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

[john shipton]

This may be of interest to those liking aeroplanes for this person owns two...

People would wonder why a qualified veterninary surgeon and who was elected to serve on the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and dealing with disciplinary matters on its Disciplinary Committee, should still have time and have an interest in aviation.

Well, Charles Ross, is such a person and is using his talents in the field of aviation. For Charles is the owner of two English Electric Lightning aircraft that once grazed the skies over the United Kingdom.

One is kept at his home in the village of Binbrook, in the Bomber County of Lincolnshire. This is in memory of the Lightning squadrons, 11 Squadron and the famous 5 Squadron, which flew from nearby former RAF Binbrook, now a business park. The other aircraft was recently based at the Bomber County Museum at the former site of RAF Hemswell. But alas, this museum has since closed and the Lightning jet aircraft was transfered to Thorpe Camp being its gate guardian of the once and still famous former RAF Woodhall Spa, where Wing Commander Guy Gibson and his navigator lost their lives on a mission flying a Mosquito from the aerodrome.

He is the chairman of the Lightning Association and is their Project Manager. He also supervised the flight of a Lightning which was purchased by the association which flew from RAF Shawbury into RAF Binbrook where it is still maintained today in operational condition.

Charles has a keen interest in the Royal Air Force and all of the squadrons associated with it. He is the Chairman of the Royal Air Force Heraldry Trust, whose object is to research and commission the painting of every badge ever awarded to the RAF and the Royal Commonwealth Air Forces in order that the definitive reference standard should be established. The completed paintings are kept in the Library at the RAF College, Cranwell.

One wonders where his life interests will take him next. To find out he will be speaking at the Metheringham Airfield Visitor Centre, near Lincoln.

His topic will be The English Electric Lightning and the lecture is on Wednesday, 25th June, beginning at 7.30pm.

His talk will be in the WW2 gymnasium on what was the known as RAF Metheringham where 106 Squadron flew from with their Lancaster bombers during the war years.

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

For further details please telephone 01526 378604.