricanes (out of only 12 airworthy Hurricanes in the world). This is the first aircraft acquired by the BBMF, and a model of this Hurricane was included in the BBMF box.

The second Spitfire we saw in the hangar is the one that's also represented in the BBMF box. The real aircraft in the hangar is sporting invasion stripes.

Spitfire number three, a later model. A bit more detail on the Spitfires we saw is here.

The second of the BBMF's Hurricanes, with a 'Nightfighter' paint scheme. This is the last Hurricane ever built, and we've actually seen this aircraft fly over Stokes Bay recently!

And then, finally, the Dakota. 

Even though the Lancaster wasn't present in the hangar, there was a space dedicated to it and Lancaster history in general ...

 

... including a very nice model.

Finally, outside the Lancaster Exhibition room, two bombs that were carried by Lancasters: Tallboy and Grand Slam.

Really pleased to have visited the BBMF hangar and seen the actual aircraft!

"Just Jane"

Some time ago, we were having dinner at a friends' house, and the dessert included a cheese board. On that cheese board was a very special cheddar ...

"Just Jane" of course refers to the Lancaster in Lincolnshire, undergoing a massive amount of work which will hopefully and ultimately get her back in the air. But prior to her being airworthy again, she is in a good enough condition for taxi runs.

It doesn't take a lot of time and effort to find a 1:144 model of "Just Jane" on eBay ...

Now what's much better than a 1:144 model? The real thing, of course! So off we went to the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre in East Kirkby, to meet up with "Just Jane".

And there she was!

I did bring my 1:144 model to meet her big sister.

Note the appropriate polo shirt to wear in Jane's presence ...

Jane really is a big girl!

Standing maybe 15-20 metres away from four Merlin engines starting up is awesome. The noise is deafening, and you really feel them in your gut!

Safety first during the engine start-up, obviously ....

We spent the entire day at the Centre, seeing Jane start up, go out, taxi, and return twice. I'll let the pictures and videos do the talking ....

Jane back in her hangar at the end of the day gave us the opportunity for some last pictures, showing just how big she is.

It was a real pleasure seeing, hearing and feeling "Just Jane"!

Operation Manna

During the winter of 1944-45, there was a serious famine in German-occupied Netherlands, especially in and around the big cities. In Dutch, this is known as the 'hongerwinter'. To try and relieve this famine, the RAF launched Operation Manna. During a two-week period in April/May 1945, hundreds of Lancasters dropped thousands of tons of food and basics on several drop zones in the western parts of the Netherlands. This was done after lengthy negotiations with the Germans, who were still occupying the country ...

Although, as a kid, I was well aware of the 'hongerwinter', for some reason I wasn't at all familiar with Operation Manna. Until I visited Tangmere Aviation Museum not so long ago, and found a display around Operation Manna.

There is also a memorial at the International Bomber Command Centre, showing a Lancaster and grateful people on the ground waving their handkerchiefs at the plane (compare this with the photo at the top of this blog).

If you want to learn more about Operation Manna (and a similar operation by the US Air Force), this is an excellent and detailed book on the subject.