Eighty years after its maiden flight, the Avro Lancaster continues to inspire aviation enthusiasts around the world—none more so than NX611 Just Jane, a Lancaster B.VII currently undergoing a full restoration to airworthy condition at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (LAHC) in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, England. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the LAHC restoration team has made significant progress on the iconic four-engine bomber, and we thought that our readers might like to see a recent (edited) restoration update, reproduced here with permission.. The latest restoration efforts have focused on key structural components, including the rear fuselage, trailing edge, and port wing.
The June restoration update highlights the near-completion of the aircraft’s rear fuselage. All structural work is now finished, with only the final skin panels remaining to be riveted into place. Fabrication of the flying control rod holes and reinforcing plates has been completed by Phil, with the plates currently receiving a fresh coat of paint. Once returned, these will be riveted in position, allowing for the closure of the fuselage structure.
In parallel, team members Norm and Terry have completed the tail oleo box, a critical component of the rear fuselage. The box, which required large rivets softened by annealing to ease installation, has been riveted, painted, and secured into place—marking the final major addition to the rear section. Once the remaining skins are affixed, the completed rear fuselage will be removed from the jig and transferred to a purpose-built transport trolley. This custom trolley, yet to be designed, will enable internal fitting of systems, including ammunition tracking and other original components.
Work on the aircraft’s port wing also continues. John and his team have successfully riveted together the wing ribs, with just a few awaiting new extruded parts from the United States. With most of the wing rib work temporarily paused pending the arrival of wing spar assemblies, attention is shifting to other areas of the aircraft, such as the tailplanes. Project leaders note that delays from third-party suppliers and regulatory bodies such as the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) can disrupt the restoration schedule, so maintaining a portfolio of smaller tasks helps ensure steady progress.
Meanwhile, restoration efforts are also advancing on the centre’s North American B-25 Mitchell, which is being brought back to taxiable condition. The B-25 will play a crucial role in maintaining public engagement and operations at East Kirkby when Just Jane eventually comes offline for the final phase of its restoration. The B-25 team has completed the cockpit strip-down and cleaning process, and repainting in the original colour scheme is now underway. Once the paint cures, restored cockpit components will begin to be refitted. Following the removal of deteriorated rubber fuel tanks, the team has also turned its attention to the aircraft’s rubber oil tanks—all of which will need replacing. The natural degradation of these rubber cells over time has rendered them brittle and prone to cracking. New replacements are currently being fabricated.
Wings Fund Campaign Update
The Centre’s GoFundMe Wings Fund has so far raised £81,000 of the £500,000 goal. These funds have already supported the acquisition of key tooling and aluminium needed for wing reconstruction. Supporters donating more than £50 will receive a special Wings Fund badge as a token of appreciation. Contributions can be made through the official campaign page. Every milestone brings NX611 Just Jane closer to taking to the skies once more—a testament to the dedication of the restoration team and the generosity of supporters worldwide. For more information about the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre, visit www.lincsaviation.co.uk
