Take a break at a click of a mouse with a package of themed shortbreaks. Whether it's the great outdoors, food and drink, gardening,shopping with style – or aviation heritage – Lincolnshire offers theperfect short break. All are bookable online at visitlincolnshire.com

For aviation enthusiastsYou will find wonderful museums and visitor centres, which reflect the

county's rich aviation heritage from the early years of military flying

to the present day, as well as the busy operational bases of today's

Royal Air Force.

Take time to explore Lincolnshire's past and present, visit an authentic

wartime fighter operations room, listen to the growl of Merlin engines,

and watch the polished ease of The Red Arrows as they practice their

complex manoeuvres in the high Lincolnshire skies.

and not just for aviation enthusiasts…The county's Aviation Heritage is as much a social history as a militaryhistory. Visits can be combined with other activities, including family history,churches, the built environment, walking, cycling, houses and gardens,antiques, a city break, and the tastes of Lincolnshire.

FOR VALOUR

Memorials to personnel of airfields and squadrons can be found from oneend of the county to the other, in village churches, by roadsides or on theformer airfields themselves.

PUBS

Probably the most famous watering hole of allied aircrew was the Saracen'sHead close by the Stonebow on Lincoln's High Street and known to many asthe Snake Pit. The main part of the building is now a bookshop, although aplaque commemorates its passing. Village pubs close by the airfields were"the local" to countless air and ground crews, and many have photographsand other mementoes which recall those wartime days.

This leaflet is one of a range published

by Visit Lincolnshire for details

of all our themed Short Breaks

please contact us

T: (01522) 526450 F: (01522) 526431

E: info@visitlincolnshire.com

www.visitlincolnshire.com

WADDINGTON AIR SHOW

The Waddington International Air Show is the largest of the RAF's air shows,with a truly international flavour and static aircraft displays featuring up to 100military and civilian aircraft.

Displays include RAF Waddington's resident squadrons, aviation museums andmajor aerospace companies. All the armed services mount recruiting displays,many of which offer exciting "hands-on" experience for young hopefuls.

Other attractions include live music, helicopter pleasure flights, a classic car andvehicle exhibition, a traditional funfair, trade and craft fairs.www.waddingtonairshow.co.uk

NORTH KESTEVEN DISTRICT COUNCIL - AIRFIELD TRAIL

The award-winning Airfield Trail covers Great War andSecond World War airfields in mid-Lincolnshire, together withthe operational stations of Cranwell, Digby and Waddington.Copies of the free illustrated guide are available from the T.I.C.Money's Yard, Carre Street, Sleaford, Lincolnshire NG34 7TW.Tel (01529) 414294.www.heartoflincs.com

WEST LINDSEY DISTRICT COUNCIL – AVIATION HERITAGE

West Lindsey includes many famous airfields. Copies of thefree Aviation Heritage guide and Memorials leaflet are availablefrom the Tourism Unit, West Lindsey District Council,26 Spital Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire DN21 2HGTel (01427) 676666.www.west-lindsey.gov.uk

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GROUP VISITS AND GUIDED TOURS

Exploring the many airfields around Lincoln on guided day tours,special tours and breaks can also be arranged for groups. Contact theSleaford T.I.C. on (01529) 414294. www.heartoflincs.com

The City of Lincoln operates guided tours within the historic city area,and also offers guiding for groups of the City's aviation heritage.For information contact the Lincoln T.I.C. on (01522) 873213 / 873256www.lincoln.gov.uk

Bomber County Tours offer individually tailored day tours for groups,with an experienced specialist guide. Tel (07884) 003384.www.bombercountytours.com

Visitors can receive a wide range of help from the manyTourist Information Centres across the county. For thelocation of Tourist Information Centres contact LincolnshireTourism on (01522) 526450 or at

www.visitlincolnshire.com

SHORT Breaks

Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this leaflet and the details shown are upto date at the time of publication. As content and opening times at attractions may vary atshort notice, to avoid disappointment please check with the attraction before making a longor special journey.

