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Avro Lancaster NX611 Flying From Lavenham
Taken from a cine film by Ray Wood. This video shows Avro Lancaster NX611 flying from Lavenham. You might recognise Richard Todd, the actor who played Guy Gibson in "The Dambusters". This Lancaster is now at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby Airfield where it performs regular taxy runs and may one day take to the sky once more.
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Thank you for posting this video, I have only just come across it. I was one of the 276sqdn ATC Cadets in the Rifle Drill Team "Guard Of Honour" for NX611 when she flew in to Lavenham from Biggin Hill on that Sunday March, 1969. That was an experience forever burned into my memory, after a group of us had spent all day on the Saturday, inspecting and sweeping every inch of the main runway for her arrival. Then on the Sunday, us 6 Cadets were in front of the Tower with our Officers on top of the Tower, all patiently waiting. Heard a very vague hum getting louder in the distance, then a ROAR as this HUGE BLACK BIRD flew so LOW over the Control Tower, the slipstream blew our Flt. Lt Foster's cap off, . The next second she climbed up into smooth left hand arc, before circling round and BUZZING the runway, just like in the Steve McQueen movie, "The WarLover", before climbing back up to go round into landing pattern, then land West to East on the main runway. I can STILL hear the "clinking" and "tinkling" of her Merlins as they cooled down after taxiing, and we came to attention. I believe the pilot was a Neil Williams, and even as a 14yr old I was in sheer AWE of how he handled that so Beautiful Lancaster. He gave me, and I think all of us, memories we will take to our grave. Only negative, is that John Roast had promised us all a flight in her for our 2 days of work, which never materialised.......BUT just those memories have always been well worth all the ENDLESS hours of walking and examining every inch of that Runway Have been there a few times since, picturing that March Sunday in my mind, and last time, was sad to see most of Runway had gone. Thanks for the video, sir
FANTASTIC! Thank you Rob Leigh for saving this film and thank-you Martin Keen.
Thanks for not ruining it with music. If we can't hear the Merlins then I'd rather it be silent.
I remember seeing her at Biggin Hill, clearly brings back memories of the nose art..
Very interesting thanks for this my favourite war film has to be 'The Dambusters' the sad thing about this film is that you can't hear the beautiful sound of those four Merlin's.
@PierceStudent
2 жыл бұрын
I don't know if you've seen this ... 1945 Night Bombers - a great film. kzread.info/dash/bejne/qnWu1qyPn6W6e6g.html Recently I saw a better version on Amazon Prime Video but I don't think it is there. If I could buy the DVD I would. This film brings tears to my eyes. You can see the amount of teamwork that went into this operation. It is a good place to understand the war in the Ukraine. The repair, the armaments, the logistics, and of course, to understand the roll of the front line air crews and dying. Because they did. The roll of women in the military and to understand what total war is. VE Day, May 8th, 1945. It must have been ... what can you add?
@lazyhazeldaisy9596
2 жыл бұрын
@@PierceStudent Hello Steve I think I have seen this but I will check, thanks take care.
I believe the house my Nan was born in was demolished to make way for the airfield at Lavenham. Nice little combo to see the Lanc and Lavenham in this film.
The Americans were at Lavenham during the war, I used to have some storage space in the old gym and the basketball courts white lines were still clearly visible on the wood block floor.
The Seafire is FR Mk.47 VP441 which is now flying in Montana with Jim Smith.
I understand that the filming was for a BBC feature. Unfortunately the film languishes in the BBC's vaults and isn't enjoyed by the public.
Wonderful footage and l'm sure there must be a copy with the Panton's . I suddenly recognised Richard Todd as he was signing an autograph. Of course he played the great Guy Gibson and l guess this aircraft took part in the film . I'm glad the mk47 was saved but l don't think it's flown for some time . And the last flight nearly was the last flight ! 3 emergencies , 1 being a run away air screw ! Thanks for sharing .
