Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[john shipton]

This is the last talk of the Lecture Aviation Season to be held at Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre, Lincoln, for 2007. The Centre is closing down for the winter period and will open again in March 2008.
Peter lives in nearby Branston and is an historian in his own right. He is 84 years old and still going strong in his old age and, well worth listening to.


84 year old Peter Stevenson is a man of intrigue. During his teens his desire was to become an engineer preferably in the technical branch of the Royal Air Force but this had to wait while he served his apprenticeship in engineering design in Grantham by then a Lincolnshire town associated with the RAF.

During World War Two, while completing his apprenticeship and gaining the necessary entry qualifications for the RAF, he joined as an air cadet No 47(F) Squadron of the Air Defence Cadet Corps based at his home town of Grantham rising during the course of the war as its Squadron Warrant Officer when it became part of Air Training Corps. During this period, amongst the instructional subjects which he became responsible were aircraft recognition, aircraft construction and RAF history. Because of this, he used his skills in making model aeroplanes and both his employer and the ATC recognised him to be an efficient and competent aeromodeller.

By the time he had gained the necessary entry qualifications for the RAF in late 1944, the war in Europe was coming to an end. Sadly, the RAF told him politely that perhaps they could finish the war without his help. He then went on to become a successful engineering designer and later a manager at one of Lincoln's famous engineering companies called Ruston Bucyrus.

His interest in aircraft grew from strength to strengh and in the 1970s started on several historical projects which involved aircraft that flew from Lincolnshire airfields. The county is famous for its airfields whether they were operational in WW1 or WW2 and of course Lincolnshire is well known throughout the UK and the world as "Bomber County." Most of Peter's project work can seen by illustration with the use of model aircraft and two example can be seen at the former RAF bases called Metheringham and Woodhall Spa now known as Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre and Thorpe Camp respectively.

He has an extensive knowledge of the wartime histories of RAF Digby, Wellingore and Coleby Grange and of late, concentrating on the aviation history of RAF Cranwell between the two world wars.

Now that the aviation lecture season is near to an end for 2007, Friends of Metheringham Airfield have invited Peter to give a special talk at their final lecture on the topic of the "Development of long-range flying at RAF Cranwell" and his presentation will cover not only the early record flights prior to the Royal Flying Corps and the formation of the Royal Air Force but the several successful attempts on the World Non Stop Distance Record between 1926 and the outbreak of WW2. Together with rare slides not seen by the public, the audience will be given the opportunity to handle and examine model aircraft which he has built from scratch to illustrate this talk.

This presentation will take place on Wednesday, 28th November, at 7.30pm, in the WW2 gymnasium.

Admission is £3.00 for visitors which includes refreshments but is free to members of Friends of Metheringham Airfield and of 106 Squadron.

Care to see these model aircraft, built to 1/48th scale, before they go on permanent display!

For further details please telephone 01526 378270.

John Shipton,

Press Officer,

Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre, Lincoln.