£150k still needed for new Lincolnshire WW2 plane structure, says Chairman

A project to build an iconic “Angel of the North” aeroplane structure in Lincolnshire still needs “£150 thousand of donations” says its Chairman.

Ken Sadler, Chairman of the Bomber County Gateway Trust, is overseeing the construction of a full-scale Avro Lancaster aeroplane near the A46 to represent “what Lincolnshire contributed to the Second World War”.

Sadler, 50, says the Trust has already received donations of £80 thousand in cash and the equivalent of a quarter of a million pounds in corporate time and materials.

An artist’s impression of what the Lancaster structure will look like when it is completed (image via: http://www.bombergatewaytrust.co.uk/)

During World War Two, Bomber Command was based in and flew from Lincolnshire, including the iconic Lancaster Bomber.

Sadler said: “It’s a memorial to the 58 thousand bomber command crew that lost their lives. It’s a welcome symbol to Lincolnshire, right on the gateway to the county as you enter Lincolnshire from Nottinghamshire so it’s an Angel of the North type thing.”

He also said it was a piece of art, a “catalyst for visiting other Lincolnshire attractions” like the international bomber command centre and RAF bases, and an educational structure.

Sadler said: “I want kids of 10, 11, 12 to look at it and think what is it about- why is it worth remembering?”

The steel for the structure is being provided by Tata for free and construction on the plane section will begin in early 2019, with concrete foundations being laid Thursday, December 6.

The expected finishing date is Autumn next year but Sadler said: “there’s only so many miracles you can perform without money”.

To donate, visit www.bombergatewaytrust.co.uk or “Bomber County Gateway Trust” on Facebook.