QuoteThe night he was told that his brother had been shot down, Fred Panton ran off into a barn and hid. "I daredn't go back in the house," says Fred, who was 13 at the time. "I was sure it would hit my mother hard."
His big brother, Christopher, was only 19, but had already been on dozens of raids over Germany when his bomber was attacked by night fighters and exploded in the sky near Nuremberg in March1944.
That was nearly 70 years ago. Now Fred and another brother, Harold, are building a remarkable tribute to the handsome, blond sibling they lost that spring: a fully-restored Lancaster bomber that will soon fly again.
"It's a memorial to my brother and to all the lads who flew in bomber squadrons during the war," says Fred, standing with Harold in the shadow of this magnificent aircraft.
The brothers are 81 and 79 now; they made money farming chickens, and spent much of it in honour of Christopher.
First they bought the old airfield near their old home in East Kirkby, Lincs, and recreated the way it looked under Bomber Command.
Then as the star attraction of a museum there, the brothers bought and began restoring the Avro Lancaster. They nicknamed it "Just Jane" after the popular wartime newspaper cartoon pin-up painted on the side.
Now they have just taken delivery of the last of four newly reconditioned Rolls-Royce Merlin engines – costing £130,000 each – which will give Just Jane the power she needs to fly again.
"The fourth engine is the crown jewels, it means we will be able to get the Lancaster into the air," says Fred, who says that the bomber will now be stripped down and made ready. "We aren't spending all this money for nothing."
Aviation enthusiasts are excited by the news, because there are only two Lancasters in the world still flying. One of those is in Canada.
The other belongs to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, appearing alongside a Hawker Hurricane and a Supermarine Spitfire as a symbol of wartime bravery and sacrifice.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9782389/Lancaster-bomber-to-fly-as-tribute-to-a-lost-brother.html
I found this story really cool and I did not realize there were only two other Lancasters still flying.
Thanks for posting this.
Yeah, very cool TCT.
Excellent story. Thanks TCT.
That's wonderful. I've seen the BoB Memorial Flight on several occasions, and the sound of the Lanc's 4 Merlin's is awesome.
I've seent the Canadian Lanc do a fly by. It is indeed an awesome sight and sound to behold.
8)
Very surprised that there are only two left flying.
Does that include the ones which were converted to airliners? At one point, many were in south america in the late 40s and 50s. Would have thought a few would survive.
Know that I was shocked to get a ride on a DC3 in Corpus Christi back around 1970. Never thought that any would still b e in flying condition, but the crew chief said how easy maintenance was and how cheap to operate. When one broke down too much, it would be used for spares, but he guaranteed that if NavAir could find a way to dip the bodies into some aluminum alloy to extend their lives, it would be done and hang the cost.
Quote from: Barthheart on January 06, 2013, 07:43:45 PM
I've seent the Canadian Lanc do a fly by. It is indeed an awesome sight and sound to behold.
8)
I'm jealous.
There are a few Lancs in museums, but are static display only.
As for the DC3, there are actually companies that specialize in keeping them flying - I bet there are still plenty of them around, and I have seen at least 2.
One of the most incredible aviation sights that will always stick in my mind was the Ju52 that has been restored and does charter flights. As far as I know, its based in Germany, but a few years ago it came to the UK, and was at Newcastle Airport for a couple of days. It made several flighs in the area so I got to see it a few times. Unfortunately, the price of a flight on it was way beyond my means.
There is a picture of the other flying Lancaster here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain_Memorial_Flight