30 June 2026
One of the best tasks every month is writing about the free landings that the FLYER Club offers its members. Usually, there’s at least four of these vouchers, arranged by our Club Champion Annabel Cook working with various flying clubs and airfield managers around the UK.
What makes writing about these airfields fun is that most have a history or a background story that’s sometimes exciting, often linked to wartime, but always compelling.
This month’s airfields are just that. One has a historic aircraft, a Lancaster bomber, in working condition. Another has current links to a key part of the motor industry. Two have very personal stories going back to WWII – one had no less than actor James Stewart as an operational bomber pilot and commanding officer.
Let’s dive in and find out more.
East Kirkby Airfield is home for ‘Just Jane’, a working Lancaster bomber, and the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre (open Tuesday to Saturday) and a grass landing strip to welcome visitors by air.
“We have two possible grass strips, 24/06 and 26/08,” said the centre. “When landing you must use grass only, there should be no use of the concrete areas.”
One arrived, you can head for ‘The NAAFI’, a wartime building which is home to the admission desk, cafe and souvenir shop. The walls are filled with wartime photos and memorabilia to browse while enjoying a speciality coffees and maybe cake. There’s also more substantial meals for lunch.
https://www.lincsaviation.co.uk/
Sometimes known as just Gamston Airport, this is a unique airfield combining automotive testing and aviation operations in a dual operation environment.
The airport is open 7 days a week, but make sure you’re fully briefed before beginning your journey. The runway in use, available taxiway and parking areas may vary and automotive testing may be underway. PPR and Hi-Viz are mandatory at Gamston Airport due to the varying operations and transiting vehicles. All inbound, non-based flights need PPR (Prior Permission Required). Contact [email protected]
The airport is well located for Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, with excellent roadand rail links. There’s also the excellent Apron Café and Bakery, open from Wednesday to Sunday, providing breakfast, lunch and catering options.
Buchan Aero Club runs Longside Airfield. PPR is mandatory becauses the airfield is often used for helicopter or police training activities. Call the Primary Contact: 07825 811111, or Secondary Contact: 07564 071300.
The airfield itself has a 500m tarmac runway, 10/28, and Longside Radio: is 118.280. Note, the radio is generally not manned. Standard blind calls should be made when operating in the circuit.
Longside is another one of the airfields with a WWII history, looked after by the RAF Peterhead Museum & Heritage Society. The Royal Air Force station was officially opened on 7 July 1941 but was “far from complete and ready for operations, but in a time of conflict it would have to do.”
There’s a warm welcome from Norfolk Gliding Club which operates the airfield. PPR is essential and there’s now a self-authorised procedure.
To arrange your PPR, please use the following steps:
“If you would like live updates from our system on runway in use and other related information please feel free to join our telegram channel,” said the club.
There’s also the Cloud Nine Kitchen cafe, open Wednesday to Sunday, 8am (9am on Sunday) to 3pm.
Aviation at Tibenham goes right back to 1916 but the current airfield was set up in WWII as one of the ‘Fields of Little America’.
The Class A airfield was opened in 1943 with three standard concrete and tarmac runways, 35 ‘frying pan’ hard-stands and a further 17 ‘spectacle’ hard-stands.
In November 1943 the 445th Bomber Group arrived at Tibenham with four squadrons flying B24 Liberator bombers. The pilots included the famous Hollywood actor Jimmy Stewart who flew many combat missions as commander of the 703rd squadron, and always maintained a close relationship with the airbase, visiting the gliding club on many occasions in the 1980s and 90s.
https://www.norfolkglidingclub.com/
