Lancaster NX611 'Just Jane' restoration.....can YOU help?
Support the project to make NX611 airworthy!
Can you help us to restore the Lancaster back to airworthy?
First and foremost we hope you are all safe and well at home and that this terrible virus that is gripping the nation does not affect you in the coming weeks and months.
As you may know our dream is to restore NX611 back to an airworthy condition, the more difficult part is making that dream a reality.
For any of you who have been following the project you'll know that we have been making great progress over the last couple of years. We have taken huge strides into the airframe restoration as we work through the opening stages of our 10 year restoration plan. Over the last 3 years we have been setting aside £125,000 a year to complete each winter restoration period. This is achievable for the Centre and is funded by Lancaster taxy rides, visitor admissions, cafe and shop sales, Supporters Association, trade stand sales and kind donations through our collection boxes, website and the Rivet Club.
The more difficult periods of the restoration are on the horizon as we look towards starting the restoration of fuselage sections and then moving on to the wings.
If the restoration is to succeed we will inevitably need to employ more engineers and tackle some of the more expensive jobs. The success of this of course all inevitably comes down to funds.
The Rivet Club- every little helps... your £2.00 makes a difference....
We started the Rivet Club in 2016 to support the restoration project . The Club is running nicely and its patrons are receiving weekly email newsletters following the winter restoration and monthly newsletters during the summer. The Rivet Club is raising the project around £48,000 each year which is a phenomenal contribution to the funds, thank you to all who have joined the club. Everyone who is part of the Club receives something in return; and that is what we want. We want all those who support the project to receive something back. For every £2.00 or more that a member gives each month they get an update, a bit of information that only Rivet Club and Supporters Association members receive, an insight into the toils and troubles with the restoration but they hopefully also receive a feeling of achievement and belonging. The truth is, we can't achieve this dream without support.
If everyone who received this newsletter joined the club and gave the minimum £2.00 donation each month* then the Lancaster would receive over £480,000.00 each year!!! Just imagine what could be achieved then!
The expected cost of the restoration is £3.5 million, this could be raised in 7 years, well within the 10 year project.
Some of the large costs on the horizon other than the wing and fuselage restorations are smaller parts such as-
Undercarriage overhaul- We need to machine out new tubes for the main undercarriage and chromed portions, this will cost upwards of £10,000.
Instruments- The aircraft instruments need to be sent away for calibration and servicing, another easily achievable item in its own right.
Engine Bearers- A common problem among warbirds is the tubular steel structures on them. A Lancaster has tubular steel engine bearers. These are prone to internal corrosion which can be monitored each year but the best thing to do is to replace the tubes. We have had CAD drawings made and we're getting ready to produce a jig for their production. The next step after that is to start cutting steel and welding new frames. This will be several tens of thousands as a whole project.
The amazing thing is that we are making progress and we WILL succeed, it's just a matter of when. As always it all comes down to money.
So how about it? Help us to restore NX611 and each month or week receive a newsletter which will build into one of the most astounding pieces of work documenting every step we have taken and every problem we have had to overcome to preserve surely the most famous and revered big warbird of all time.
Take a look at a Rivet Club email on the link below.
* We completely understand that some of you simply cannot afford to give any donations to the Lancaster, Just your moral support on its own lifts us to achieve more than we would without your support.
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