Линкольнширский авиационный центр: Память о "Черной пятнице" и "Just Jane"

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is an aviation museum in East Kirkby, Lincolnshire, England. It was opened to the public in 1988 by Lincolnshire farmers Fred and Harold Panton, as a memorial to their older brother, Christopher Whitton Panton, who was killed on operations during the Second World War.

Pilot Officer Christopher Panton served as a Flight Engineer with Royal Canadian Air Force 433 Squadron, based at RAF Skipton on Swale. On the night of 30/31 March 1944, he was flying in Handley Page Halifax HX272, one of 782 heavy bombers taking part in a raid on the German city of Nuremberg. This attack, known as RAF Bomber Command's "Black Friday", would become notorious for the high losses incurred – 108 British aircraft were lost, 665 aircrew were killed and 159 taken prisoner. One of those aircraft was HX272, which caught fire and exploded after being attacked by a night fighter over Friesen, Germany. Christopher Panton was among the five crew killed, the remaining three survived to become prisoners of war. By the early 1970s, Christopher's younger brothers – Fred and Harold Panton – were successful poultry farmers. They became interested in acquiring a Second World War aircraft as a tribute to him and managed to obtain an option to purchase Avro Lancaster Mk VII, NX611, then serving as a gate guardian at RAF Scampton. The aircraft's purchase had the condition that it remain at Scampton until 1983. In 1981, they bought a part of the former Royal Air Force airfield, RAF East Kirkby, to be a site for the aircraft when it became available. before military use ceased in 1958. The airfield was sold in 1964. Much of the runway is still intact today and it is used by local farmers as hard standing. The control tower has been recorded as being haunted. In 2008, the museum opened a part–grass, part–concrete unlicensed airfield, allowing aircraft to land there with prior permission. The Prime Meridian passes through the site; its position is marked by an inscribed monument. There is also a monument to the airmen from 57 and 630 Squadron who were lost during the war.

The centre's main exhibit is Avro Lancaster Mk VII, NX611, named Just Jane after a popular wartime comic character. The Lancaster was built by Austin Aero Ltd at their Cofton Hackett Works just south of Birmingham in April 1945. (the auction winner lent it to the RAF in exchange for them transporting and maintaining the now–grounded aircraft). The Pantons were able to subsequently buy it, with the condition that it remain at Scampton as gate guardian until 1983. In the event, it remained there until 1987. Restoration of Just Jane to flying status is an ongoing project, which is to soon be completed with the centre acquiring the last of four airworthy Merlin engines at the end of 2012. As of the end of 2021, the aircraft was still undergoing restoration.

The centre also houses the cockpit of an English Electric Canberra WH957, and the wreckage of Supermarine Spitfire Vb BL655; it crashed in July 1943, killing its Canadian pilot, Flying Officer Norman Alexander Watt. There are two aircraft undergoing restoration to static condition, a Percival Proctor and a Handley Page Hampden. There is also a taxiable De Havilland Mosquito HJ711 and an airworthy Dakota RFH4H7 called "Drag Em Oot".

The centre's collection includes twelve Second World War era, RAF ground vehicles and a concrete–filled, practice Upkeep bomb (bouncing bomb). The centre also owns a 60 cm, German anti aircraft searchlight with its generator, which are in working order.