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MORE Information

LINCOLNSHIREhomeoftheRoyalAirForce

WaddingtonAirShowVulcan,NewarkAirMuseumBattleofBritainMemorialFlight

AirfieldTrail

MetheringhamAirfieldVisitorCentre

IntheBeginningDuringtheGreatWarLincolnshire’s37airfieldshousedfighterstargeting

Zeppelins,trainingaircraftandairships,whileLincolnwasoneofBritain’s

largestaircraftproductioncentres.

TheRAFwasformedin1918fromtheRoyalNavalAirServiceandtheRoyal

FlyingCorps,andafterthewartherewereonlythreeairfieldsinLincolnshire.

AtCranwell’sRoyalAirForceCollege,formedin1920,FrankWhittle

proposedthebasisofthejetengine.TELawrence(LawrenceofArabia)

alsoservedthere.

BomberCountyDuringtheSecondWorldWarLincolnshirebecameBomberCounty,home

tomanyLancastersquadrons.AlmosthalfBomberCommand's19Victoria

CrosseshonouredairmenflyingfromLincolnshire,includingWgCdrGuy

Gibsonof617Squadron,theDamBusters.

By1945therewere49airfields,morethananyothercounty.

PilotpoetJohnMageeflewSpitfireswiththeRoyalCanadianAirForce,and

isburiedatScopwick.Almost500airforcememorialsmarkthesacrificeof

youngmenandwomenofmanynations.

TheAmericanConnectionIntheGreatWarUSNavyflying-boatsflewanti-submarinepatrols,inthe

1940sfighterpilotsweretrained,C-47transportscarriedD-Dayparatroops,

andB-29strategicbomberswerebasedhere.The3EagleSquadronswere

allbasedatKirtoninLindseyduringWWII.

TheColdWarBritain'snucleardeterrentwasmaintainedbytheRAF'sV-Forceinthe

1950s/1960swithScamptonandWaddingtonoperatingVulcansand

LightningsupersonicinterceptorsfromBinbrook.

ThePresentDayRoyalAirForceinLincolnshireRAFConingsbyEurofighterTyphoons,theRAF'snewstrikeaircraft,

andtheBattleofBritainMemorialFlight

RAFCranwellTheRAFCollegeandCentralFlyingSchool

RAFDigbyGroundcommunicationsbase

RAFScamptonHomeofTheRedArrows

RAFWaddingtonSentryairborneearlywarningAWACSaircraft,

reconnaissanceNimrods,andradarequipped

Sentinels

VISITORCENTRES•MUSEUMS•AIRFIELDTRAILS•GUIDEDTOURS•MEMORIALS•TODAY'SROYALAIRFORCE

TaketoLincolnshire’s‘bigskies’andexperiencethethrill

andexcitementofaviation–pastandpresent.

Discoveralandscapecriss-crossedbywartimeairfields

andremindersofLincolnshire’shistoricaviationrole–

andhometothefamousRedArrowsRAFdisplayteam.

Whetheryou’reanenthusiastorsimplylookingfora

greatfamilydayout,Lincolnshirehassomethingtosuit.

SeetwoofonlyfourLancasterbombersleftinBritain.

Visittheelegantbuildingsoftheworld'soldestmilitary

airacademyatRAFCranwell.OrenjoyadayattheRAF's

largestairshowheldeachyearatRAFWaddington.

PleasenotethatalthoughtheRoyalAirForceencouragesanactiveinterestinitswork,apart

fromthepublicareaatRAFWaddingtontherearenoviewingfacilitiesadjacenttotheairfields

andsecurityrestrictionsmaybeappliedfromtimetotimetomeetoperationalrequirements.

Aviation HeritageLincolnshire

Aviation HeritageLincolnshire

visitlincolnshire.com

Lindum Heritage offer individually tailored tours for groups accompanied by an experienced specialist guide, with 24 hour service. Tel (01522) 845060 www.lindumheritage.co.uk

Visitor Information Centre on (01522) 545458