Lancaster NX611 at night

Robbo · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:24 pm

Here's a photo from last night's NX611 Taxi run at East Kirkby. It's wonderful to see a Lancaster thundering away in it's natural habitiat.

Dan K · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 9:40 pm

Outstanding photo!

But a Lanc hasn't reached its natural habitat until the gear are retracted. :wink:

Robbo · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:06 pm

Here's a shot of MJ627 against the sunset from the same event

AIRIC · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:14 pm

Rob, that Lanc shot is so sweet. I have wished for years the CWH would hold an evening run-up like this for the public to see.

Eric

Robbo · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 10:27 pm

Eric, it's a really memorable experience. NX611 does two night runs each year (Easter and November) and it's well worth the long drive up to East Kirkby and braving the freezing weather just to see this lovely old plane belching blue flames and sparks in the dark. It's a very moving experience.

A tour around the airfield this afternoon on the back of a Queen Mary trailer really brought home the bleak and inhospitable environment that the groundcrew worked in during the couple of years that East Kirkby was operations during WWII. I've got an enormous amount of respect for them. Another very sobering statistic is that during this short period approximately a thousand men who set out from this airfield didn't return for their breakfasts.

Through the efforts and vision of the Panton family, the heritage centre at East Kirkby is a very thoughtful and fitting memorial to these men and many more from Bomber Command who gave their lives.

K5DH · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:05 pm

Robbo, that's a fabulous picture! What an awesome sight it must have been in person!

Steve T · **Posted:** Sat Nov 18, 2006 11:08 pm

Rob--

WOW.

Eric--

I think CWH did do this once: I believe they called the event "Smoke And Thunder" or something like that and that they ran-up the Lanc and the Mitchell at twilight. May have been an invitation-only thing though. The nearest thing I remember seeing at the Hope was a late-evening runup of the Hurricane very soon after it arrived from Scotland...that sound, and especially the huge lavender-coloured flames jetting back from the exhausts...unforgettable. Seeing the Lanc doing this...well, even Rob's beautiful photo chokes me up a bit, I'm sure I'd be beside myself seeing it firsthand...

S.

Manonthefence · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 4:34 am

Good to see the Stars blurred in a 30 second exposure :lol:

Aircraft Mech Paul · **Posted:** Sun Nov 19, 2006 12:06 pm

Rob,

Excellent photo. But I must agree with Dan K in his quote.

"But a Lanc hasn't reached its natural habitat until the gear are retracted"

Paul

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Lancaster NX611 at night

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