The following item is submitted on behalf of Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire and we wondered whether your members / readers might be able to help with the following request for assistance.

www.aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

Kindest regards,

Howard Heeley

Down To Earth Promotions

Tel: 0115 9201536

Mobile: 07732 122558

News Release

for immediate issue

Assistance Required – V-Force in Lincolnshire

Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire (AHL) is seeking assistance to help establish contact with former V-Force personnel who served in Lincolnshire in the early 1960s and then again in the early 1980s.

The recording of oral histories is a significant part of AHL’s remit for their aviation heritage programme, which is funded by an award of £436,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). Several interviews from the World War II era have already been recorded as part of the “Shouting The Odds” project, with some being available via links from their website www.aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

The AHL team is now moving their attention to the post World War II era of the Cold War and the Valiant, Victor and Vulcan crews of the V-Bomber squadrons of the V-Force.

2012 will be the 60^th Anniversary of the formation of the RAF’s V-Force and in October next year it will be 50 years after the Cuban Missile Crisis.  2012 will also mark 30 years since the Falklands Campaign, where a massive force of Victor tankers supported the Vulcan bombers from Lincolnshire with their Black Buck missions.

AHL officers are currently planning to run some Cuban Missile Crisis themed events in Oct 2012 and are trying to identify V-Force (Thor and Bloodhound) personnel who were serving in Lincolnshire at the time, who would be willing to assist with these activities.  AHL officers are also trying to identify V-Force, Thor and Bloodhound personnel from this time to see if they are willing to record their 'Cold War' oral histories.

Lincolnshire’s bases that were involved in these operations include:

RAF Coningsby

RAF Scampton

RAF Waddington

RAF Hemswell

RAF Coleby Grange

RAF Bardney

RAF Caistor

RAF Ludford Magna

RAF Dunholme Lodge

RAF North Coates

RAF Woodhall Spa

RAF Barkston Heath.

In addition they are also hoping to capture V-Force Falklands Campaign oral histories, mainly connected with operations from RAF Waddington in 1982.

Anyone willing to assist the AHL officers in these matters is requested to make contact with:

Phil Bonner: Phil@aviationheritagelincolnshire.com (for the Cuban Missile Crisis themed events) 

David Harrigan: David@aviationheritagelincolnshire.com (for the Cold War & V-Force Falklands Campaign oral histories)

Or via post at:  Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire PO BOX 3 Kesteven Street Sleaford Lincs NG34 7EF 

November 2011

Photo Captions:

The Vulcan images are from the Newark Air Museum Archive and they show Vulcans at RAF Waddington wearing the overall white ‘anti-flash’ markings that were typical of the Cuban Missile Crisis era.

For further details please contact:

Dave Harrigan MBE

Outreach and Learning Officer

Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire

Tel: 01529 308135 

Mobile: 07584 216890

Email: David@aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

Website: www.aviationheritagelincolnshire.com

Notes for Editors

1. Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire was funded by a £436,000 award from the Heritage Lottery Fund and contributions from North Kesteven District Council, East Lindsey District Council and West Lindsey District Council, with support from Lincolnshire Tourism.

HLF enables communities to celebrate, look after and learn more about our diverse heritage. From our great museums and historic buildings to local parks and beauty spots or recording and celebrating traditions, customs and history, HLF grants open up our nation’s heritage for everyone to enjoy. They have supported more than 33,900 projects, allocating over £4.5billion across the UK, including more than £244million to the East Midlands alone.

Website: www.hlf.org.uk

2. Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire (AHL) is a unique partnership promoting the extensive aviation experience that is to be found in the county.  The partnership has its roots in a steering group initiated in 2004 by North Kesteven District Council (NKDC), which looked at how best to provide an integrated, cohesive marketing and branding approach to aviation heritage.  Out of the study came the formation of the Lincolnshire Integrated Aviation Heritage Partnership (LIAHP) which incorporated Lincolnshire County Council, West and East Lindsey District Councils as well as NKDC, Visit Lincolnshire and Business Link, and a wide range of aviation heritage sites across the county.

After a very competitive recruiting process, Phil Bonner was recruited as the Aviation Development Officer (ADO) whilst Dave Harrigan was recruited as the Outreach and Learning Officer (OLO) for the newly re-named Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire.  They took up their appointments early in 2010.

Their remit is to work with various key sites over 3 years, raising the profile of the aviation heritage product in the county, and promoting aviation within the schools and colleges.  The sites are varied in their size and the range of exhibits they offer.

Though there was no direct funding awarded to individual sites, the grant pays for Phil and Dave to work full time on behalf of the sites.  They work closely with other agencies such as Renaissance East Midlands to raise the standard within the county, as well as engaging in the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) and Places of Interest Quality Assurance Scheme (PIQAS).  Administrative support for the two posts is provided by North Kesteven District Council which has enabled Dave and Phil to draw on its marketing resources and IT support.