A typical Runways to War tour itinerary
WE are constantly tinkering with the time slots on our tour to meet the desires of clients. But rest assured that from the moment you arrive at the Petwood Hotel on Sunday afternoon to the moment you leave on Tuesday afternoon, you will be well looked after and you will get the maximum time possible at each venue to enjoy all the wartime history you can soak up.
Here is a sample of one of our past itineraries so you can see how your mission to Bomber county will pan out:
Sunday: Transport from Lincoln station to The Petwood at Woodhall Spa will be available if needed and is included in the cost of your tour. Those arriving by car will be given full instructions on how to get to the Petwood from the A1.
6pm: Introductory talk with refreshments in the Squadron Bar, Petwood Hotel. The illustrated talk - A Brief History of Bomber County - will be given by your tour guide Mickey Burke.
7.30pm: Dinner
Monday: 8.45am: Meet outside hotel after breakfast and board tour coach.
9.15am: Visit to RAF Digby followed by brief visit to RAF graves at Scopwick Cemetery
11am: Coffee and biscuits at Blue Bell Inn - wartime haunt of airmen from RAF Woodhall and Coningsby which has a very interesting ceiling full of autographs written there by the brave boys stationed at these airfields.
11.30am: Visit to RAF Coningsby to tour the famous Battle of Britain Memorial flight.
1.45pm: Lunch at the Dambusters Inn, Scampton. Brief visit to mysterious German graves at Scampton Cemetery.
2.45pm: Visit to RAF Scampton - home of the Dambusters
4.15pm: Afternoon tea and biscuits at Scampton Museum
Arrive back at hotel by 5.30pm. Plenty of time to change and stroll the grounds before...
7.30pm: Dinner.
Tuesday: 9.15am: Meet outside the hotel and board coach.
9.45am: Visit to Metheringham Airfield Museum. Coffee and biscuits in the old gym, regular venue for wartime dances. Ride down wartime runway.
12pm: Special visit to The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre at East Kirkby where you will board Lancaster Just Jane and sit in all of the crew positions under guidance of an expert. Guided tour of airfield on Queen Mary (a 1943 low loader) - and if we are lucky a talk by Fred Panton, museum owner who talks of his childhood near the airfield. Remaining time spent touring extensive museum.
Back at hotel by 5pm. Return transport to Lincoln leaving approximately 5.30pm.
