As most of our readers will know, Avro Lancaster B.VII NX611 Just Jane is under restoration to airworthy condition with the Lincoln Aviation Heritage Center at former RAF East Kirkby in Lincolnshire, England. The group has made magnificent progress, even during the pandemic, and we thought that our readers might like to see a recent (edited) restoration update, reproduced here with permission. As the days grow longer and warmer, the team at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is preparing to roll out Avro Lancaster NX611 Just Jane for her pre-season taxi runs. Time is flying, and so is the progress on this iconic aircraft’s restoration. If you’d like to contribute and be a part of this historic restoration, you can do so via the THIS campaign link .
Riveting Progress on the Rear Fuselage
The past few weeks have been dominated by a particularly labor-intensive task: riveting. Dave, Norm, and Terry have been hard at work tackling the skins and structure around the tail oleo box. Dave has been impressive in managing to rivet the skins singlehandedly where access allows, balancing the reaction bar while handling the riveting gun.
Norm and Terry have focused on the tail oleo box itself, using annealed rivets to assemble both the box and the structural components it connects to. On the starboard side of the rear fuselage, all skins are now pinned in place. However, due to access limitations, Dave will soon need a riveting partner to continue work on that section—potentially Phil, who has been busy with a related task.
Flying Control Rod Alignment and Work Continues on the Wings
Phil has been cutting and aligning the critical holes for the flying control rods in the fuselage formers. These rods, which link the cockpit to the rudders and elevators, require precise placement to ensure reliable control of the aircraft once operational. Chris has been making strong progress on the port wing’s trailing edge. After inspecting, repairing, and replacing necessary parts, he has moved on to cutting the lightning holes into the ribs. These are made using either a hole cutting kit or the more labor-intensive method of chain drilling and filing, depending on hole size. Once cut, the ribs are trial-fitted and painted.
Meanwhile, John has been preparing the port wing’s fuel tank bay ribs. After cleaning, blasting, and prepping, most of the components have been saved, though a few require replacement. Rib 5, for example, needed a new web, which John has fabricated. The extrusions—kept in stock from earlier work on the wingtips—will be shaped by Simone at Cunningham Aero.
Rear Turret Work and Structural Checks
The winter months saw several key components temporarily removed from the rear fuselage of KB976 (the section attached to the rest of the Lancaster) and installed into NX611. This allowed the team to verify the alignment of the rear turret ring and associated structure. With this task completed, the parts have now been returned to KB976 and the FN82 rear turret has been successfully refitted. Installing the turret is a careful process—requiring it to be tilted into position to avoid contact with the fuselage. Then, the mounting bolts must be aligned perfectly with the attachment ring. Fortunately, this time the operation went smoothly on the first try.
Final Fuselage Prep
As riveting continues, Dave is now also preparing another of the lower fuselage skins for drilling and painting. Phil remains focused on finishing the control rod hole alignment before the final skins are installed in that area.
A Touch of Tribute: Shadows of the Past
This week’s sunshine has brought to life the new Shadows of the Past installation outside the Hampden shed. Created by Standing with Giants and previously displayed at the International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln for the 80th Anniversary of the Dambusters raid, these evocative silhouettes now reside at East Kirkby. The Centre has acquired seven figures to represent a missing crew, adding a poignant visual tribute to the site.
Wings Fund Campaign Update
Thanks to the generosity of supporters, the GoFundMe Wings Campaign has now raised over £76,605 of the £500,000 target. These vital funds are helping to cover the costs of jigs and aluminium required for the restoration of NX611’s wings. Every donation makes a tangible difference—and supporters who contribute over £50 will receive an exclusive Wings Fund badge as a token of appreciation. If you’d like to contribute and be a part of this historic restoration, you can do so via the THIS campaign link .
