Bikers out in force to see Lancaster Bomber taxi run
Hundreds of bikers turned out to see “Just Jane” fire up her engines.
HUNDREDS of bikers descended on the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, at East Kirby, near Spilsby, last night to see a Second World War Lancaster Bomber fire up its engines.
“Just Jane” is one of only three surviving Lancasters in the world which can move under its own power and it was a fabulous sight to see Avro Lancaster NX611 taxy around the former airfield.
Bikes filled the old airfield – pictured here in front of the control tower.
Owned by the Panton family, the airfield is also home to a Dakota, which was safely parked in the hangar, along with an array of old trucks, search lights, period buses, a Green Goddess fire engine and assorted bits of engines from crashed aircraft which have been recovered from nearby fields.
Displays also tell the stories of the young aircrews who flew – and died – in these planes.
The area’s bikers attending the event assembled an impressive array of machines of all shapes and sizes, including period sidecars, historic Royal Enfields and BSAs, right up to the modern and gleaming Harley Davidsons and the latest superbikes, while their riders enjoyed bacon butties, cups of tea, and trays of chips with lashings of tomato sauce.
A lucky raffle winner had the chance to climb aboard the historic aircraft for the taxy run, and as the engines fired up, cameras and phones were held aloft to salute the impressive plane as she taxied around the airfield.
It was a rare opportunity for those who haven’t seen, or heard, a Lancaster Bomber to experience the sights and sounds of one of country’s most famous aircraft – from only a few feet away.
For those who were there, it was evening to remember.
