Hi there,

Visited Brooklands last week and was considering a club membership. While the vehicle collection is impeccable, I couldn’t help noticing that the aviation side looked a bit scruffy. Not only that, I cannot believe that you are restoring a Lanc (one of my favourite aircraft and one of your best exhibits), OUTSIDE????????? Sorry to sound negative but it seems to me that the museum has so much to offer, yet it lets itself down in on the aviation side.

Many Thanks

Mike & John Porter

Thanks for the feedback Mike.

The problem with the aircraft is that they are big and, as you will have seen, sizable under cover shelter is very limited. It’s a constant battle for our volunteers just to keep the large planes clean. It would be great to cover the aircraft but that would cost an awful lot of money that the Museum simply hasn’t got. Although plans are still in existence for such a structure it is all on hold. There is a slight drawback to that in that it would be more difficult to hold our engine runs and start up the big prop planes if they are all under cover ! - Incidentally the next aero engine runs will be on Ocotber 31st .

The Wellington Hanger has been used to restore large aircraft in the past but now it is full of exhibits including the very large Wellington. The Hangar has been used more recently to restore the Hurricane, which is almost complete now, but things are going to have be squeezed up even more very shortly to accomodate another large aircraft, the Vimy. Which sadly means that the Lancaster fuselage will still have to remain outside. All this may well change in the next couple of years if plans to move the Hangar off the Finishing Straight come to fruition.

Popped out earlier to take a couple of photos of the Lancaster.

It’s actually a private restoration project being housed at the museum.

KB976 is a Canadian built Lancaster and arrived in the UK too late in 1945 to see operational service and consequently returned to Canada where it was used extensively as an aerial reconnaisance aircraft from 1948.

The plane was the last Lancaster to see operational service retiring as late as 1964.

Since then it has had a chequered history and even appeared in a film. Now it is privately owned and is undergoing restoration at Brooklands to represent a RCAF Mk X aircraft.

Thanks for your reply Tim and thanks for the photos,she’s a beaut and I hope she is found a decent home, maybe the vimy could go outside (only joking). I thought that Kermit weeks had KB976 but obviously not all of it. Do you know who happens to own it?  I’m curious as to why Brooklands would want to move the hangar, is this also not part of Brooklands’ heritage?

This is the original nose section and a recreation fuselage currently owned by Jeremy Hall which is being restored from many original parts from Canadian Lancasters. I believe that Mr Weeks may still have the rest of the aircraft.

The Hangar project has been on the drawing board for many years and looks like it will come to fruition soon.  You are right it is part of the Brooklands Heritage and during WWII there were many such structrues built on the track. Most were demolished and this is the only one remiaing. The Hangar was intended as a temporary and movable structure ....except it stayed where it was ! Moving the Hangar will allow its restoration, link in with the Bus Museum and clear the surface of the original Finishing Staight to give the modern Museum a large central “Arena” area for future events.

All of which will be of great benefit to the Museum and visitors.

Thanks for the info, I will contact Jeremy, I might be able to find a home for his Lancaster and under cover. I think the hangar moving (as long as it is rebuilt!!) makes sense then, that should give the museum more room for displays; it’s a shame that the finishing straight is now a car park. Looking in detail at the history, Trafalgar house (BAE), who sold the land, have much to be ashamed of as does Tescos for putting a hole in the track. What a shame that the site was able to be developed so, Mercedes Benz too, has put-paid to, aircraft displays and flyins etc.

real shame