Lancaster G-ASXX / NX611 'Just Jane - Special ANZAC Day Anniversary

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[ATTACH=CONFIG]237038[/ATTACH]G-ASXX / NX611 - ANZAC Day Anniversary Today (25th April 2015):

This is a very special day in the life of 'Just Jane' - 50 years ago this very day (25th April 1965) "our Lanc" began her epic journey back to her UK birthplace from Australia.

At 01.55AM (GMT)(nearly Midday 'local') G-ASXX took off from Sydney's 'Mascot' Airport on the first leg of her return journey to Biggin Hill, Kent, UK. Very appropriately, that day was 'ANZAC Day' and the Lanc was watched by a very large crowd of enthusiastic well-wishers as she started on the first leg trip to Coolangatta, some 460 miles up the coast. It was at Coolangatta that Sir Patrick Kilvington joined the crew, in a non-operational capacity.
The well documented story of that historic and evenfull return journey to the UK was told by Sir Patrick in his 1982 book "The Last Lanc' (Publishers : Boolarong Press : ISBN 0 908175 32 9) which unfortunately is out of print now, but copies sometimes available on EBay.
If you can't get hold of a copy of that particular book, then I recommend you purchase a copy of "Story of a Lanc", a publication which is still available from East Kirkby, either from their NAAFI bookshop or on-line via their website : http://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/…/non-fi…/story-of-a-lanc.htm . Brian Goulding and I, as co-authors of the latter publication, both recommend that each one of you who have yet to buy a copy do so, because ALL proceeds from those sales are directly contributing to the funding of the project to return 'Just Jane' to the skies.

I really hope that Andrew Panton and his wonderful 'Team' at East Kirkby will suitably commemorate this 'Special Day' in NX611's history with appropriate announcements at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre during the course of the day.

As one of the original members of the preservation team ('Historic Aircraft Preservation Society' - HAPS) involved in the epic task of securing this Lancaster from the French L'Aeronavale in the early 1960s, I have a very special attachment to 'Just Jane', for obvious reasons, and, together with other fellow HAPS / Reflectaire 'veterans', would have really loved to have organised a 50th Anniversary 'Re-union' during the course of 2015, especially if it could have been held at East Kirkby in NX611's 70th Birthday year. Is this still a remote possibility Andrew, or are you concentrating on organising a special event to celebrate 'JJ's 75th Birthday in 2020?

It's not too late to organise something for 2015, after all it is also the 45th Anniversary of NX611's last flight (to date) on 26th June 1970 (RAF Hullavington to Blackpool - 'Squires Gate'). Andrew - if you would like to make contact with me, or my fellow HAPS 'veteran' Alan ('Barry') Bridges, whom I know has already contacted you elsewhere, I'm sure something could still be arranged - after all - we 'vets' aren't getting any younger you know.

Any other 'vets' of HAPS / Reflectaire interested in getting together once more ? If you are - please send me a pm and, who knows, we could still make it happen!!

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