Thank the late Ray Wood, he captured the footage, I just made it available after being passed a VHS tape to convert to DVD.
@johncrispin2118
3 жыл бұрын
Obviously I cannot be sure , but this footage was passed to the Panton bros in 1997 by myself and Mrs Roast along with a form700 for the aircraft as a VHS tape.It had been transferred from cine film (8mm probably) hence the poor quality, but I thought it was flown from Hullavington ? I think one of the sheepskin coated persons was the actor Richard Todd. I recall there were a few shots of him in the co pilots seat in flight. One of the short slightly balding persons was my friend John Roast who had much to do with the HAP organisation which brought the kite back from Oz. Note the different reg letter port from starboard In successive shots. I am so glad this has been put up , I feared it had been binned due to the poor quality. Thankyou so much, it would be lovely to see her fly again.
@Aeroplanepix
2 жыл бұрын
@@johncrispin2118 I got a VHS from Peter Arnold together with some Battle of Britain filming footage that Ray Wood had shot. I transferred it to DVD. I think the 8mm footage still survived at that point.
@johncrispin2118
2 жыл бұрын
Rob, Thanks, I just wish I had been more capable with the transfer of the footage on the tape once in my possession to organise it into a coherent account. I fear it may be lost; now.
@annabelb1301
2 жыл бұрын
John, Mrs Roast is my Mum. I thought I recognised your name
Wondered Why The Lady Had A Autograph Signed,,,Looked Abit Deeper,,,,"Richard Todd"👍
The disliker almost certainly has a screw loose. What's not to like?
@Skush
6 жыл бұрын
Must be butt-hurt Nazis still trying to get their socks dry. LOL.
@colindebourg3884
4 жыл бұрын
The usual Brit haters we find on every post of this nature.
This was recorded February 1970, and was actually the penultimate flight of NX611. Her final flight took place 26th June of that same year.
@nutster9000
7 жыл бұрын
I was taken on board as a baby up to the nose section by my mother & I was born 10 August 1970. My dad was driving through Alpheton and spotted it with my mother. I've seen other articles saying when it flew out of Lavenham but Mum keeps telling me I was two years old.
@annabelb1301
2 жыл бұрын
My Dad flew in that final flight 🙂
@martincollins5309
2 жыл бұрын
@@annabelb1301 So did I, and Annabel, we had some correspondence many years ago when I was trying to trace the log books etc. for NX611 on behalf of the Pantons. Just at the end of the video, you can see a pair of legs leaping out of the wheel bay and hot-footing it to the rear doorway. That's me as my job was to prime the engines pre-start. Still interested, still following, and still visiting regularly. Hopefully she'll fly again before I pass on.
@annabelb1301
2 жыл бұрын
@@martincollins5309 Yes, I remember as it wasn't long after John, my step father passed away. Me and my Dad, Colin, are also still interested and following. We last visited a couple of years ago
@martincollins5309
2 жыл бұрын
@@annabelb1301 If you haven't seen it already, get hold of a copy of the DVD "NX611 The Flying Years". We've tried to give some insight into what went on between 1965 and 1970, but can't "tell all". It wouldn't be right, and anyway, I don't know everything, and my memory's not as good as it was. It's all so long ago now.
I would like to say who the hell is the one 'disliker' maybe he is a Yank!
Can you assist in telling what date this was? After 1967 as there is a Mk1 Ford escort in one of the shots. I have been on a visit to Lavenham airfield in 2015 as the farmer who owns the site allows the local history society access on occasions. The taxi ways are still in situ as are parts of the runways where the "round down" meets the taxi way but the runways themselves are long gone. The Watch Tower (flying control) is preserved & is used as offices.
I just added a 'Comment' on this Video footage. Rob Leigh - any reason for it to have been removed ? Would be very interested to know if I've done anything wrong or breached KZread rules with anything I posted.
@Aeroplanepix
2 жыл бұрын
Richard, I've not removed any comments.
Not "may" take to the skies WILL take to the skies they will be getting the 4th airworthy engine soon and it will take about 18 months to get it flight worthy!
@RWBHere
6 жыл бұрын
Just a small matter of £3,000,000 holding them back from returning to airworthiness. Oh, and the operating and maintenance expenses.
@bfmcarparts
5 жыл бұрын
The restoration time schedule revision notes they are in year 3 of a 10 year restoration
@ScienceChap
4 жыл бұрын
That post hasn't aged well...! 6-7 years from now, depending on funding...!
Year ? Did I see a Rover 2000TC, so I'd say 66/8 ?
Fascinating, were they making a film.. or were they original crew? When was this..late '60s? Great old video all the same.
That looks like Richard Todd filmed with the dog!?
@mattharte7334
4 жыл бұрын
Yes, that is Richard Todd he signs an autograph
Wonderful :) Shame no sound :( Is that a Lightning next to her? What was shadowing the flight? Good luck in getting up again :)
@bfmcarparts
5 жыл бұрын
Looks like a F86 Sabre
Who was the actual pilot for these last flights...?
@Aeroplanepix
4 жыл бұрын
I believe it was Neil Williams.
@HeavensGremlin
4 жыл бұрын
@@Aeroplanepix ;- I thought so. I was with Neil's brother Lynn yesterday and he thought that, at the time, Neil was one of the very few pilots current as he'd got relatively recent time on Lincolns & Shackletons. He was saying that they had three emergencies on those last flights - including a runaway airscrew.
@johncrispin2118
2 жыл бұрын
Yes .John Roast told me it was Neil Williams. A very versatile pilot indeed I had thought he had sadly lost his life flying one of the ex Spanish AF Merlin engined Heinkels used in the BOB film over the Pyrenees ? Again I could be very wrong on this so apologies if that is the case. Mr Roast was a technician on the Film and instrumental in making the fibreglass replicas Replacing the cannibalised gate guardians at RAF bases all over the country.
@HeavensGremlin
2 жыл бұрын
@@johncrispin2118 ;- Yes Neil bought the farm in a Spanish He111 - but some time after the making of the 1969 BoB film. I think it was the second or third He111 he'd ferried back to the UK. I think they were being dismantled to send to the USA. Sadly, Neils wife as well as an engineer also lost their lives in the crash.
@johncrispin2118
2 жыл бұрын
Thankyou, I hope those who read this now can appreciate the work and risks that pilots of vintage aircraft take. Now you have described this. I am sure that it how it was told to me many years ago. @@HeavensGremlin
what year is this? 1960's ?
@ScienceChap
4 жыл бұрын
1984, I think. It when the aircraft was flown one way to the Panton brothers' farm at East Kirkby. We didn't have HD digital video cameras in those days...!
@lazyhazeldaisy9596
4 жыл бұрын
Got to be early seventies by judging of the white rover we had one of those mid seventies and by basically what people are wearing.
@johnacton5417
4 жыл бұрын
@@ScienceChap I have a feeling that it was transported in sections from RAF Scampton after standing guard duty.
@timhancock6626
3 жыл бұрын
@@ScienceChap It didn't fly from Scampton to East Kirkby. Its last flight was to Blackpool, Squires Gate where it was effectively abandoned and came close to being scrapped. The RAF took pity and dismantled it and it went to be the Gate Guardian at Scampton and was displayed alongside an Upkeep bouncing bomb, a Tallboy and a Grand Slam bomb. They did no significant work on her...apart from clearing out the birds nests and making it as weather tight as possible, but they did save her. She was of course transported by road from Scampton to East Kirkby where she is being restored to flight.
@annabelb1301
2 жыл бұрын
It was bought by Lord Longford(?) from Blackpool. It was auctioned off. He was responsible for getting it as a gate guard at Scampton